Dubrovnik Cable Car

[RTR 21-0]

Looking at an excursion in Dubrovnik and two options for getting to the meeting point are by taxi or cable car.  Is the cable car walking distance from the port?  

[edinburgher]

 Is the cable car walking distance from the port?

 

Is it the upper or the lower cable car station? If the upper, It would be a  long and hard uphill walk.If the lower, just very long.  Or you could do the long walk into town and take the cable car from the lower station  up to the upper station.

 

Are you docking or tendering?

 

If you are docking you will be at Gruz,If tendering you will tender into the Old Harbour and can easily walk to the lower cable car station. If at Gruz, best with a taxi from the port to the upper station or public bus route #8 goes from Gruz with a stop at the upper cable car station. Or take a ship shuttle, taxi or public bus from the port to Pile and reach the lower cable car station from there.

 

Meeting point is a little unusual I think.  Where are you heading from the roadway beside the upper cable car station?  I ask as the taxis at Gruz offer fixed price tours from Gruz which also have a photo stop at the upper station and fixed price fares to and from Pile.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 9, 2023 by edinburgher

[Hlitner]

3 hours ago, RTR 21-0 said:

Looking at an excursion in Dubrovnik and two options for getting to the meeting point are by taxi or cable car.  Is the cable car walking distance from the port?  

I am somewhat confused.  You have a tour that starts at the upper cable car station?  That does not make a lot of sense.  You can walk from the port to the lower cable car station although it would take a fast walker about 45 min!  I think a taxi, shuttle bus, or public bus to the city makes more sense.  A taxi can take you direct to the lower cable car station but using a bus would mean a nice walk from the drop place (near the main entrance to the city) to the cable car (you can walk through part of the city and head out the exit closest to the cable car station.  You might want to look at an online map to get some idea about the direction and distance.

 

Since it looks like you will be on a Celebrity cruise, the ship will dock outside of town at the cruise port.  

 

Hank

[edinburgher]

am somewhat confused.  You have a tour that starts at the upper cable car station?  That does not make a lot of sense. (you)

 

Meeting point is a little unusual I think. (me)

 

SNAP Hank!  We must have been posting at the same time.

[RTR 21-0]

Haven’t booked it, that’s why I was asking.  The description says, “shore excursion leaves from an approx 5 min cable car ride and/or an approx 10-20 min taxi ride is required to reach your departure destination.” 

[Hlitner]

6 hours ago, RTR 21-0 said:

Haven’t booked it, that’s why I was asking.  The description says, “shore excursion leaves from an approx 5 min cable car ride and/or an approx 10-20 min taxi ride is required to reach your departure destination.” 

Hmmm, that is not very clear (perhaps something lost in the translation).  My guess is that the tour meets at the LOWER cable car station, which is located just outside the walls of the city.  The tour may well include the cable car ride (the view from the top is quite nice).  That being said, there is no need to pay for a tour/excursion to take the cable car (anyone can just walk up to the ticket office and buy a ticket) or use a tour to explore inside the walls of Dubrovnik (a very walkable city).  Unless the tour includes something else, outside the city, you might want to reconsider and save your money.  You can even buy the cable car tickets online (not open until April) for about $30 (round trip).

 

Within the walls of Dubrovnik, just doing your own walking tour is quite easy.  There is one main street which becomes the focus of walking.  One can go off to any of the side streets and the city has plenty of shops, restaurants, and cafes (indoor and outdoor).  English is widely spoken (by those in the tourist industry) and menus are in multiple languages.  For those that are mobile, a highlight is climbing up to the top of the walls and walking around the city (along the top of the walls).  There are several entrances (to get up the wall), signage is good, and there is a price.  The current cost is 35 Euros (around $38)  (which also includes entrance to neaby Ft St Lawrence.  If you are going on your own, and do not want to wait a few minutes to buy a ticket, you can buy it online (Buy tickets online | Dubrovnik city Walls (citywallsdubrovnik.hr)).

 

So, assuming you want to go up the cable car and also walk the walls, you are looking at spending nearly $70 on tickets (plus whatever transportation you use to get to town).  You might want to compare that cost to the excursion price (assuming it includes tickets for the cable car and walls).

 

Hank

 

 

 

 

[edinburgher]

Unless the tour includes something else, outside the city, you might want to reconsider and save your money.

 

I am with Hank on this one although others may have their own views.

