The 'Pearl of the Adriatic': 2 km of medieval stone walls, the Stradun, Game of Thrones filming locations, Lokrum Island and swimming in clear Adriatic water. For history, beaches and boat trips; May–June and September–October are best, July–August is hot and packed with cruise crowds, and from November to March many places close. No direct flights from Ulaanbaatar — connect via Frankfurt or (in summer) Istanbul. Mongolian citizens need a Schengen visa; Croatia has no embassy in Mongolia, so you apply at VFS Global in Ulaanbaatar and the embassy in Beijing decides.
🛂 Visa: Visa required · 90 days✈ Flight: 15h☀ Best months: May, June, September, October
#city walls#beaches#Game of Thrones#islands#history#Schengen visa
Orange — daytime average, blue — night, grey bars — rainfall, green — sea temperature. Best months: May, June, September, October.
Things to see (12)
🧸 for kids
Dubrovnik City Walls
Culture€40 (March–October), ages 7–18 €15, under 7 free; winter €15; includes Fort LovrijenacSummer 8:00–19:30, winter 9:00–15:00 (closed 25 December)
The 1,940 m stone walls wrapping the whole Old Town — Dubrovnik's main sight. You look down on terracotta roofs, the sea and Lokrum; a full circuit takes 1.5–2 hours. There is almost no shade, so start at 8:00 in summer and bring water and a hat. Besides the main entrance at Pile Gate there are entrances near Ploče and St John's Fortress. The Dubrovnik Pass (1 day €40) bundles the walls, museums and buses.
Like a well-travelled friend for a first-timer: before you go, landing, SIM, transport, money, food, safety, manners, apps, leaving — step by step.
🧳Before you goCroatia has no embassy in Mongolia: you apply at VFS in Ulaanbaatar and the embassy in Beijing decides, so start the visa early.+
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Schengen visa: VFS Global → Embassy in Beijing
Mongolian citizens need a Schengen short-stay (C) visa. If Croatia is your main destination, book an appointment at VFS Global's Croatia visa centre in Ulaanbaatar and go in person to give fingerprints; the file goes to the Croatian Embassy in Beijing, which decides. Visa fee €90 (ages 6–11 €45, under 6 free) in cash at the centre, plus a 133,096₮ service fee and a 564,650₮ UB–Beijing courier fee. Processing takes up to 15 working days plus shipping days.
Tip: If you plan day trips to Kotor or Mostar, ask for a multiple-entry (MULT) visa in your application.
Medical insurance valid in all Schengen states with cover of at least €30,000 is mandatory. Attach a return ticket, hotel bookings, bank statements and an employment letter. Your passport must have been issued within the last 10 years and be valid for more than 3 months after you leave.
Since 10 April 2026 the EES system records your fingerprints and face at the Schengen border instead of stamping your passport. Arriving via Frankfurt or Istanbul, the check at your first Schengen entry point may take longer. ETIAS does not apply to Mongolians with a Schengen visa.
🛬Landing and getting to the cityČilipi airport lies south-east of the city; the Platanus bus that meets every flight is the easiest way in.+
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Platanus airport shuttle
The bus leaves after each flight lands and runs to the Old Town's Ploče Gate (~30 min), then on to Gruž bus station. One way €10, return €15, under 6 free; a ticket is valid on any bus that day. Buy online ahead in summer.
Tip: Cars can't enter the Old Town — you'll drag bags up stone steps from Pile or Ploče Gate, so pack light.
There is an official taxi rank outside arrivals; Bolt and Uber also work. Ask the fare before getting in or check it in the app. With a family or lots of luggage, a transfer booked through your hotel is easiest.
If your phone supports eSIM, buy and install a Europe eSIM from Airalo, Holafly or similar before you leave: it also works while connecting in Frankfurt or Istanbul. Montenegro and Bosnia are outside the EU, so if you visit them pick a plan that covers them.
Tip: Download Dubrovnik in Google Maps and Croatian in Google Translate for offline use.
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Croatian tourist SIM
Hrvatski Telekom, A1 and Telemach tourist prepaid SIMs are sold at the airport, newspaper kiosks and shops. A 10-day unlimited data pack costs roughly €8–15. Worth it if you need a Croatian number or are staying long.
