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With the Old Town spread out below, this picture-perfect spot was once a place of worship dedicated to Saint Ursula, the patron saint of young girls. Today Orsula is a scenic outdoor amphitheater and a nice detour if you take a cab from the harbor to the Old Town. Ask the driver to take you via the Gruž bridge so you can get a bird’s-eye view of the cruise ship port and Gruž Bay.

Minutes outside the Ploče Gate, the eastern entrance to Old Town, Deša features traditional embroidery from the region on tablecloths, handbags, purses and shirts, as well as homemade bitter orange marmalade and lavender cushions. Deša women’s NGO supports a group of skilled women who benefit directly from each sale of their handmade goods.

In operation since 1317, the Franciscan Pharmacy was relocated in the 19th century to just outside the beautiful Romanesque-Gothic Franciscan cloister so that women could enter. Alongside Western and allopathic remedies, the pharmacy sells organic cosmetics made on-site using local herbs and ingredients, as well as an antiwrinkle cream made from bergamot.

At the eastern end of Stradun, Sponza Palace survived the great 1667 earthquake and is a rare example of the Gothic–Renaissance style in Dubrovnik. Formerly used as customs house and storage, as well as the Republic’s mint and armory, Sponza today is home to Dubrovnik National Archives. The rooms around its open-air atrium host an exhibit of copies of the Archive’s most relevant documents, some as old as the 11th century. The Memorial Room of Defenders from the 1990s conflict pays a powerful tribute to the victims of the town’s recent war.

At Pile Gate, the Old Town’s main entrance, descend the staircase to a landing near the small fountain (formerly only for Jews) to experience a moment of serenity, looking at this quiet bay bracketed by the mighty fortresses of Lovrijenac and Bokar. Kolorina means “calm harbor” and is the starting point for several kayak tours around the City Walls and the island of Lokrum. (The bay was also the location for the bloody Battle of Blackwater scene in season two of Game of Thrones. )

The most important public building in the time of the Ragusan Republic, the Rector’s Palace was home to Dubrovnik’s ruler during his one-month mandate, the period when he was separated from his family to focus solely on matters of state. An inscription above the doorway to the meeting room says it all: “Forget your private concerns when working for the public.” Today, the magnificent Venetian-style palace is a cultural history museum.

A visit to the picturesque town of Cavtat, south of Dubrovnik, must include a visit to the imposing mausoleum of the Račić family. The tomb, on a hill overlooking the town’s waterfront, is worth the shady climb. Built of bronze and white stone, the mausoleum, designed by Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović, is quite moving—especially the carved angel faces floating in the dome, waiting to guide the departed to heaven.

A 40-minute drive from Dubrovnik, past panoramas of the Adriatic and green Konavle fields, brings you to this fertile valley, the region’s agricultural backbone. At Đivanović Mills, you can learn how flour was milled 500 years ago. Follow the forest path to the nearby restaurant of Konavoski Dvori for a taste of their famous trout dish and for the cool breeze off the Ljuta River. (Calling the mill in advance is recommended.)

Cruise the Adriatic and Aegean in style, visiting Montenegro, Albania, and Greece along the way.

This southern Italy itinerary sails between Venice and Rome exploring the Amalfi Coast, Sicily, and gems of Croatia and Montenegro.

In this week’s episode of Unpacked by AFAR, an AFAR editor—and digital nomad—explores the dark side of working remotely.

In this episode of “View From Afar,” Intrepid Travel CEO James Thornton explains how small‑group adventure travel, Indigenous co‑design, and B-corp commitments are shaping a more responsible tourism future.

This week on Travel Tales by Afar, we hear from professor and life-long traveler Jim Kitchen, who in the space of one year, traveled 66 miles into space—and seven miles down to the ocean floor.