 

The tour you are loooking at sounds like a private tour and not a shorex, and it appears you do not have your own  small group of pax from your RC with exclusive use of the transport and guide otherwise they would pick up at the port. You must therefore be joining a tour which is open to anyone and you need to follow their ts and cs.  Wth this arrangement i do not think there is any gain for you unless the main focus of the tour is out of town to somewhere really special. and you have not given any details about this tour apart from the meeting point.

 

If this your first visit to Dubrovnik, there is no need for a city tour as it is a really easy DIY city to explore and most folks will explore on foot, do the walls for the views, and maybe, just maybe take the cable car., although the walls are considered to be more highly rated than the cable car.   Exploring on foot, walking the walls, enjoying a meal or a snack along the way,and, in recent years, finding Game of Thrones locations( if you have an interest) will already fill your day.

 

If you can say whether you are tendering or porting you will get very good information from we CCers on how to DIY your day and save money too.  Some of us have visited multiple times and have a decent knowledge of the city and the environs.

[RTR 21-0]

Thank you both for the info.  Description I quoted was as listed from the website.  It’s a buggy safari.  We’re going to be in Dubrovnik from 7 a to midnight so looking at different options outside the walls for the morning.  We plan on exploring the old town, etc., on our own in the afternoon, evening.  We’ve got a couple weeks left so I’m sure we’ll figure it out by then.  

[edinburgher]

It’s a buggy safari.

 

A very different alternative to the buggy ride, and which you could consider, would be to take the public bus from the port to pretty Cavtat, (small seaside resort0 only around 30-40 mins away. 

With such a long time in port, you have time to do this AND follow your afternoon sightseeing plan.

 

So very easy as the bus station begins at the port gate at Gruz so you only need to exit the gate and immediately turn right into the bus station.  Libertas bus company bus route #10 heading east (in the direction of the airport) with departures hourly, sometimes a little more frequently.  Dubrovnik is the terminus at one end, Cavtat the terminus at the other end so finding a seat isn't difficult..  Exit the bus there, at the bus station in the car park, backtrack through the car park and walk the peninsula walkway to finish back in Cavtat.  Runs along the waterside with pretty views, and many will be sea bathing , snorkelling or sunbathing right alongside. It is flat, often shaded and many benches to rest on along the way. And Cavtat is pretty too with many cafes and bars alongside the harbour. which is where the peninsula walk finishes.  Do look at it online, maybe Tripadvisor?  the walk is super popular and we have done that trip 3 times, in part as it is so easy from the port also because it is such an enjoyable thing to do, especially on a really hot day when being in the busy city isn't that comfortable.

 

For spectacular sea and Dubrovnik views from on high  on the way to Cavtat, sit on the right side as you face forward.(left side when boarding and facing the back)

 

Pay driver for the ticket.not from the bus station ticket office.(that used to be the case)  Croatia now transitioning between kuna and euros, so I expect the fare will be at most euros 5 pp each way but you can check that.somewher online.  (Used to be 20 kuna)  You reboard the bus in Cavtat at the same spot you arrived into.  From the harbourside cafes and bars you only need to turn a corner and you are there at the bus stances.

 

An alternative one or both ways trip would be to take one of the ferry/shuttle  boats which run back and forth betwen Dubrovnik and Cavtat.  With your plans, I would advise you travel TO Cavtat by bus from the port gate, but consider taking one of the frequent little ferry boats back from Cavtat harbour to Dubrovnik. Tthis because the little ferry/shuttle boats start and end at the OLD Harbour in Dubrovnik which would put you in the centre of town ready for lunch and sightseeing.  If you were to return by bus you would finish at the port gate again and have to make your way into Dubrovnik centre, although I suppose if you are back at the port you could have lunch onboard before heading out again.

 

Whatever it is a suggestion for you to consider.

 

And if you want to buy snacks or drinks,or anything such as toiletries you may have forgotten to pack, the supermarket KONZUM is next to the bus station. Exit the port gate, walk through the bus station to the opposite end and it is there. Depending on where you are docked it can usually be seen.

Edited March 12, 2023 by edinburgher

[edinburgher]

a later thought.

 

With such a long stay in port, you could sightsee the city in the morning and do the Cavtat run in the afternoon, in which case you could go TO Cavtat by boat from the Old Harbour after city sightseeing and maybe lunch, and return by bus directly from Cavtat to the port gate, so very easy to reboard without further walking.

And it would mean you could walk the city walls in the morning before it gets too hot and busy as that is what most visitors would do.

