After the introduction of the Croatia digital Nomad visa in 2021, Croatia’s cities are gearing more and more towards the remote workers, digital nomads and long stay visitors who come to the country.
Dubrovnik is a well-known destination for a summer getaway, but the city is also opening itself up to long stay travellers and digital nomads who are more likely to be visiting the city in the low season.
After living in Croatia for over a year on the Croatia digital nomad visa, I was lucky enough to become a Dubrovnik Digital Nomad Ambassador, working with the tourism board and Dubrovnik Long Stay programme to showcase what the city has to offer for those planning to stay and work in the city on a longer trip.
Hopefully this Dubrovnik digital nomad guide will give you plenty of information, resources and inspiration for your stay in Dubrovnik - or maybe encourage you to consider it as a digital nomad destination!
Working in Dubrovnik with a view
Disclosure: This post was written after a gifted stay working with the Dubrovnik Tourism Board as a Digital Nomad Ambassador, all opinions are my own.
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Why pick Dubrovnik as a Digital Nomad destination?
There might be other places that you consider when you’re picking your next digital nomad destination, however since the introduction of the Croatia digital nomad visa in 2021, Croatia has been taking significant steps to cater to the digital nomad, remote worker and long stay community.
And while Croatia is a popular summer destination, travelling to Croatia in the shoulder and low seasons are most conducive to digital nomad travel. Between September and April, prices for rent, accommodation, food and drinks, shopping and activities are all lower. You can find incredible deals and live very cheaply in Croatia during the non-tourist season.
Low season also means almost no crowds. The seasonality in Croatia was a shock to me initially, but the quiet streets in the low season has become my favourite time of year.
A huge reason that I love Dubrovnik and Croatia as a digital nomad generally is the laidback approach to life. Having previously come from a city, corporate background, life in Croatia is everything I’d hoped for from digital nomadism. A slower pace, less pressure, less rushing and not just a better work-life balance generally but a better work-life lifestyle and experience.
How to get to Dubrovnik?
Most people will arrive in Dubrovnik by flying directly into Dubrovnik international airport.
However there’s a great network of buses in Europe, such as Flixbus are great for budget travel and can bring you to Dubrovnik from all over the continent.
You can also get to Dubrovnik from other coastal cities in Croatia by ferry. For example, the Jadrolinja ferry line will take you from Split to Dubrovnik via Korcula and Hvar islands.
Jadrolinija ferry from Split to Dubrovnik
When is the best time to visit Dubrovnik as a digital nomad?
Like much of Croatia, Dubrovnik’s main season is during the summer, so prices and crowds increase from May until the end of August and early September.
Because of this, I recommend Dubrovnik as a digital nomad destination outside of this time. Personally, I prefer Croatia in the winter when prices are lower, there’s more availability of accommodation, fewer crowds and generally a more relaxed and chilled atmosphere.
October to April are my top recommendations for spending time in Dubrovnik as a digital nomad.
Enjoying sunset in Dubrovnik after a day of work
Where to stay in Dubrovnik as a digital nomad?
You’ll find the best accommodation deals with self-catered rental apartments. You’ll also get the best deal for them if you book a stay for 28 days or more.
I recommend checking out the Dubrovnik Long Stay website for finding longer term accommodation from property owners who have set up their rentals for digital nomads, remote workers and long stay visitors. This includes great wifi, an equipped kitchen, washing machine and other similar long stay features.
Anywhere on the bus line 4 is a great option for easy connections in the city. The Gruz neighbourhood is also a great, local neighbourhood with better prices and lots to do.
Sunset in Dubrovnik
Getting around in Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik has a really well-developed public transport system with regular and reliable bus services.
A bus ticket is very affordable, usually you can get around in the city for around 1 Euro per ride.
However if you purchase the 28-day Dubrovnik Pass, you can get free bus rides included with your pass for the whole 28 days.
Dubrovnik Digital Nomad Tips and Resources
The Dubrovnik 28-day Digital Nomad Pass
This is a really important one to start with because you simply cannot miss this amazing deal - the value when you buy this pass is just incredible an perfect if you’re looking for a deal for long stay visitors in Dubrovnik.
The Dubrovnik Pass is a city pass that gives you access to 12 attractions in the city, plus free bus travel for the duration of your pass, as well as discounts on dozens and dozens of other attractions, activities, restaurants and city sights.
The Pass comes in 1-day, 5-day, 7-day or 28-day durations.
For a digital nomad or long stay visitor, the 28-day pass costs just 85 Euros!
If you simply took the bus twice a day for 28 days then the pass would have paid for itself!
But the pass also includes access to the City Walls which are 35 euros for a standard ticket entry, so for 85 euros, you’ve already paid for the pass by visiting the City Walls and taking the bus every day!
The pass also includes the Maritime Museum, Rector’s Palace, Natural History Museum, Ethnograph Museum and six more attractions.
The 1-day, 5-day and 7-day passes can be purchased on the Dubrovnik Pass website but to get the 28-day pass you will need to take proof of your accommodation booking for 28 days or more and get the pass from the Dubrovnik Tourism Board office which is located right by the Old Town Pile Gate - Google Maps location here.
Rector’s Palace is included in the pass
Transport in Dubrovnik
The easiest and cheapest way to get around in Dubrovnik is by bus. Find the local bus timetables here.
Uber is common in Dubrovnik so you can also use your Uber account to get around.
There are also e-moped rentals called Mynt, check them out here for a great, eco-friendly way to have your own convenient transport around the city.
Where to work in Dubrovnik as a digital nomad
Life According to KAWA - shop and cafe in Dubrovnik
When it comes to Dubrovnik coworking spaces, the city doesn’t have a dedicated work space (yet!) but there are plenty of working options and locations to use.
