Flights to Dubrovnik — What to Expect
Dubrovnik Airport (DBV), officially named Dubrovnik Airport Čilipi, sits about 20km southeast of the Old Town. It's a well-connected regional airport that handles a serious volume of traffic in summer, so booking early matters more here than almost anywhere else in the Mediterranean. Flights to Dubrovnik from London run roughly €80–€180 return in shoulder season on easyJet, Ryanair, and British Airways, while July and August prices regularly hit €250–€400 return if you haven't planned ahead. From Germany, Lufthansa and Eurowings connect Frankfurt, Munich, and Düsseldorf with fares typically in the €100–€220 return range outside peak season. Croatia Airlines operates regional connections through Zagreb (ZAG) if you're building a broader Croatia itinerary.
Dubrovnik flight deals are genuinely findable if you're flexible. The sweet spot is booking 6–10 weeks out for spring travel, or setting fare alerts through Google Flights or Skyscanner for September departures, when prices drop noticeably but the weather holds. Direct flights are available from most major Western European hubs including Amsterdam, Vienna, Paris CDG, and Dublin — typically 2 to 3 hours of flying time depending on origin. There's no high-speed rail alternative that makes sense from Western Europe, so flying is the default for most visitors, which is worth keeping in mind when comparing prices.
Best Time to Visit Dubrovnik
The honest answer is May, June, or September. The Old City walls at 8am in late May, with the sea shimmering below and almost no one else around, are a completely different experience from fighting through 10,000 cruise ship passengers in August. July and August bring Croatia's warmest weather — sea temperatures hit 24–25°C and the evenings are perfect — but Dubrovnik becomes one of Europe's most congested destinations. Capacity issues are real: the city has actively tried to limit cruise ship numbers, and the UNESCO-listed Old Town simply wasn't built for modern tourist volumes.
June is arguably the best single month: temperatures reach 22–25°C, the Adriatic is warm enough to swim comfortably, and most restaurants and boat trips are fully operational without peak-season pricing. September is a close second — the summer crowds thin after the school holidays end, sea temperatures remain excellent through mid-month, and accommodation prices fall noticeably. October is cooler (14–20°C) with more rain, but it suits visitors focused on history and food rather than beach time. November through April is quiet bordering on sleepy — a handful of restaurants close, ferry services reduce, and while it's atmospheric, it's not the Dubrovnik most people are coming for. January and February are the cheapest months to fly, but expect limited dining options and occasional bura winds.
Getting Around Dubrovnik
From the airport, your options are a taxi (around €30–€40 to the Old Town), the Atlas airport bus service (around €6–€8 one way, drops at Pile Gate and the bus station), or a pre-booked private transfer if you're arriving late or with family. Uber operates in Dubrovnik and is often cheaper than local taxis for airport runs. Once you're in the city, the local bus network run by Libertas is surprisingly efficient — the No. 4 and No. 6 lines connect Pile Gate with Lapad and Gruž harbour, and a single ticket bought on board costs around €2. The Old Town itself is pedestrianized and compact enough to walk everywhere within it, though the hills and steps mean comfortable shoes are non-negotiable. If you're planning day trips to Lokrum Island, the Elafiti Islands, or Cavtat, ferries run from the Old Port (Lokrum) and Gruž Harbour (Elafiti). Car rental is available but largely pointless for a city-focused trip — parking is expensive and scarce near the Old Town.
Where to Stay in Dubrovnik
The Old Town (Stari Grad) is the obvious choice for atmosphere — you're inside the walls, steps from everything — but it comes at a cost. Budget options barely exist here; expect to pay €120–€200 per night for a decent apartment or guesthouse, and significantly more for hotels. Noise and crowds are also part of the package in peak season. Lapad Peninsula, about 4km west of the Old Town, offers a more relaxed alternative with beaches, a pleasant promenade, and mid-range hotels in the €70–€130 range — the bus connection to the Old Town takes around 20 minutes. Gruž, the main harbour area, is functional and cheaper still, better suited to visitors catching early ferries than those prioritising ambience. For a splurge, the Rixos Premium Dubrovnik and Villa Orsula offer clifftop Adriatic views that justify the price for a special occasion. Budget travellers should look at private rooms in Lapad or hostels like Hostel Angelina in the Old Town, which consistently gets strong reviews.