 

Be aware that Dubrovnik can be extremely hot and crowded.

[Hlitner]

Speaking of Cavtat, it is a small town that DW and I have enjoyed.  But, I am not sold on the idea that a first-time visitor should spend the time going to Cavtat, since it might be a situation of speading one's self too thin and not leaving enough time to simply enjoy Dubrovnik.

 

But when we went to Cavtat we simply took a regional bus to the town (the bus was inexpensive).  After spending a few hours walking around the small village we had a nice lunch at one the decent local seafood restaurants.  We than took a small ferry boat from Cavtat back to Dubrovnik (easy to get these boats from the Cavtat waterfront pier.  

 

Hank

[edinburgher]

not leaving enough time to simply enjoy Dubrovnik. As  their ship is in port from 0700 until midnight, which is longer than most port calls, I thought they would have enough time for both, and Cavtat is a lovely alternative to the often crowded and very hot city

 

We ventured in to Dubrovnik early one evening thinking we would enjoy a quiet stroll around only to find that when we arrived at Pile, the city was surprisingly busy. (still had to almost push our way through) and  given that most cruise ships had either sailed or were about to, could only guess that that number of folks were land tour groups and holidaymakers staying in the area. It did get a little quieter once many of them went into restaurants for dinner, but at that point many restaurants were full so just as well we had the option of dining onboard.

Edited March 12, 2023 by edinburgher

[RTR 21-0]

Thx Edinburgher.  I love the ferry shuttle idea and will definitely look more into Cavtat.  I was a little torn between taking a water shuttle in Naples or doing a car tour and opted for the car so the ferry shuttle would give us that opportunity.  Is the weather extremely hot in May?  We’ll be there 2nd week.  Dubrovnik, Corfu and Zakynthos are our DIY ports and not really being beach people, the last two have us kind of going hmmmm.   Definitely won’t stay on the ship in Zakynthos though.  Traveling all that way we might as well step off the ship and see what we can see.   

[edinburgher]

 Is the weather extremely hot in May?    I don't think it would be super hot as it is in the peak summer months of July and August, unless of course one of these freak heatwaves comes along, something that has happened in recent years across Europe when tewmps can reach the 40's C  I think in Dubrovnik the heat bounces off all the marble and stone and it can be really crowded to the point of being unpleasant.  You could google for average temperatures in Dubrovnik to get an idea of what you might expect, barring a freak heatwave,but weather is all over the place nowadays so difficult to say.

 

Should you take the shuttle boat between Dubrovnik and Cavtat one way, note that the beautiful views are on the bus going TO Cavtat, (we usually take two window seats) not on the return as the bus is on the opposite side of the road in that direction.  Ideally for views you would want to GO to Cavtat by bus and return by boat, putting you in the city centre and maybe a late lunch,  but if you read reviews of the walls walking, Ihink you will find most folks prefer to walk the walls first thing when it is not too hot and possibly less crowded, so that would have you in Cavtat in the afternoon, in which case I would suggest you GO by boat as you may have already explored and lunched in the city, and be only a few minutes walk from the shuttle boats, walk Cavtat and take the bus directly back to the port as you will probably appreciate the very short walk from the bus station in the port gate and to your gangway.  it is your decision which way around you plan your day, but reading would help you decide.

 

Note that  you will  still have to get from Gruz to either the Old Harbour or to Plie, or the reverse,and although the Cavtat bus leaves from inside the bus station (unless that has changed) Dubrovnik city buses run along the main road outside the bus station where you will see the bus stops. 

 

The local bus company is LIBERTAS.  See their website for timetables for the #10 Cavtat route (direction east) as you don't want to miss one and have to wait an hour for the next.And for fares too.  The bus station in Dubrovnik  is a recognisable bus station, the one in Cavtat is only a few stances marked out on the car park.  You enter the car park at one end and bus parks at the other.  Walk back to the car park entrance and look to your left where you should see the start (or end) of the peninsula walk.  We like to do the walk first in that direction rather than the reverse,and when we finish at the harbour, sit and have a chilled beer or two whilst watching the activity on the super yachts, but with so many having been impounded through sanctions,, it remains to be seen how many could be there.

 

Try Tripadvisor Dubrovnik for reviews of the walls walk and other highlights, but also look at Tripadvisor Cavtat for suggestions.  You could walk up to the town cemetery for the views otherwise it is all flat..  The  Tourist Info office with maps used to be next to the bus stancealthough you don't really need one. 