Akademis Academia is probably the closest the city has to coworking, with a large cafe and restaurant area, study spaces and meeting spaces for students and visitors to use. The free wifi is great and the coffee is very reasonably priced.
In general, most cafes and bars in the city are happy for you to work on your laptop if you buy a coffee or two, perhaps some food if you’re in a restaurant. Of course, use common sense, if it’s peak season and very busy or a small cafe and you’re taking a table without buying anything else, then moving on to somewhere with more space is probably best.
Hotel lobbies are another great option for working in Dubrovnik, many have large cafe areas, free wifi and plenty of seating and don’t mind you spending a few hours there.
Here are some of my favourite places for laptop working in Dubrovnik:
Nishta cafe in Dubrovnik old town
Buzz cafe
Kawa
Urban and Veg
Arsenal Kavana
Nishta
Lazzareti
Hilton Hotel lobby cafe
Cognito coffee
Life According to Kawa
Rixxo Hotel Lobby
Akademis Academia
Where to find Digital Nomad meetups in Dubrovnik
Although the digital nomad and expat community is smaller in Dubrovnik than other Croatian cities such as Split, Zagreb or Zadar, there is still a community there and many expats throughout the year - although you’ll definitely find the meet ups and events more active during April - September.
Check out these resources for Dubrovnik digital nomad community events and meetups:
Places like the Life According to KAWA store/cafe and D’Vino Wine Bar are both run by expats and have a well-connected community there if you wanted to connect with more of the international community. Kawa is run my John from the States, D’Vino is owned by Sasha who’s Australian.
Nomad meetup in Dubrovnik
Food shopping in Dubrovnik
There are plenty of small food shops such as Studenac, Tommy or Ribola.
Bigger supermarkets are usually a bit further out of the city and they are:
Tommy Maximakets
Plodine
Konzum
Kaufland
Cheap food and drink in Dubrovnik
Most people do not associate Dubrovnik with particularly cheap prices, especially compared to more rural or less touristy areas in Croatia.
But Croatia in general is still cheaper than many western countries and you can find a great deal if you know where to look.
For cheap coffee in the old town, check out Buzz Bar or the Biker Bar just outside Ploce Gate.
For cheap coffee, drinks and food and working space, make sure you head to Akademis Academia - a great project for local students to eat, study and live affordably, but also with a cafe, restaurant and workspace that’s open to the public.
Bistro 49 burger
For more cheap coffee, a bakery, a sandwich shop and bars, the road outside Akademis has a stretch of shops which are very affordable - this is Iva Vojnovica Ulica.
For a cheap evening meal, head to Bistro 49 by the port - we had a huge pizza, burger and chips and two beers for about 25 euros for two people.
Experience Dubrovnik like a local
As digital nomads, we often like to spend longer in the destinations we visit and get to know the place more, travel more in depth and experience more beyond the typical tourist spots.
If you’re looking for a local experience and the chance to discover a few Dubrovnik hidden gems, book a tour with Vuka - a born and raised Dubrovnik local who knows everything and everywhere in the city. There is no question he couldn’t answer!
He’s also worked with film crews, tv shows and producers in Dubrovnik so he has a fascinating insight into the growth and changes of the city, plus if you’re a Game of Thrones fan, his Game of Thrones tour is a must-do!
Where to get a hair cut in Dubrovnik
Haircut in Dubrovnik
If you’re spending a few weeks in Dubrovnik and are in need of a haircut, I recommend going to Frizerski salon Anja in Lapad. I didn’t get my hair cut here but my partner did (they cut men’s and women’s hair) and he was very impressed by the service!
Where to park in Dubrovnik
Whether you’re travelling with your own vehicle or you have a rental vehicle during your stay, finding parking is always a big question mark in a new place.
Dubrovnik parking is very limited and if you don’t have a space with your accommodation rental (most places don’t have parking) then you’ll need to find a nearby public car park.
Look for parking in Zone 3 - this is open for anyone, not just residents, but you can book very affordable multi-day, weekly or monthly parking using this website. Or you can book once you arrive using the app shown at the car park pay point.
Do you need a car in Dubrovnik?
It depends what you want to do during your stay. If you plan to stay around the city then walking, buses and taxis are fine and having a car is definitely more of a burden than a benefit!
But if you’re planning a few Dubrovnik day trips, maybe into Bosnia & Herzegovina or Montenegro, or if you’d prefer to visit places like Ston, Plitvice, or maybe take a trip to Split rather than going on a guided tour, then a car is definitely a great option to have.
Walking trails in Dubrovnik
Setnica walk
If you’re looking for walking routes away from the old town area, check out the trails in Velika and Mala Petka Forest Park.
If you’re visiting outside of the peak season, the Setnica Walking trail is beautiful at sunset but as it’s near to a lot of the bigger hotels in Lapad, I’d imagine it gets very busy in June-August.
Lokrum Island is well worth a day trip, it’s fully pedestrianised and has some great trails around the island to the the old military fort at the top of the island with views of the Dubrovnik coastline.
The trails and nature areas on the Elafiti islands are also worth exploring if you’re a hiker or outdoorsy person. You can get a local ferry to all three islands which runs throughout the day and this is a much cheaper option than guided boat tours.
Lokrum Island
Summary: A Dubrovnik Digital Nomad guide
Dubrovnik is such a charming city and it’s no wonder I found myself returning over and over during the year I spent there, visiting five times in total!
I’ve only visited outside of the peak season, the latest I’ve visited is in May, all the rest have been September, November, February, March and April which were such beautiful times to enjoy the city for a longer period of time without the crowds.
Dubrovnik is small but it’s doing a lot to encourage and cultivate an environment for digital nomads visiting Dubrovnik and I think it makes it a great place to spend some time on your nomadic journey!
