Lokrum Island Croatia is an island just 10 minutes boat ride off the coast of Dubrovnik and it’s one of the best day trips to do in Dubrovnik as part of your Dubrovnik itinerary.
I’ve visited Lokrum a couple of times now and you can easily spend a whole day on the island, it’s super easy to reach from Dubrovnik and it’s a protected, pedestrianised island which feels super safe and tranquil, perfect for a romantic day trip or family day out to escape the crowds in Dubrovnik.
Read on to plan your day trip to Lokrum from Dubrovnik.
Lokrum Island seen across the water from Dubrovnik
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Where is Lokrum Island?
The Dubrovnik island of Lokrum is located 600m off the coast of Dubrovnik and is just a 10 minute boat ride from the Old port on the Lokrum-Dubrovnik ferry. It’s a natural park and protected area so the whole island is pedestrianised.
How to get to Lokrum Island from Dubrovnik?
Lokrum Island port
The Lokrum Island ferry departs from Dubrovnik old town port every 20 ish minutes and you don’t need to buy a ticket in advance, especially not in the peak season. You can just turn up to the port and buy a ticket for the next available Lokrum ferry. However in the peak season, if you want to guarantee a certain ferry time so you can have a full Lokrum day trip, you can buy tickets here - the ferry ticket is also your Lokrum Island entrance fee.
The Lokrum Island boat trip takes just 10 minutes and you’ll be dropped off at the only passenger port on the island which has a number of facilities including a tourism information centre, restaurants, showers and toilets.
Make sure you check the Lokrum Island ferry timetable, I recommend you take a picture of the ferry timetable so you know when the last boat back to Dubrovnik is. There are no Lokrum Island hotels or overnight stays allowed on the island.
What is the Lokrum Island ferry cost?
The Lokrum ferry leaving Dubrovnik
The Dubrovnik - Lokrum ferry tickets cost 27 euros for adults and 5 euros for children (accurate as of 2023) and the Lokrum ferry cost includes the boat ride and your entry to the island - ticket prices go to the conservation, upkeep and preservation of the island.
Where to buy Lokrum Ferry Tickets?
TIP: You can buy them online here or you can can buy from directly from the Lokrum Island ferry stand at the Dubrovnik port before you board the boat.
Is Lokrum Island worth visiting?
Absolutely yes! A Lokrum Island day trip is my favourite day trip for how easy to reach it is, how much there is to do in a walkable, beautiful island and also to escape the crowds of Dubrovnik for a day.
There’s a monastery, botanical gardens, beautiful beaches, restaurants and cafes, viewpoints, hikes and more - basically anything and everything you need whether you’re looking for an active hiking day trip or a chilled beach day trip.
It’s also a great contrast to the busy city of Dubrovnik - while beautiful, it’s certainly nice to have the contrast from a day in the city to a day on an island with beautiful island beaches and shady woodland walkways just a short boat trip from Dubrovnik.
Lokrum Island Tour options
While I don’t think you need a tour to explore the island yourself, if you’re short on time or want to see Lokrum from a kayak or perhaps do a Game of Thrones tour, here are some options you might want to consider:
Lokrum Island Dubrovnik day trip
I highly recommend getting one of the earlier boats to make the most of your day on the island, especially if you want time to hike, see the attractions and have some time relaxing on the beaches or at the Dead Sea.
We took at boat at around 9.30-10am and were there until around 4-4.30pm and managed to do all 10 things listed on the below guide of things to do in Lokrum Island.
Lokrum Island day trip from Dubrovnik packing list
Sun hat and cover ups
Sunscreen
Swimsuit
Towel
Water shoes
Cash
Good walking shoes if you plan to hike
Water
Picnic food if you don’t plan to eat at the Lokrum restaurants
Camera or phone
Change of clothes for after swimming
Top 10 Things to do in Lokrum Island, Dubrovnik Croatia
A reminder that visiting all these places is included in the price of your ticket so there’s no additional entry fee to visit Lokrum Island attractions and locations, unless you buy something from a restaurant of course!
TIP: Looking for a Lokrum Island map? Find one here - Lokrum Map!
Visit the Lokrum Island Monastery
Lokrum Island Monastery
Located in the centre of the island, just a short walk from the port, the Monastery on Lokrum island is called the Benedictine Monastery of St Mary which dates back to the 12th century.
The Monastery was also used as a Game of Thrones filming location on Lokrum Island (when Daenerys Targaryen is welcomed to Qarth). The cloisters of the monastery were used in the filming of the scene and you can walk among the cloisters and the monastery walls and ruins yourself.
There’s also a visitor’s centre inside the monastery which shares information about the series filming and actors’ experiences on location.
See the Lokrum Island Game of Thrones Iron Throne
While you’re in the visitor’s centre, don’t miss the chance to have a photo in the famous Iron Throne!
Monastery cloisters
Visit the Botanical Gardens
Just opposite the monastery, a short walk away is the botanical gardens with an impressive array of tropical native and non-native plants growing in areas of the gardens.
