Dubrovnik on own vs ship tour

[chrisandcraig]

Hi

currently booked on celebrity small group: medieval tv show sites in Dubrovnik next month. Just wondering if anyone has done a tour like this, if it is any good, doable on own without an organised tour walking around the city? 
thanks 

[dronnygirl]

Dubrovnik is so easy to DIY. You can take a bus to the city gates and just wander. You can purchase tickets to walk the walls but it's a good walk and can get very hot. Or you can wander round the streets with shops and cafes. There is a small harbour which us lovely to sit and have lunch or a drink. There is also a cable car up the mountain for beautiful  views.

Another option is to take a taxi waiting at the port and they will take you on a short tour of the area, including up the mountain,  then drop you at the city gates.

[MeHeartCruising]

I’d also recommend you just DIY.  Research where to get to the TV sites you wish to see inside the walled city. All very walkable.  You just need a city bus or ship shuttle bus (if available) to get to the walled portion of the city.  Very easy to do.  Definitely walk the walls if you’re up for it. 

[Vineyard View]

DIY in Dubrovnik for sure. Unless old TV shows are important to you. If so, my guess is you could Google that and figure it out. It’s a great City to be on your own exploring 

[edinburgher]

10 hours ago, chrisandcraig said:

if it is any good, doable on own without an organised tour walking around the city? 

If your tour is Game of Thrones locations, all you need do is google something like "Dubrovnik Game of Thrones self guided walking tour locations" and several results should appear.  If you think a map would be essential and the walks don't show one, google similar to the above but substitute the words "location map" for "self guided walking tour". Whatever, just play around with the words order and you will find them.

No tour needed in Dubrovnik as so easy to DIY.  Public bus from outside the port gates at Gruz to Pile.  Everyone will get off there as after that point it is pedestrian only. Or ship shuttle. Same starting point of Pile for the return to ship. if planning to walk the walls do that first thing as the crowds (and the heat) build up as the day progresses. You can wander quite happily after that as Dubrovnik is compact.

 

Croatia began using the euro in January this year so no longer a need for kuna.

Edited July 25, 2023 by edinburgher

[chrisandcraig]

Brilliant thank you everyone that’s very informative and good to know. It was only for game of thrones locations we wanted to see. I had read though it was an easy enough city for DIY just wasn’t sure if would need transport or anything in particular such as tickets or a tour guide. We’re using OBC to pay for the tour so free in a sense but at £100+ pp I thought we could probably put it towards something else and explore on our own. I googled and found other tours but then didn’t know if our expensive ship tour would include anything as the details are very limited or if we could get away with no tour all together thank you much appreciated 😊

[edinburgher]

Thanks for acknwledging as not everyone does.

 

Dubrovnik is a lovely port day although it can get uncomfortably hot and crowded.

 

Just a thought as i don't know if you will berth at Gruz or not, as some smaller ships do not berth  there, instead anchoring and tendering in, in which case you would arrive directly into the Old Harbour (I think Backwater Bay in GOT)😄

Edited July 25, 2023 by edinburgher

[Travelswithmycamera]

We used Dubrovnik Eco Tuk Tours.  Great guide met us at the port and we had a wonderful tour through the streets and up the mountain to an observation and cable car area.  We then had a walking tour through the main town and ended up at the market and restaurant area.  There were 4 of us but it may hold 6 passengers. So much more enjoyable than navigating on a large bus with many others.  

[cruisemom42]

I have to admit I don't really get the whole "I've got to see a place that was featured in a movie/TV show" thing, but based on several visits to Dubrovnik and on reading here, I would say taking a ship tour to do this would probably be the worst option. 

 

As others have said, many of the places are accessible whether you are on a tour or not, although you may have to purchase individual tickets for some locations (such as the Rector's Palace).

 

If you are really a die-hard fan, I've read that there are private tours led by locals who were actually extras in the shows filmed there, and that they can often share anecdotes about the filming.

 

So either doing it on your own or with a local tour that might give extra insights would seem to me to be better choices than taking a shore excursion through the ship.

 

[NCteacherlovescruising]

50 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

I have to admit I don't really get the whole "I've got to see a place that was featured in a movie/TV show" thing, but based on several visits to Dubrovnik and on reading here, I would say taking a ship tour to do this would probably be the worst option. 

 

As others have said, many of the places are accessible whether you are on a tour or not, although you may have to purchase individual tickets for some locations (such as the Rector's Palace).

 

If you are really a die-hard fan, I've read that there are private tours led by locals who were actually extras in the shows filmed there, and that they can often share anecdotes about the filming.

 

So either doing it on your own or with a local tour that might give extra insights would seem to me to be better choices than taking a shore excursion through the ship.

 

I have to admit we were all Game of Thrones fans and have talked about doing an excursion to see the places used for filming. We will most likely do a private excursion though. 

[fruitmachine]

On 7/25/2023 at 8:19 AM, chrisandcraig said:

Brilliant thank you everyone that’s very informative and good to know. It was only for game of thrones locations we wanted to see. I had read though it was an easy enough city for DIY just wasn’t sure if would need transport or anything in particular such as tickets or a tour guide. We’re using OBC to pay for the tour so free in a sense but at £100+ pp I thought we could probably put it towards something else and explore on our own. I googled and found other tours but then didn’t know if our expensive ship tour would include anything as the details are very limited or if we could get away with no tour all together thank you much appreciated 😊

Expensive - but I remember Dubrovnik tours being much more expensive than similar tours in other Croatian ports when we were there in April.  If it includes a ticket to access the walls, then that's €35pp already.

[lackcreativity]

Walking the walls of Dubrovnik is a remarkable experience, but it can be very strenuous, with lots of steps up and down along the way. Be aware that there are two main sets of stairs that provide access to the walls, so it is possible to walk halfway around the city and then come back down if your energy lags. I will confess to doing that, but gave my camera to my husband to finish the walk. We then met up and went to lunch, for a really excellent day in not so very hot April. 

[dock]

Not sure if you’ve gone already but we’ve just returned from a land tour and I would not recommend the ships tour. 

 

Book your own GOT your. We used Dubrovnik Walks - smaller group unlike the huge ship tours we saw. 
 

Also did the Eco-Tuk tour which May a good option to start with as they will pick you up at your ship . Great tour. Goes up Mt. SUD. 2 hours. 
I would ask for drop off at Old Town and then have a lunch break and then do GOT tour. 
 

Or do GOT first thing in am before it gets too hot and then Eco Tuk pick up at Old Town. 
Amble Old Town after. 
 

 

[sherrihall128]

We bought the Dubrovnik Pass: https://www.dubrovnikpass.com/included-section  . It was ~$35, and it included admission to the fortress, walking the walls, the city museums, and also included a bus ride to/from Old Town. If you want to DIY the city, walk the walls, and avoid any tours, this is the best deal. The only frustrating thing about it was that you could only activate the free bus tickets at certain stops, and it is NOT the bus stop right outside Port Gruz (it delayed us an additional 20 minutes with a frustrating conversation at the bus stop with an employee, and we had to buy a one-way ticket to Old Town). Other than that, a great deal for the day. I did miss hearing about the history of the city from a guide, but we did read a lot about it in the museums.