Guide intro
Most people land at Dubrovnik Airport and drive straight past the best part of the region. The airport isn’t in Dubrovnik at all. It sits in Čilipi, a village in Konavle, the green valley that runs south from Cavtat to the Montenegrin border. The Old Town is about 25 minutes north. Konavle is all around you the moment you leave the terminal: vineyards, stone villages, cypress lines and a coastline with very few crowds.
We run a small hotel in Čilipi, so this is the guide we give our own guests. It covers three relaxed days, works best with a hire car, and every stop is within 30 minutes of the airport.
Written by the team at Domare Stays, Čilipi.
Day 1: Land, unwind, and get your bearings
Dubrovnik Airport (DBV)
Pick up your hire car here if you’re renting. Konavle is far easier with your own wheels, and parking is free almost everywhere outside Dubrovnik and Cavtat.
Čilipi village
Five minutes from the terminal. There’s a church square with a long folk tradition, and on some summer Sundays you’ll see the Konavle costume and dances performed there. Check locally before you plan around it. Otherwise it’s a quiet working village. That’s the point.
Where to stay: Hotel Dubrovnik Riviera
Our own place, so take this with the obvious caveat. It’s a 15-room boutique hotel near Dubrovnik Airport in the Čilipi countryside, with a pool, garden and private parking. It suits early flights, late arrivals, and anyone who’d rather wake up to olive trees than cruise-ship crowds.
Cavtat at sunset
Ten minutes up the coast. Walk the waterfront promenade, then take the path around the Rat peninsula as the light goes. Eat on the harbour or in the lanes behind it.
Day 2: The Konavle valley
Sokol Grad
A medieval fortress built into a rock outcrop above the valley, near the village of Dunave. It’s small, the views are huge, and you’ll often have it nearly to yourself outside July and August.
Ljuta and the Konavle mills
A short drive away, the Ljuta river runs through a shaded gorge lined with old stone watermills. Konavoski dvori, a restaurant built around one of the mills, is the classic lunch stop. Order lamb or veal cooked under the peka (an iron bell lid covered in embers) and call ahead, because it takes time.
A Konavle winery
Konavle is home ground for Malvasija dubrovačka, a local white grape that almost disappeared and is now back in serious production. Several family wineries in the valley do tastings, usually by appointment. Ask your hosts which ones are open that week.
Back to the pool
Nothing in Konavle is more than 20–30 minutes away, so a long afternoon at your base is easy to fit in.
Day 3: Coast, islands or the Old Town
Option A: Elaphiti Islands by boat
Day boats run to Koločep, Lopud and Šipan from Dubrovnik and, in season, from Cavtat. Lopud’s sandy Šunj beach is the usual highlight. Bring cash for the island konobas.
Option B: Cavtat’s art trail
Visit the Račić family mausoleum by sculptor Ivan Meštrović in the cemetery above town, and the birth house of painter Vlaho Bukovac, now a small gallery. Then swim off the rocks along the peninsula.
Option C: Dubrovnik Old Town, the smart way
Go early, before 9:00, or late afternoon once the day visitors leave. Driving in and finding parking is the hardest part. Taxis and transfers from Konavle take about 25–30 minutes, and you skip the garage fees entirely.
Practical notes
- Getting around: A car makes Konavle easy. Without one, expect to rely on taxis or transfers. Local buses exist but are infrequent outside the main road.
- When to go: May–June and September–October. You get warm sea, open restaurants and far fewer people than in peak summer.
- Early flight? Staying in Konavle turns a 06:30 Old Town departure into a 10-minute drive.
- Beaches: The Konavle coast is mostly rocky coves. Check access before you go, since some paths close after rockfall.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute professional travel advice. Opening hours, restaurant availability, winery tastings, boat schedules, festival dates, beach access, and local conditions may change without notice and vary by season. Some coastal paths may close after rockfall, and parking rules around Dubrovnik and Cavtat can change. Readers should verify all details locally or directly with providers before planning. The author is affiliated with Domare Stays in Čilipi, and the Hotel Dubrovnik Riviera recommendation reflects that connection; readers should weigh this accordingly when comparing options. Any mention of specific businesses does not imply endorsement beyond that disclosure. The author and publisher disclaim any liability for decisions made based on this content.
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