Car Hire in Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is Croatia's most visited city and one of the Mediterranean's great walled cities. The old town — entirely closed to vehicles — is best explored on foot. But a hire car puts you in control of the extraordinary coastline, coves and wine country surrounding it. Dubrovnik Airport is 20km south of the city and has all major suppliers, though prices here are the highest in Croatia — consider picking up from Split and driving down.

Pick-up locations

Driving tips for Dubrovnik

• Do not attempt to drive into the old town — it is closed to vehicles and surrounded by UNESCO protection zones.
• Park at Ilijina Glavica (above the old town, cable car access) or Pile Gate car park for old town access.
• The D8 coastal road into Dubrovnik is notoriously congested in July and August — allow significantly extra time.
• The border crossing into Montenegro (Herceg Novi direction) requires checking that your hire car is permitted — not all Croatian rental companies allow cross-border trips.
• Petrol stations thin out south of Dubrovnik toward the Montenegro border — fill up in the city.

Best drives from Dubrovnik

• Pelješac Peninsula (1 hr) — Croatia's premier wine region (Plavac Mali) and the oyster beds of Ston. The bridge now bypasses the Neum Bosnia corridor — no border crossing required.
• Elaphiti Islands day trip (ferry from Dubrovnik) — park the car and take the ferry to Lopud, Šipan or Koločep — car-free islands of pine forests and turquoise coves.
• Kotor, Montenegro (1 hr 30 min) — Europe's southernmost fjord and a perfectly preserved medieval city. Check cross-border permissions with your hire company.
• Ston & Mali Ston (1 hr) — the longest city walls in Europe after the Great Wall of China, and the freshest oysters you'll ever eat.