2 Days in Dubrovnik: Day-Trip Base Itinerary
Two days is a weekend base, not a deep dive: one evening to settle into Dubrovnik, one full day out on the water at the Elaphiti Islands. It’s the minimum viable version of this itinerary family. Got more time? Step up to the 3-day version and add Montenegro, or go all the way to the 7-day plan with every day trip in this guide.
Book these before you go
- Hotel: compare Old Town, Ploce, and Lapad rates on Booking.com
- Elaphiti Islands boat tour: browse current departures on GetYourGuide
| Day | Focus | Distance/travel time from Dubrovnik |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrival, Old Town orientation | Base city |
| Day 2 | Elaphiti Islands | Ferry 15-60 min, or full-day boat tour |
Day 1: Arrival and Dubrovnik orientation
- Land at Dubrovnik Airport (DBV), roughly 15.5-20km southeast near Cilipi. Take the Platanus airport shuttle bus (EUR 8 one-way, timed to flights, running to Gruz and on to Pile or Ploce Gate) or the cheaper Libertas line 11 city bus (roughly EUR 4)
- Check into your base for both nights, Old Town, Ploce, or Lapad all work for a 2-day trip built around one day trip, not a room-hopping schedule
- Walk Stradun, Pile Gate to the Bell Tower, and get your bearings; this is a light orientation evening, not the full City Walls circuit, that’s a straight Dubrovnik city trip covered in our Dubrovnik travel guide
- Dinner on a side street two or three back from Stradun, where prices drop and the food doesn’t
- Early night, tomorrow’s boat leaves in the morning
Day 2: Elaphiti Islands
- Morning departure from the Old Port (not Gruz, a separate harbour entirely) for Koločep, Lopud, and Šipan. Public ferry lines 807 and 831 run about EUR 5 each way but thin out fast outside July and August; an organized three-island tour (EUR 30-75+pp, often with lunch and swim stops) is the easier call for a first day trip
- Swim and wander whichever islands your boat stops at, Lopud’s sandy beach and Šipan’s olive groves are the two most requested stops
- Back in Dubrovnik by early evening; check the public ferry timetable at jadrolinija.hr if you’re doing it independently instead of an organized tour
- Farewell dinner in the Old Town, or cross to Ploce for a quieter table with the same view
Is 2 days enough for a Dubrovnik day-trip base?
Enough for one genuine day trip, the Elaphiti Islands, and a light orientation evening, not enough for Montenegro or Mostar without turning the whole weekend into a single rushed border crossing. If a cross-border trip matters to you, the 3-day itinerary is the shortest version that fits one in properly.
How much does this 2-day Dubrovnik trip cost?
Budget roughly EUR 70-100 a day (~USD 75-108) for a mid-range hotel and meals, plus EUR 30-75pp for the Elaphiti boat tour itself, or closer to EUR 5 each way if you take the public ferry independently and skip the organized tour.
Things to know
- Croatia’s currency is the euro, not the kuna, since 1 January 2023, any kuna price you see quoted is stale
- Elaphiti ferries leave from the Old Port, a small dock inside the Old Town walls, entirely separate from Gruz, the main cruise and ferry harbour further northwest
- Public ferry schedules to the islands thin out sharply outside peak season, don’t assume July frequency in May or October
Tips
- Book the Elaphiti tour a few days ahead in peak season, the popular lunch-and-swim boats sell out
- Extending past 2 days? The 3-day itinerary adds a full Montenegro day trip without changing anything here
Check current visitor updates and any cruise-ship schedule for your Day 1 arrival at tzdubrovnik.hr , then confirm your Elaphiti boat departure time the night before, island ferries run on a fixed schedule that doesn’t wait for a slow breakfast.