We are pleased to present a new Solo Travel Destination Post from Melissa, a member of the Solo Travel Society. Melissa is from Canada, and submitted the following report about Dubrovnik. Do you have a solo travel destination that you would like to recommend? Submit your description here, along with a few photos, and share it with fellow travelers!
Solo travel rating: 1 (1 is easiest, 4 is most difficult. Please see chart below)
Languages spoken: Croatian, English
I couldn’t get enough of the red roofs of Dubrovnik.
Reasons to go: When I told people I was planning to visit Croatia they thought I was nuts, since all they knew about the country was the Balkan wars of the early 90s. In fact, Dubrovnik today is completely geared towards tourists so I found that it was a great solo travel destination. There is a lot to do and experience and lots of opportunities to meet new people. Accommodations at all price points are plentiful. You’ll have to do a bit of hunting to find the really good restaurants since most trend towards mediocre, but places do exist out there for foodies.
During the summer months the Old Town can get overrun with cruise ship passengers so you may want to consider visiting during the shoulder season. On the upside, this does mean that a variety of walking tours are available. During my time there I walked the city walls, explored the nooks and crannies of Old Town, went swimming off the city walls and discovered the cliff bars. The city is full of history and beautiful at all times of the day and night.
Dubrovnik is also a great place to be based for day trips. You can easily visit other Croatian towns such as Korcula or even make your way into Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina. If outdoor activities are your thing, bike and boat tours, sea kayaking, hiking and rafting are all options.
If you stay within walking distance of Old Town you won’t need a car. If you need to visit other parts of town there’s public transit. Coaches to and from the airport are also coordinated with all Croatian Airlines flights which makes the trip into the city very easy. And don’t worry if you don’t speak Croatian – almost everyone you’ll meet will speak at least some English.
Dubrovnik, Croatia should definitely be on the short list for your next solo trip.
The Stradun, Dubrovnik’s main street, gets pretty crowded during the day.
Old Town at night.
Buza I – one of Dubrovnik’s cliff bars.
Solo Travel Destination Rating System
Safety – 1 (1 very safe, 2 safe in most areas, 3 be cautious at all times.)
Language – 2 (1 English is first language, 2 English speakers easy to find, 3 English speakers rare)
Navigation – 1 (1 easy to navigate by transit or car, 2 poor transit, car necessary, 3 not easy to get around)
Culture – 1 (1 Similar to North America or Western Europe, 2 Different from above but relaxed and easy, 3 Challenging)
Average Rating – 1 (1 is easiest, 4 is most difficult)
