Most people come to Dubrovnik for the Old Town walls – and then spend their days shoulder to shoulder on Stradun. But step a few kilometres out of town and it is a different place: a 600-year-old aqueduct hidden in the hills, an island with no cars, mountain villages in Konavle and peaks with views all the way to Montenegro.
I’m Jovanka, a local hiking guide, and these are the trails I keep coming back to. Some you can easily do on your own, some are much nicer with someone who knows the way and the stories along it. For each one you’ll find the distance, how long it takes, how hard it is and where it starts.
Hiking near Dubrovnik at a glance
| Trail | Walking time | Difficulty | Start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Dubrovnik Aqueduct | about 3 h | Easy | Šumet |
| Mount Srđ | about 1 h up, 2–3 h return | Easy to moderate | Dubrovnik (Jadranska cesta) |
| Ronald Brown Pathway | about 2 h | Easy | Gornji Obod, Cavtat |
| Čilipi to Cavtat | about 2 h | Easy | St George’s church, Čilipi |
| Lopud island | about 3 h | Easy to moderate | Lopud harbour |
| Sniježnica (Sveti Ilija) | 5–6 h total | Moderate | Mihanići or Kuna Konavoska |
| Lokrum island | 2–3 h | Easy | Lokrum ferry pier |
1. The Old Dubrovnik Aqueduct Trail
This is my personal favourite, and one of Dubrovnik’s best-kept stories. In the 15th century the city built an aqueduct to bring fresh water from the spring in Šumet all the way to the Old Town around 12 km of stone channels, working entirely with gravity. It fed Onofrio’s Fountain, the one every visitor photographs at the Pile Gate, and it was used until the 20th century, when a new water system replaced it.
Today a path of about 7 km follows the old route above the Ombla river valley. It is an easy, mostly level walk through macchia and old stone walls, with views over the river, the Elaphiti Islands and the port of Gruž. Near the start you can see the source of the Ombla, where the water comes straight out from beneath the rocks, a river only about 30 metres long before it meets the sea. And if you still have energy at the end, the aqueduct route also leads all the way up to Mount Srđ.
| Distance | about 7 km |
|---|---|
| Walking time | about 3 h |
| Difficulty | Easy – a low level of fitness is enough |
| Start | Šumet |
| Shade | Partly |
Walk it with a local guide
Old Dubrovnik Aqueduct Walk
About 3 hours of walking · easy · transfer from your accommodation, water and a snack included · from €70 per person.
2. Mount Srđ
Mount Srđ (412 m) rises directly behind the Old Town, and the view from the top is the one you have seen on every postcard: the walls, Lokrum and the open sea. Most people take the cable car, but you can walk up for free on a zig-zag path that starts just above the city. It is about 2 km one way with roughly 300 m of climbing, fully exposed to the sun, so go early in the morning or in the late afternoon for the sunset.
At the top you will find Fort Imperial with the Homeland War museum, a restaurant and the upper cable car station. A nice combination: walk up, ride the cable car down – your knees will thank you. Read my full Mount Srđ hike guide or join my sunset hike to Srđ.
Local tip: There is no shade and no water on the path. Take at least a litre per person, a hat and proper shoes – the stones are loose in places.
3. The Ronald Brown Pathway to Stražišće
Above Cavtat stands a tall steel cross on the summit of Stražišće (701 m). On 3 April 1996 a US Air Force plane on an official trade mission crashed into this peak on its approach to Dubrovnik Airport. All 35 people on board were killed, including Ron Brown, the United States Secretary of Commerce. The old Austrian military road to the summit was later renamed in his memory.
Today it is a quiet, well-marked trail through endemic plants, with protected species if you keep your eyes open. From the top you look over Cavtat, Konavle, Župa Bay and Dubrovnik – one of the most beautiful sunset spots on this coast.
| Walking time | about 2 h |
|---|---|
| Elevation gain | 651 m (from 50 m to 701 m) |
| Difficulty | Easy, marked path |
| Start | Gornji Obod, near Cavtat |
Walk it with a local guide
The Ronald Brown Pathway (Stražišće peak)
About 2 hours of walking · easy · transfer, water and a snack included · from €79 per person.
4. From Čilipi to Cavtat through Konavle
An easy walk through the green Konavle countryside that ends with a coffee on the Cavtat waterfront. The path starts at the church of St George in Čilipi, which dates back to the 15th century, and passes old stone crosses that marked the processions for blessing the crops – the oldest one is from 1762.
In the village of Močići you will find one of the most beautiful Mithraea in Dalmatia: a shrine to the Persian god Mithras, with his relief carved straight into the living rock, from a time when his cult was widespread here (2nd–4th century AD). Konavle is also famous for its folk costume and silk embroidery, which you can see in the Konavle museum in Čilipi.
