Day trips
The best day trips from Dubrovnik by car, with distances and drive times
Which day trips from Dubrovnik are worth doing?
The best day trips from Dubrovnik fall into three groups: short outings along the coast to Cavtat and Trsteno, a full day north to Ston and the Pelješac peninsula, and big days across a border to Kotor or Mostar. The table below gives the road distance and typical drive time from Pile Gate for each.
| Destination | Distance | Drive time | Border? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cavtat | 19 km | 25–35 minutes | No | A harbour town and an easy half day |
| Trsteno | 20 km | under half an hour | No | A Renaissance arboretum |
| Ston | 55 km | 1–1¼ hours | No | Medieval walls and salt pans |
| Orebić (ferry to Korčula) | 110 km | 2–2¼ hours | No | The Pelješac peninsula and Korčula |
| Herceg Novi | 49 km | 1–1¼ hours + border | Montenegro | The mouth of the Bay of Kotor |
| Kotor and Perast | 92 km | 2–2¼ hours + border | Montenegro | A UNESCO walled town on the bay |
| Međugorje | 128 km | 2¼–2½ hours + border | Bosnia and Herzegovina | The pilgrimage site |
| Mostar and Kravica | 146 km | 2½–2¾ hours + border | Bosnia and Herzegovina | The Old Bridge and waterfalls |
Short trips along the coast
Cavtat
Cavtat is a small harbour town about 19 km south-east of the Old Town and just 6 km from the airport. Its harbour promenade makes an easy half day. City bus 10 runs there 38 times a day in each direction, according to the Libertas timetable, so you do not even need a car.
Trsteno Arboretum
Trsteno, about 20 km north-west of the city, is known for its Renaissance arboretum. The arboretum already existed by 1492, was created by the noble Gučetić family and has been managed by the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts since 1950, according to the Wikipedia article on Trsteno Arboretum. Two oriental plane trees there are more than 500 years old, and the gardens stood in for the Red Keep gardens in Game of Thrones. It combines well with Ston on the same day.
North to Ston and the Pelješac peninsula
Ston is about 55 km north-west of Dubrovnik, just over an hour’s drive with no border. The town’s walls were begun in 1358 by the Republic of Ragusa to guard its salt pans; of more than 7 km of walls, about 5.5 km survive, linking Ston with Mali Ston, according to the Wikipedia article on the Walls of Ston. The salt pans are still worked today.
Beyond Ston, the road continues along the Pelješac peninsula, known for its vineyards, to Orebić, where car ferries cross to Korčula. Since July 2022 the Pelješac Bridge has also linked the peninsula with the mainland to the north; our guide to the Pelješac Bridge explains how it changed travel along this coast.
South-east to Montenegro
Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi, at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor, is the closest Montenegrin town: about 49 km from Dubrovnik, an hour’s drive plus the border. Its fortresses and seafront make a good shorter day if you want a taste of Montenegro without the full drive to Kotor.
Kotor and Perast
Kotor is about 92 km away by the road around the bay, roughly two hours plus the border. Its old town is part of a UNESCO World Heritage property inscribed in 1979, and its walls climb about 1,350 steps to the San Giovanni fortress. Perast, a baroque village facing the islet of Our Lady of the Rocks, is on the way. Plan for 10 to 12 hours; our Kotor day trip guide has a full timetable.
Montenegro is outside the EU and Schengen, so take a passport, or an identity card if you are an EU citizen. Summer border queues at Karasovići can last hours; see our Montenegro border guide.
Inland to Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mostar and Kravica
Mostar is about 146 km away, roughly 2½ hours plus the border. Its Old Bridge, Stari Most, was rebuilt in 2004 after its destruction in 1993, and the old bridge area has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2005. In summer, the 25-metre Kravica waterfalls, about 40 km south of Mostar, are the place to swim on the way back. Our Mostar day trip guide covers the route and timing.
Međugorje
Međugorje, about 128 km from Dubrovnik, is a pilgrimage site where reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary began in 1981; in 2024 the Holy See permitted pilgrimages there. It is close to the Mostar road and can share the same day.
How should you do these trips?
There are three ways, each with its trade-offs:
- Drive yourself. A rental car gives the most freedom and is the cheapest for several days of touring. For Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina you need the rental company’s written permission, and you deal with the parking and border queues.
- Join an organised tour. The cheapest way to see Kotor or Mostar if you are travelling alone, but on a fixed schedule with a group.
- Hire a car with a driver. A car with a driver costs €360 for a full day for up to four people, waits at every stop and handles the border, so you can change the plan as you go.
Whichever you choose, start early in summer: the roads, the border and the most popular sights are all quieter before 10:00.
Quick answers
What is the best day trip from Dubrovnik?
It depends on the time you have. For a short outing, Cavtat or Trsteno; for a relaxed full day without a border, Ston and the Pelješac peninsula; for a big day, Kotor in Montenegro or Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Which day trips from Dubrovnik need a passport?
Trips to Montenegro (Herceg Novi, Perast, Kotor, Budva) and to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mostar, Međugorje, Kravica). Both countries are outside the EU and Schengen, so the border is checked in both directions.
Can I do day trips from Dubrovnik without a car?
Yes. Buses reach Cavtat and the nearby coast, organised tours cover Kotor and Mostar, and a car with a driver can be hired by the hour or the day.
How far is Ston from Dubrovnik?
About 55 km by road, just over an hour's drive north-west along the coast. There is no border on the way.