Lokrum Island Botanical Gardens
While the gardens are beautiful, there’s little shade so make sure you have a hat, sunscreen and water if you’re visiting Lokrum Island on a hot day.
See the flock of peacocks
Peacock on Lokrum Island
There is a free roaming flock of wild peacocks roaming the island of Lokrum and you’ll see them everywhere. I saw a beautiful one as soon as we got off the boat at the port!
The peacocks were brought to the island by the Maximillan family who had a mansion built on the island in 1859. Archduke Maximillian Ferdinand of Habsburg married Charlotte of Mexico and they became Emperor and Empress of Mexico. Charlotte planted many of the exotic plants on the island and the Archduke brought over the peacocks from the Canary Islands.
While the peacocks are very used to people now, they are still wild so please don’t try to touch them!
Swim in the Dead Sea, Lokrum Island
Dead Sea, Lokrum Island
Did you know there’s a Dead Sea on the Island of Lokrum?
Like the Dead Sea that lies between Jordan and Israel, Lokrum Island Dead Sea is an enclosed sea that has a higher than normal salt content, allowing you to float easily.
You’ll easily find signposts all over the island to make your way to the Dead Sea and there’s a small beach area and snack bar there if you want to go swimming, relax and float for an hour or two.
The Dead Sea is more of an enclosed lake which is fed by the sea from openings in the rocks, the water is very calm and it’s a lot of fun to float in!
TIP: Don’t forget your swimsuit and towel!
Walk the coastal walking route around the island
One of the swim spots we found on our walk around Lokrum
From the port, there’s a coastal path you can follow that takes you north on the island (along the coast that faces Dubrovnik). The coastal path is gravel and mostly flat and it’s a beautiful way to see the island, see the views of Dubrovnik, Lokrum and the mainland and also stop at a beach or two along the way (there are loads!)
Abandoned Lazaret on Lokrum Island
There are a few detours you can take off the path, you’ll see the abandoned Lazaret and olive groves, memorials and plenty of beaches for photos.
Once you get to the northern tip of the island you can either carry on and complete the look along the west coast of the island, or take the hill climb up to the Fort Royal…
Hike up to the Royal Fort
View from the fort
The path up to the Royal Fort is steep and with loose gravel so make sure you’re wearing good footwear.
The 19th-century fort is spectacularly intact for a ruined and abandoned fort! You can walk in dark rooms inside and make your way to the top of incredible panoramic views of the island.
The fort was built on the highest peak of the island by the French during their 1806 occupation of Dubrovnik and completed in 1835.
Inside the Royal Fort, Lokrum
TIP:Once you leave the fort, there is a path on the other side that’s still steep but will bring you right down the centre of the island and back to the Botanical Gardens if you’d rather finish your hike there instead of continuing the loop around the rest of the island.
Enjoy the Lokrum Island beaches
The clear water for swimming in Lokrum
Just a quick zoom in on Google Maps will show you how many beaches on Lokrum Island exist! There are so many quiet bays and rocky coves that you can pretty much stop anywhere you like for a quick dip!
I count at least 8 Lokrum beaches marked on Google Maps and I know there’s more just from the places we stopped at!
The popular Lokrum beach close to the port has showers and changing facilities as well as steps to help you access the water. There’s also several beaches on the west side of the island, close to the Dead Sea although this is more open sea so we found the water to be less clear and a bit more choppy on our visit.
TIP: As well as almost everywhere in Croatia, the beaches are rocky so make sure you have water shoes if you’re planning to visit a Lokrum beach and go swimming!
Get lunch at one of the Lokrum Island restaurants
One of the restaurants on Lokrum Island
The island has several restaurants, cafes, snack stands and a small shop for refreshments so you’ll have plenty of options to refuel throughout the day depending on what you need.
We took our own picnic to the island and ate it on one of the beaches which is another option, especially if you’re on a budget.
Visit the famous Lokrum Island FKK beach
Obviously visiting a nudist beach isn’t for everyone. But this FKK beach has consistently been voted one of the top nudist beaches in the world thanks to its privacy, incredible views, facilities and the clarity of the water if you go for a dip.
This isn’t for everyone but if you do enjoy an FKK beach - it’s well worth enjoying some time here.
Be aware, some of the kayaking tours from Dubrovnik come around this corner of the island to see the Lokrum Island cave which is only accessible by kayak or cliff jumping, so there’s often other people in the water!
Summary: A Lokrum day trip itinerary
If you were wondering, is Lokrum Island worth a visit? - I hope this guide on what to do on Lokrum Island gives you lots of ideas and inspiration for things to do in your Lokrum Island itinerary.
Lokrum, Croatia is a small island with so much to do and the value for money on the ticket if you spend a whole day there really isn’t too bad!
As you can see, there’s so much to see on this relatively small island and those activities have something for everyone. From places to eat on Lokrum, what to do on Lokrum for a day and activities on Lokrum Croatia, this is a family friendly, couple friendly and solo traveller friendly day trip from Dubrovnik.
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