Top Things to Do in Dubrovnik
- Walk the City Walls: The 2km circuit around the medieval walls is the essential Dubrovnik experience. Go early morning (they open at 8am) to beat both the heat and the crowds. The views over the terracotta rooftops and the Adriatic are genuinely spectacular.
- Lokrum Island: A 15-minute ferry from the Old Port drops you on a car-free island with a botanical garden, ruined monastery, saltwater lake, and rocky swimming spots. Half-day trip, well worth it.
- Stradun and the Old Town: The main limestone thoroughfare is touristy but undeniably beautiful. Explore the side alleys — Prijeko Street, the Dominican Monastery, and the Rector's Palace give you the history without the selfie-stick congestion.
- Mount Srđ by Cable Car: The cable car takes 4 minutes and delivers panoramic views of the entire coastline. Sunset timing here is hard to beat. The Napoleon-era fort at the top also houses a decent museum of the 1991–1995 Homeland War.
- Day trip to the Elafiti Islands: Ferries from Gruž Harbour connect to Koločep, Lopud, and Šipan — quieter alternatives to the main city with good swimming and local konoba restaurants serving fresh seafood.
- Kayaking around the Walls: Sea kayaking tours departing from Banje Beach take you around the base of the city walls at water level, which gives you a completely different perspective. Several operators run these, typically €35–€50 for a half-day.
Practical Travel Tips
EU citizens need only a national ID card to enter Croatia, which has been a full Schengen member since January 2023. UK passport holders can visit visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period under the standard Schengen rules. Croatia adopted the euro (€) in January 2023, replacing the kuna — this makes budgeting considerably simpler than it used to be. ATMs are widely available throughout Dubrovnik; credit cards are accepted at most restaurants and hotels, though some smaller konobas still prefer cash. Tipping isn't mandatory but rounding up or leaving 10% at restaurants is standard practice and appreciated. Tap water is safe to drink throughout Croatia. Dubrovnik is extremely safe by any European standard — petty theft around crowded tourist areas is the main concern, standard big-city precautions apply. Sunscreen, a refillable water bottle, and good walking shoes are the three things most visitors wish they'd brought more of.
FAQ — Flights to Dubrovnik
How much do flights to Dubrovnik cost?
Return flights to Dubrovnik from major European cities typically range from €80 to €180 in shoulder season (May, June, September, October). In peak summer — particularly July and the first two weeks of August — expect to pay €200–€400 return from UK and Western European airports if booking within 4–6 weeks of travel. Winter fares can drop below €60 return on low-cost carriers, though the limited tourist infrastructure in those months makes that a specialist trip.
Which airlines fly to Dubrovnik?
easyJet and Ryanair dominate the budget end with frequent services from London Gatwick, London Stansted, Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh, Dublin, and multiple German and Italian cities. British Airways flies from London Heathrow. Eurowings connects German cities including Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, and Hamburg. Croatia Airlines operates year-round via Zagreb with connections from across Europe. Seasonal charter services also operate from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe during summer. The route network shrinks noticeably between November and March.
What is the cheapest month to fly to Dubrovnik?
January and February consistently offer the cheapest flights to Dubrovnik, with return fares sometimes dropping below €60 from the UK on low-cost carriers. However, this is the off-season — some restaurants and attractions run reduced hours or close entirely. For a better balance of low prices and a functioning tourist city, late October and early November offer the best value: fares are well below summer peaks, the Old Town is walkable without crowds, and the weather is manageable for sightseeing.
How long is the flight to Dubrovnik from London?
Flights from London to Dubrovnik take approximately 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours direct, depending on the departure airport and routing. London Gatwick and Stansted both have regular direct services. From other European hubs: Amsterdam is around 2 hours 30 minutes, Frankfurt roughly 2 hours, and Paris CDG approximately 2 hours 15 minutes. There are no non-stop transatlantic flights to Dubrovnik — North American travellers typically connect through London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, or Vienna.