🚇Getting aroundThe Old Town is pedestrian-only. Libertas city buses go to Lapad, Gruž and the cable car.+
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Bus tickets
A Libertas 1-hour ticket is €1.73 bought in advance or €2.50 from the driver. A day (24-hour) ticket is €5.31 and a 3-day ticket €11.95. Pile Gate is the main stop for buses to Lapad and Gruž.
The Dubrovnik Pass covers the City Walls, Fort Lovrijenac, museums such as the Rector's Palace, and city buses: 1 day €40, 3 days €50, 7 days €60. The walls alone cost €40, so the pass pays off if you walk them.
Regular Jadrolinija ferries run from Gruž port to the Elaphiti Islands and Mljet; separate boats go to Lokrum from the Old Port. Winter timetables are thinner, so check ahead.
Croatia has used the euro (EUR) since 2023. Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere, but small cafés and markets want cash. Use bank ATMs (PBZ, Zagrebačka banka); tourist ATMs such as Euronet charge high fees.
Tip: If a terminal offers to charge you in tögrög or dollars (DCC), decline and choose euros.
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Tourist tax
In Dubrovnik guests aged 12 and over pay a tourist tax per night: €2.65 from April to September and €1.86 in other months. If it isn't in your booking price, the hotel adds it.
Croatian VAT is 25%. Non-EU visitors who spend more than €100 on one receipt can ask for a Tax Free form, get it stamped by customs when leaving the EU, and collect the refund.
🍜FoodSeafood, olive oil and grilled meat — restaurants inside the Old Town are pricey, Lapad and Gruž are cheaper.+
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What to eat
Grilled fish, black risotto (crni rižot, made with cuttlefish ink), Mali Ston oysters, pašticada (slow-cooked beef) and sarma. Children usually like ćevapi (grilled meat rolls), pizza and Italian-style ice cream. Dubrovnik's own dessert is rožata, a caramel custard.
Tip: Fish is often priced by weight (per kg) — ask the price before ordering.
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Markets and groceries
The morning market on Gundulić Square sells fruit, dried figs, lavender and home-made liqueurs. Buy cheap groceries at Konzum, Tommy and Studenac; Gruž harbour has a fish market. Some shops keep short hours on Sundays.
The general number 112 is free, 24 hours and answers in English. Police 192, fire 193, ambulance 194, sea rescue 195. If you don't speak Croatian, call 112.
In July–August the walls and stone streets bake with little shade — go early or late and bring water, a hat and sunscreen. Rocky shores have sea urchins and slippery stones, so wear water shoes. Don't leave children unattended even on pebble beaches; many have no lifeguard.
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Hospitals and the Mongolian Embassy
Dubrovnik General Hospital has an emergency department. A pharmacy is a 'Ljekarna'. Mongolia has no embassy in Croatia — if you lose your passport, report it to the police and contact the Mongolian embassy accredited to Croatia (Budapest or Vienna), or call the Ministry of Foreign Affairs consular hotline for advice.
The Old Town has rules against walking in swimwear or shirtless, sitting on monuments and fountains, and noisy wheeled suitcases, with fines for breaking them. Cover shoulders and knees in churches. Keep quiet at night in residential lanes — people live here.
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Everyday contact
Say 'Dobar dan' (good day) as a greeting and 'Hvala' for thank you. Leaving a small tip for good restaurant service is customary but not required. Don't call Croatians 'Balkan' or 'Yugoslav'.
📱Useful apps+
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Transport
Libertas — city bus timetables and mobile tickets. Bolt and Uber — rides. Google Maps works well for walking the Old Town, but there are many steps, so it takes longer than the app says.
Buy the Dubrovnik Pass online and keep it on your phone. Check which days cruise ships call and visit the Old Town early or late on those days. The Dubrovnik Tourist Board site lists events and festival dates.
The Platanus bus starts at Gruž bus station and stops near the Old Town by the cable car station on its way to the airport; one way €10. Allow for summer traffic, the EES exit check and the Tax Free customs stamp, and be at the airport 2.5–3 hours before your flight.
Leave Schengen no later than the date on your visa — EES records your exit automatically. Days spent in Montenegro or Bosnia don't count towards Schengen days, but a single-entry visa won't let you back in. Pack olive oil, lavender, Franciscan pharmacy creams and Pelješac wine in checked luggage.