Walk it with a local guide
Pathway Čilipi – Cavtat
About 2 hours of walking · easy · transfer, water and a snack included · from €79 per person.
5. Lopud: across a car-free island
Just under an hour by boat from Dubrovnik, Lopud has no cars, no roads and no traffic – only stone paths, pine woods and old olive terraces. The trail climbs from the harbour to the ruins of Sutvrač Fort, once a defence against pirates and Ottoman raids, where the whole Elaphiti archipelago opens up beneath you, and then crosses the island through shaded groves to Šunj, one of the few sandy beaches on this coast. Shallow, warm water waits for you at the end of the walk.
Local tip: Bring a swimsuit and a towel. Lokrum, Koločep and Šipan are also lovely for easy island walks – no hiking experience needed, just comfortable shoes and a little curiosity.
Walk it with a local guide
The Elaphiti Islands: Hiking on Lopud
About 3 hours of walking · easy to moderate · transfer, boat tickets, water and a snack included · from €70 per person.
6. Sniježnica and Sveti Ilija
For a real mountain day, Sniježnica is the one. Its highest peak, Sveti Ilija (1234 m), is the tallest in Dubrovnik-Neretva County and towers over Konavle and the Konavle field. You can start in the village of Mihanići (250 m) and walk up through macchia and woods, past a 16th-century church of St Nicholas, to Kuna Konavoska (721 m) – or come by transfer straight to Kuna and walk the last 2.5 hours on an old Austro-Hungarian cannon path.
From the 19th-century chapel of St Elijah on the summit you can see Konavle, Dubrovnik Airport, the islands of Mljet and Korčula and the mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Every year pilgrims climb to the chapel on Pentecost Monday, and on 26 December mountaineers repeat the traditional climb in memory of the first ascent by Dubrovnik mountaineers in 1928.
| Walking time | 5–6 h total (depends on the start) |
|---|---|
| Highest point | Sveti Ilija, 1234 m |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Start | Mihanići (250 m) or Kuna Konavoska (721 m) |
Walk it with a local guide
Sniježnica Hiking
About 7 hours · easy to moderate · transfer, guided hike, water and a picnic lunch included · from €120 per person · April to November.
7. Lokrum: a short walk on the island across the bay
If you only have a few hours, take the boat from the Old Port to Lokrum – the crossing takes about 15 minutes. The island is a nature reserve with shady paths, a Benedictine monastery, a botanical garden, the small salt lake people call the “Dead Sea” and the ruins of Fort Royal at the top. Nobody can stay overnight, so the island is quietest early in the morning and before the last boat back.
When is the best time to hike in Dubrovnik?
Spring (April to early June) and autumn (late September to November) are perfect: comfortable temperatures, quieter trails and, in autumn, the hills slowly changing colour. Summer is possible, but start early – by late morning most trails are in full sun and it can get well over 30 °C. Winter is mild and often sunny, though the bora wind can be strong on the ridges.
What to bring
- Comfortable sports clothes and trainers or light hiking shoes – the stone paths are uneven
- At least 1 litre of water per person (more in summer)
- Sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat
- Seasonal fruit or a light snack
- A swimsuit for the island walks
Guided or on your own?
Mount Srđ and Lokrum are easy to do on your own. The aqueduct, Stražišće, Konavle and Sniježnica are a different story: the trailheads are outside the city, public transport is limited and the best parts of these walks are the stories you would walk straight past. On my tours I pick you up at your accommodation, we walk in small groups at a relaxed pace, and water, a snack and insurance are included.
It’s easy to think hiking is all about reaching the top. For me, there’s so much more to notice along the way.
Jovanka
FAQ
Is Dubrovnik good for hiking?
Yes. Within half an hour of the Old Town you have easy coastal and island walks, the historic aqueduct trail and real mountains like Sniježnica (1234 m), all with sea views.
What is the easiest hike near Dubrovnik?
The Old Dubrovnik Aqueduct trail and the walk from Čilipi to Cavtat are both easy and mostly gentle. Lokrum is the easiest of all if you only have a few hours.
Can you hike up Mount Srđ?
Yes – a free zig-zag path climbs from just above the city to the top in about an hour. It has no shade, so go early or for the sunset, and take the cable car down if you like.
When is the best time to hike in Dubrovnik?
April to early June and late September to November. In July and August start before 9 am.
Do I need hiking experience to join a tour?
No. Most walks are easy to moderate on well-marked paths. Each tour lists the fitness level and walking time, and I’m happy to help you choose the right one.
