Beaches

Closest to the Old Town, Banje Beach is a small sandy beach just beyond the Ploče Gate where you can grab a drink at Banje Beach Club and swim with fantastic views. For more family-friendly beaches, head to Sunset Beach in Lapad, where the kids can enjoy water sports and inflatable toys. A 20-minute walk east brings you to Sveti Jakov beach, a bright white sliver at the bottom of a steep staircase. The most natural and peaceful beaches lie on the tiny island of Lokrum, popular with rock-jumpers and nudists. For the most unique Dubrovnik experience, head to either of the Buža bars to swim directly under the city walls, or to local favorite Šulić beach in the shadow of the Lovrijenac Fortress.

Lokrum Island. Some of Dubrovnik's most natural and peaceful beaches can be found on Lokrum, a short distance southeast of the Old Town. Lush and fertile, this tiny island is home to the ruins of an abandoned 11th-century monastery, set in exotic botanical gardens. Lokrum has swirled with legend and mystery ever since Richard the Lionheart was supposedly cast ashore there in 1191 upon returning from the Crusades. The story goes that when the Benedictine Monks were expelled from the island to make room for aristocrats in the 19th century, they left behind a curse on any future owners of the land, including Habsburg Emperor Maximilian, who turned the monastery into his summer residence eight years before he was executed in Mexico. To this day, it is considered bad luck to stay overnight on the island, though many a pair of romantics have tried.

At the top of the island is a star-shaped fortress built by Napoléon's troops during French occupation and later used by the Austrian army. A network of footpaths leads down to the rocky shoreline, past the "dead sea" lake, where it's possible to swim. There are cliffs to jump from, coves to bathe in, and a small stretch of coast reserved for nudists. There's also a small Game of Thrones museum with the original Iron Throne (Lokrum was one of many filming locations around town). One of the most popular side trips from Dubrovnik, it's a wonderful place to spend a day spotting the peacocks (a Habsburg legacy), feeding the wild rabbits, or just enjoying the fresh air among the pines. To reach Lokrum, take a taxi-boat from the old port (100 Kn); they run every half hour during the summer and take approximately 15 minutes. Dubrovnik, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska, 20000. www.lokrum.hr. Closed Nov.–Apr..