Finding the Perfect Beach in Dubrovnik

Swimming spot near the Old Town walls @ Porporela

Unless its winter time, I am sure that pretty soon upon your arrival in Dubrovnik you will get your swimwear on and will try to find the best place to go for swim and sunbath. After a long day of travelling, feeling hot on temperatures over 30C, your first desire is to jump into the sea!

The first thing to consider is the distance of the beach from your accommodation. How are you going to travel there? Are you going to drive? And have trouble with parking!? My suggestion is to stay in the vicinity of your accommodation. Check with your host where the nearest beach/ swimming spot is and start from there.

The second thing to consider when trying deciding on the perfect beach in Dubrovnik is would you like to go to a beach that is considered to be very popular? If yes, then be prepared to share it with crowds.

• Banje Beach (below photo) is among the most popular beaches in Dubrovnik. It is situated at the spot that overlooks the Old Town, in the near vicinity of Dubrovnik luxurious hotels. To swim there you have to pay the entrance fee. The beach is run by a local company that promotes it as “trendy Saint Tropez-style beachfront club”. If this sounds like your cup of tea, choose this one, I’m sure you will have a very good time there.
• Other three popular Dubrovnik beaches are Sveti Jakov, Copacabana and Uvala Lapad – all of them pebbled. These beaches offer a variety of water sports fun and entertaining activities (Jet Ski, volleyball, slides etc) so you can have a time full of activities.

There are also cafés and restaurants there, so you don’t need to carry your own food and drink. These beaches are good for families with kids as they have playground equipment so that the kids can have some fun there too.

If you prefer something a little more low key then go for small swimming spots around the seashores of the town, where most of the locals are swimming, snorkelling (and playing water polo) anyway.

Most of these spots are rocky seaside swimming areas with constructed access to the sea – concrete or wooden steps or similar. These spots include Danče, Pile/Kolorina, Bellevue and Buža swimming spot located on the outskirts of the Old Town Walls like on the photo above. Also, have a look at the video about swimming and enjoying Buža swimming spot here.

These swimming spots are more relaxed and are definitely not going to be as crowded as those “popular” beaches.

If you ask me where do I go for a swim when in Dubrovnik, I’ll say my favourite swimming spot is Porporela pier, right in front of Sveti Ivan Tower 🙂

Beach Banje in Dubrovnik – with views of the Old town.

Popular routes: Split to Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik to Split, Hvar to Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik to Hvar