6 Days in Dubrovnik: Day-Trip Base Itinerary
Six days adds a genuine breather, an easy half-day in Cavtat with no border and no long drive, paired with the City Walls you may not have used yet if you’ve been out of town most days. Shorter trip? Drop to the 5-day version . More time? Step up to the full week .
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
- Montenegro (Kotor and Perast) day trip: check dates on Viator
- Mostar and the Old Bridge: check dates on Viator
- Peljesac wine and Ston day trip: browse wineries 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 3 | Montenegro (Kotor, Perast) | ~2h drive plus a non-Schengen border crossing |
| Day 4 | Mostar, Bosnia | ~2.5-3.5h drive plus a second non-Schengen border crossing |
| Day 5 | Peljesac Peninsula wine, Ston | ~1.5-2h drive via the 2022 Peljesac Bridge |
| Day 6 | Cavtat, then the City Walls | Bus/ferry 30-45 min, plus the walk back in Dubrovnik |
Day 1: Arrival and Dubrovnik orientation
- Land at Dubrovnik Airport (DBV), roughly 15.5-20km southeast near Cilipi. Take the Platanus shuttle bus (EUR 8 one-way) or the cheaper Libertas line 11 city bus (roughly EUR 4)
- Check into one base for all six nights; Old Town, Ploce, or Lapad. Walk Stradun for your bearings, then an early dinner and an early night
Day 2: Elaphiti Islands
- Morning departure from the Old Port for Koločep, Lopud, and Šipan; public ferry lines 807/831 run about EUR 5 each way, or an organized three-island tour (EUR 30-75+pp) with lunch and swim stops
- Back in Dubrovnik by early evening; check ferry timetables at jadrolinija.hr if going independently
Day 3: Montenegro, Kotor and Perast
- Early start, ideally the first available departure (~7-7:15am), across the Karasovići/Debeli Brijeg border; passport required, Montenegro isn’t in Schengen despite bordering EU member Croatia
- Organized tours run roughly EUR 30-68pp; walk Kotor’s Old Town walls (~EUR 15, free November-April); border wait swings from 10-20 minutes off-peak to multiple hours at peak summer midday
Day 4: Mostar and the Old Bridge
- A second non-Schengen border, roughly 2.5-3.5 hours’ drive each way, organized tours run EUR 45-55pp, commonly paired with Kravice Waterfall and/or Medjugorje
- Walk Stari Most, the Ottoman-era Old Bridge rebuilt after 1990s war damage, a genuine 10-12 hour day
Day 5: Peljesac Peninsula wine and Ston
- The Peljesac Bridge (opened 2022) crosses to the peninsula without the old Neum/Bosnia detour; organized wine-tour day trips run roughly EUR 130-150pp for 2-3 wineries plus a stop in Ston for oysters and centuries-old salt pans
- A slower pace after two long border days, and public transport on the peninsula is thin, so a tour or rental car matters more here than for Elaphiti or Cavtat
Day 6: Cavtat, then the City Walls at golden hour
- Morning bus (Line 10, ~EUR 4-5, 30-45 minutes) or, June-October, the seasonal scenic ferry (~EUR 15-20 return) to Cavtat, a handsome small coastal town and gateway to the rural Konavle region, no border, no long drive, the lightest day trip on this whole itinerary
- Back in Dubrovnik by early afternoon; use the rest of the day for the City Walls, EUR 40 peak adult (check current pricing at citywallsdubrovnik.hr ), walked in the last two hours before closing for the light and thinner crowds
- Fort Lovrijenac comes free with any Walls ticket for three days afterward, don’t buy it separately; the full deep-dive on the Walls and the rest of the Old Town lives in our Dubrovnik travel guide
Is 6 days enough for a Dubrovnik day-trip base?
Enough for every major day trip except Mljet National Park, plus a full pass at the City Walls once the border-crossing days are done. The finale, Mljet, is the one thing the 7-day itinerary adds on top of this.
How much does this 6-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 Elaphiti, EUR 30-68pp for Montenegro, EUR 45-55pp for Mostar, EUR 130-150pp for Peljesac wine, and EUR 40 for the City Walls on Day 6.
Things to know
- Croatia’s currency is the euro since 1 January 2023; carry a passport for both Day 3 and Day 4
- The Cavtat ferry is seasonal, June through October only, don’t rely on it outside that window, the bus runs year-round
- Elaphiti ferries leave from the Old Port, entirely separate from Gruz, the main cruise and ferry harbour further northwest
Tips
- Save the City Walls for Day 6 on purpose, walking it fresh off five days of day trips beats squeezing it in on Day 1 while you’re still jet-lagged
- Extending past 6 days? The 7-day itinerary closes with Mljet National Park without changing anything here
Check the day’s cruise-ship schedule at tzdubrovnik.hr before committing to a Day 6 Walls time, a docked ship still floods the Old Town at midday even this late in the trip, and confirm current Walls and City Pass tiers at visitdubrovnik.hr before you book.