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Certainly one of Europe's most beautiful towns, Dubrovnik is fast becoming a favourite gay destination, thanks to an increasing number of gay cruises starting or stopping in the town. A relaxed, accepting attitude to gay people, coupled with great nude and gay beaches, are helping to make 'Gay Dubrovnik' a popular holiday destination for gay travellers.
Located at Croatia’s southernmost end of the Adriatic Sea coast, Dubrovnik in the Middle Ages rivaled other important Mediterranean city-states such as Genoa, Venice and Pisa. Called the 'Pearl of the Adriatic', it became politically neutral in the 70’s. This political status, however, failed to protect it from partial destruction during the break up of the Yugoslavian Republic, in 1991. Since then, happily, the old city has been fully rebuilt to reflect its historical importance. Dubrovnik was named a 'World Heritage Site' by UNESCO in 1979.
Gay Dubrovnik
Events near Dubrovnik
FUTURE EVENTS WILL APPEAR HERE SOON
Dubrovnik has a small population of just under 50,000 inhabitants, and is regarded as the most gay-friendly of Croatia’s cities. Its gay scene, however, is limited to the Jazz Cafe Troubadour located next to the cathedral, at Buniceva Poljana Street, 2. It regularly presents live music and is a favourite meeting spot for not only gays but also straight locals.
Another favorite gay spot is the beautiful waters of the Lokrum Nudist Beach, located on the island of the same name, right in front of the old city. Boats leave from the old harbor every 10 to 20 minutes and tickets can be bought at the pier. Visitors are not allowed to stay overnight on the island, so make sure you know what time the last ferry leaves.
Top 10 things to do in Dubrovnik
The Pile Gate is located right at the entrance of the old town, by the Stradum (main road)
Placa Stradun is the the old town’s most important thoroughfare and shopping street
Promenade on the ancient City Walls. From above the town you'll be treated to an incredible view of the city, and be able to see most of Dubrovnik's main historic sites. They vary between 4 and 6 meters thick and run for 2 kilometers.
Bell Tower. Located right after the Ploce entrance to the city, you will be able to see a copy of the famous “Zelinci” bronze statues which, on the hour, strike a huge bell. The original statues are now on display at the Sponza Palace.
Sponza Palace is located near the Bell Tower and is one of the few original Gothic renaissance palaces that survived the 1667 earthquake.
Roland’s Column is also located by the Bell Tower and is also known as Orlando’s Column. It displays the famous 'Knight’s flag'.
The Old Port is one of the most famous sites in Dubrovnik. This is the best place to catch the sightseeing boats that ply the harbour here.
The Rector’s Palace is the former seat of the Mayor’s Council and now houses Dubrovnik’s history museum.
Lokrum Island, located right across the water from Dubrovnik’s old town, is a short boat ride from the old port. Its nudist beach is a favourite gay spot (as you can imagine). You'll also find the ruins of a Benedictine Monastery and a Botanical Garden here. A legend has it that in 1192, Richard the Lionheart found refuge on Lokrum after a storm. He fell in love with the island and donated enough money for the locals to build a monastery.
Onofrio’s Fountain, located by the Pile Gate, has a full 16 sides and was a major engineering achievement when it was built by Onofrio de la Cava in the first half of the XV century.
Shopping
Placa Stradun is the main shopping street, leading to several side streets where you will also be able to find local arts and crafts. Prices, however, reflect its prime tourist location.
Gay & Gay-Friendly Hotels:
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Where to stay?
Dubrovnik doesn't currently offer any gay-only accommodation. But to be honest, the town is so gay-friendly that it's really not necessary to stay in a gay-only hotel. A list of hotels and guesthouses in gay Dubrovnik is provided on the right. Should you want to search for accommodation in Dubrovnik using a map and more criteria, try our main gay hotels page.
The official Dubrovnik Tourism website is a great place to start if you want to know more about what to do and see in the city.
There are many ways of getting to Dubrovnik. You may prefer to fly to the local airport, called Cilipi, which is located 18km from the city centre. There are buses connecting Cilipi Airport to Dubrovnik which take around 20 minutes. Cabs are parked just outside the main terminal and prices can either be pre-determined or based on a metre.
You can also get to Dubrovnik by ferry from Bari, in Italy, which takes around 8 hours. Ferries are run by Jadrolinija and Azzurra Lines - and they also take cars. Should you want to drive in Dubrovnik, be aware that parking is very difficult and limited within town as it's quite small. There are no train connections to Dubrovnik. The nearest train station is in Ploce, which is a two-hour bus ride away.