 

Enjoy, but if you do include Cavtat (and you would have the time) consider bering kind enough to add your experience to this thread as others could be interested in the future and better they have more than one opionion, and you could highlight changes to timetable, fares etc.(switch from 20 kuna pp each wa\y to ?euros)

 

On our second trip to Corfu we did an excellent taxi tour with others on our sailing.  Went out of town to enjoy some of the wonderful scenery for which this island is known.  First time we only explored Corfu Town, but I would recommend going out of town.We had either 3 or 4 taxis for the group of around 12.  Google taxi tours Corfu, but also check previous threads for all your ports by using the SEARCH TOOL under your user name.

 

We have visited Dubrovnik SEVEN times, so have also explored the beach/hotel area of LAPAD and the seaside walk in that area.  Stayed in Dubrovnik twice, plus an early evening walk one time after Cavtat, Cavtat itself THREE times. One time, on our 4th or 5th visit, we actually stayed onboard as there was a storm and torrential rain.  Really nasty weather with thunder and lightewning too.Those on their first visit ventured out, but we did not need to so stayed onboard until the rain finally  went off mid- afternoon then had a stroll around  tthe harbourfront near Gruz.

Edited March 13, 2023 by edinburgher

[AndyB]

Adding to the inquiries here as I will be on a Celebrity cruise that will stop in Dubrovnik on Nov 1st - it will be my first time there, and the ship will be docked from 9 am to midnight.  How do your recommendations above hold up for later in the year?  Would you change anything?  

 

Really appreciate your sharing your experiences to help fellow travelers!

 

Andrea

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by AndyB
spelling correction

[edinburgher]

How do your recommendations above hold up for later in the year?  Would you change anything?

 

I suggest you research Dubrovnik options and decide how you would like to spend your day, then check opening hours. Obviously in November, a lazy day at the beach area of Lapad is unlikely to be a fun thing to do and much of the charm of Cavtat would also be lost. That said, I believe the wall walking is still possible (check opening hours) and the city will be much the same as usual and easily explored on foot.  There may be fewer organised walks for you to join, but self guided walks are usually easily enough found online, as are GOT locations.

 

This because you visit is into November, and many sights across the Med and Adriatic begin to wind down at the end of October.  Some will close entirely, others may be open but have reduced hours and public transport will usually switch from a summer to a winter timetable with a reduced service. 

 

And you may also find that some shop,restaurants, cafes and bars may also close  as the owners take a well deserved rest after a busy tourist season.

 

And weather is likely to be unpredictable with the long, hot/very hot days of summer gone to be replaced with more wet and windy weather so be prepared.

 

So, check carefully what you plan to do with your day. 

 

Is this the start or the end of your itinerary??because if you have more ports of call after Dubrovnik, the same criteria would probably apply there too.

Edited April 3, 2023 by edinburgher

[ollienbertsmum]

On 3/11/2023 at 5:49 PM, RTR 21-0 said:

Thank you both for the info.  Description I quoted was as listed from the website.  It’s a buggy safari.  We’re going to be in Dubrovnik from 7 a to midnight so looking at different options outside the walls for the morning.  We plan on exploring the old town, etc., on our own in the afternoon, evening.  We’ve got a couple weeks left so I’m sure we’ll figure it out by then.  

 

I saw the buggies when I was at the top of the cable car.  I took a photo because I wanted to show it to daughter’s boyfriend.    It was at the back of the top Cable Car Station.  Having been there, the  instructions about the meeting point make perfect sense to me.  There were queues for the cable car, anyone going there from a cruise ship would be best to get a taxi from the port.  

 

I did not see how much it cost.  

 

 

 

[ollienbertsmum]

On 4/2/2023 at 4:19 PM, AndyB said:

Adding to the inquiries here as I will be on a Celebrity cruise that will stop in Dubrovnik on Nov 1st - it will be my first time there, and the ship will be docked from 9 am to midnight.  How do your recommendations above hold up for later in the year?  Would you change anything?  

 

Really appreciate your sharing your experiences to help fellow travelers!

 

Andrea

 

 

We have been on two cruises in the Med at that time of the year.  I know that it is not Croatia but it is only the other side of Italy.  Mixed in terms of weather.  We had one port stop (Naples) cancelled due to bad weather.    I still imagine that the walls would be open.  Probably a more pleasant experience than with the crowds of summer.  

 

I would certainly cruise again in November but I would manage my expectations about the weather. 

