Mount Srd Panoramic Drive and Old Town Walking Tour Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik Bridge and Gruž harbour

The tour starts with a short drive to the Dubrovnik Bridge, the elegant cable-stayed bridge that spans the mouth of Rijeka Dubrovačka just north of the city. Opened in 2002, it carries the coastal road high above the water and is one of the best viewpoints over the western side of Dubrovnik.

From the bridge you look down on Gruž harbour, where cruise ships, ferries to the islands and local boats come and go, across to the green Lapad peninsula and out to the Elaphiti islands on the horizon. Your guide explains how the modern city grew around Gruž while the historic centre stayed inside its walls. It is a quick photo stop of about 10 minutes, but it gives you a wide picture of the coastline before the tour heads inland along the fjord-like river valley.

Ombla River spring

Next you leave the usual tourist route for one of the most surprising natural sights near Dubrovnik: the spring of the Ombla River at Komolac. The Ombla is a karst river; its water gathers underground in the mountains of neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina and flows beneath the limestone before bursting out at the foot of a cliff in Croatia, forming a short, wide river that runs into the sea.

Here you feel the power of the rushing water and see the ruins of a 15th-century Renaissance summer residence, one of many villas that Dubrovnik's noble families built along this valley to escape the summer heat. The spring still supplies the city with drinking water today. The guide tells the story of the valley and how water shaped life in the old Republic. It is a 15-minute stop that most visitors to Dubrovnik never see.

Mount Srđ and Fort Imperial

The highlight of the drive is the climb up Mount Srđ, the 412-metre limestone ridge that rises straight behind the Old Town. From the top the view is unforgettable: the whole walled city laid out below, its orange rooftops and fortresses ringed by the Adriatic, Lokrum island just offshore, the Elaphiti islands to the west and the coast running south towards Cavtat. On a clear day your guide points out the mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.

You spend about 20 minutes at the summit beside Fort Imperial, built in the early 19th century during French rule to guard the city. The guide tells its story, including its role in the defence of Dubrovnik in 1991. Many people search for how to get to Mount Srđ: on this tour you simply ride up the road in the van, with no queue for the cable car.

Dubrovnik Old Town walking tour

The van then brings you down to Pile Gate, the main entrance to the Old Town, for a 1.5-hour guided walk through one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. You walk along Stradun, the polished limestone main street rebuilt after the great earthquake of 1667, past the Large Onofrio Fountain of 1438 and the Franciscan Monastery with its pharmacy, one of the oldest still working in Europe.

Your licensed guide continues to the Dominican Monastery, the baroque St Blaise Church dedicated to the city's patron saint, Luža Square with the Sponza Palace and the bell tower, the cathedral and finally the Old Port. Along the way you hear how the Republic of Ragusa grew rich through trade and diplomacy and stayed free for centuries. Please note that entries to museums and the City Walls are not part of this tour.

Free time and practical tips

After the walk you have free time in the Old Town to shop, have lunch or simply wander the narrow side streets, before meeting at the agreed time for the transfer back to your accommodation, the cruise port or Pile Gate. Some departures run the walking tour first and the panoramic drive second, and the 12:30 departure includes about an hour's break between the two parts.

Is Dubrovnik worth visiting in one day? With this tour you see both the big panorama and the historic heart in a single morning or afternoon, which makes it popular with cruise passengers. The best time to visit Dubrovnik is May, June, September and early October, when the weather is warm and the streets are calmer. Wear comfortable shoes for the stone streets, and remember that sleeveless shirts are not allowed on this tour.