AI answer: double-check anything beyond our researched facts with an official source.
24 hours
The UNESCO-listed polished-marble main street, Onofrio's Fountain, Orlando's Column and steep stepped lanes. King's Landing was filmed here: the Jesuit Stairs (the 'walk of shame'), Pile Gate and Minčeta Tower. Walk early in the morning or in the evening after the cruise ships leave for fewer crowds.
CultureIncluded in the City Walls ticket (also sold separately)Similar to the walls; in summer from 8:00 until evening
A fortress on a 37 m rock west of the Old Town — 'Dubrovnik's Gibraltar'. The inscription over the gate, 'Freedom is not sold for all the gold in the world', is famous, and Red Keep scenes from Game of Thrones were shot here. It looks back over the full circuit of the walls; Shakespeare plays are staged here in summer.
NatureReturn €30, one way €17; ages 4–12 €8 / €5, under 4 freeApril–November (June–August 9:00–24:00); closed December–March
Four minutes up to 405 m on Mount Srđ for a view over the Old Town and the Elaphiti Islands — best at sunset. At the top are a museum on the 1991–95 war (Fort Imperial) and a restaurant. It pauses in strong wind. You can also hike up in about an hour.
Nature€30 (island fee + return boat)Boats from the Old Port (Luža) take ~15 min; daily in season, last boat back early evening — no overnight stays
A nature reserve ten minutes off the Old Town: free-roaming peacocks and rabbits, a botanical garden, the small salty lake called the 'Dead Sea' (good for children to swim) and rocky shores. The Benedictine monastery displays the Game of Thrones Iron Throne. Food and water are limited, so bring your own.
BeachPublic section free; sunbeds and umbrellas paid24 hours; beach club by day and evening
A pebble beach five minutes' walk from Ploče Gate where you swim facing the Old Town and Lokrum. The water is clear; bring water shoes for the pebbles. For a quieter or sandier family beach, try Sunčani on the Lapad peninsula or go to Lokrum.
Culture€15, students €8; family €35; combined 10-museum ticket €20Daily; about 9:00–18:00 in summer, shorter in winter
The Gothic-Renaissance palace of the head of the Republic of Dubrovnik (1358–1808), now the Cultural History Museum. Learn how each month's rector could not leave the palace, and see old pharmacy jars, coins and costumes. Summer Festival concerts take place in the courtyard.
Culture~€6–10 (adults); church freeDaily; until evening in summer, shorter in winter
A 14th-century monastery by Pile Gate with a beautiful cloister of paired columns and one of Europe's oldest continuously working pharmacies, open since 1317. Rose creams and face creams made to the friars' recipes make good gifts.
NatureGroup tour ~€40–60 (2.5–3 hours)April–October, mornings and before sunset
Paddle a double kayak under the city walls and around Lokrum, stopping to snorkel at Betina Cave — the most unusual angle on Dubrovnik. Guided group tours leave from Pile Bay; most take children from about 8 sharing with an adult.
BeachFull-day group cruise with lunch ~€50–70; the regular Jadrolinija ferry is much cheaperDaily April–October; regular ferry only in winter
Three small car-free islands: Lopud's sandy Šunj beach (shallow and ideal for children), Koločep's blue cave and Šipan's olive groves. Go independently on the Jadrolinija ferry from Gruž port or join a '3 islands' group cruise.
FoodWalls €10 (March–October), ages 12–18 €5; winter €5 / €2Daily; until evening in summer, shorter in winter
About an hour north of Dubrovnik on the Pelješac peninsula, a 14th-century 5.5 km wall — one of the longest defensive walls in Europe — built to guard the salt pans. In Mali Ston eat EU-protected oysters and mussels straight from the sea. Rent a car or join a tour.
NatureGroup day tour ~€60–80; Kotor's town walls charged separatelyFull day (long border queues in summer)
The UNESCO old town on the Bay of Kotor and the island church off Perast — Dubrovnik's most popular day trip. Montenegro is outside Schengen: Mongolians with a valid Schengen visa can generally enter visa-free for up to 30 days, but you need a multiple-entry (MULT) visa to get back into Croatia. The same applies to a Mostar (Old Bridge) trip in Bosnia and Herzegovina: visa-free only with a multiple-entry Schengen visa. Plan Split and Plitvice Lakes as a separate multi-day trip.