[edinburgher]

There were queues for the cable car, anyone going there from a cruise ship would be best to get a taxi from the port.  

 

Or public bus route #8 runs to/from  the cable car from the road outside the port (Gruz) gates.

[John Bull]

On 3/12/2023 at 1:55 PM, edinburgher said:

I would advise you travel TO Cavtat by bus from the port gate, but consider taking one of the frequent little ferry boats back from Cavtat harbour to Dubrovnik. Tthis because the little ferry/shuttle boats start and end at the OLD Harbour in Dubrovnik which would put you in the centre of town ready for lunch and sightseeing. 

 

We spent a couple of nights in a waterside apartment at Mlini, a little harbour between Cavtat and Dubrovnik, and used the ferry to Dubrovnik both ways. if you go to Cavtat, I endorse edinburgher's suggestion of taking the little ferry back to Dubrovnik - not just for the convenience of the pier in the walled city, but for a different aspect and the wind in your hair.

 

JB 🙂

[Cruisingmarmi]

On 5/17/2023 at 8:01 AM, edinburgher said:

There were queues for the cable car, anyone going there from a cruise ship would be best to get a taxi from the port.  

 

Or public bus route #8 runs to/from  the cable car from the road outside the port (Gruz) gates.

Edinburgh,

We will be in Dubrovnik on Sun, 12 Nov from 7a-4p.

Would you recommend go up the cable car first to see the views before walking around Old Town?  Thank you for the bus #8 information. That will help tremendously! 

 

 

[edinburgher]

12 hours ago, Cruisingmarmi said:

Would you recommend go up the cable car first to see the views before walking around Old Town?  Thank you for the bus #8 information. That will help tremendously! 

I would not recommend having a fixed timetable at all, but advise you keep plans flexible in all your ports, wherever they may be.  Two reasons.

Mid-November weather will be variable and you can expect rain in some of your ports for some of the time, or if unlucky, perhaps all day.(and rain usually brings low cloud cover with it)

Daylight hours will be fewer with later sunrises and earlier sunsets.

 

RE Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is mostly outdoor sightseeing whether for views from above, exploring the walled town or for walking the walls which are  exposed to the elements. I would have information on opening hours (walls) and the Libertas #8 timetable handy (for the bus stop at Gruz)and make a decision on the morning of your arrival depending on the weather when you are leaving the ship, cloud cover, and, if you are very early, the amount of daylight at that time.  I would give the same "stay flexible" advice for your other port calls.  If dry and bright enough, stay outdoors , otherwise head indoors.

 

You could check online for weather patterns, sunrise and sunset times for all your ports, as doing that will give you a rough indication of what to maybe expect.

 

Should you get off the bus at the cable car, and the cable station is partially blocking the views, with your back to the cable car station, walk along to the right and very soon you will have unobstructed views down onto the city.

 

Edited July 27, 2023 by edinburgher

[John Bull]

17 hours ago, Cruisingmarmi said:

Edinburgh,

We will be in Dubrovnik on Sun, 12 Nov from 7a-4p.

Would you recommend go up the cable car first to see the views before walking around Old Town?  Thank you for the bus #8 information. That will help tremendously! 

 

 

 

We took a taxi from the cruise berths at Gruz to the top cabecar station.

Whereas all taxis will quote the same fare from Gruz to the walled city, going to the top cablecar is more unusual, so worth getting a couple of prices before jumping into one..

It's a super drive up, above the treeline & with great views from the twisting road.

What used to be a free-and-easy bar with a few tables at the top is now more developed & more civilised, therefore a bit more expensive but not excessively so.

Then take the cablecar one-way down (tickets in the gift shop).

 

One-way on the cable-car mitigates the higher taxi fare and gives you more time in the city.

Walking the walls is fun, the entrance is just inside the Pile / Pila Gate - kuna or credit cards (probably euros too now). In summer walking the walls is way too hot for some folk, many take advantage of the steps down halfway round - it won't be too hot in November but might be chilly.

 

But heed edinburgher's advice - have plans in your head, but decide on the day. Mt Ord is of course much less appealing when there's rain or low cloud - especially if it looks like the weather will brighten later

 

JB 🙂

[edinburgher]

39 minutes ago, John Bull said:

It's a super drive up, above the treeline & with great views from the twisting road.

JB The bus follows the same route.

Edited July 27, 2023 by edinburgher

[John Bull]

5 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

JB The bus follows the same route.

You mean to the top station????

 

JB 🙂