← Split Marathon·3 nights

Dubrovnik: The Walled City in Winter

Three nights in a walled city at the far end of the Dalmatian coast, at its quietest in February.

Duration3 nights
TransitArriva coach, about 224 km and 4 hours 30 minutes
DepartsSplit bus station

After the Split Marathon: Dubrovnik

The Route: Split → Dubrovnik (3 nights) → Dubrovnik Airport Logistics: Arriva coach, about 224 km and 4 hours 30 minutes. Allow a travel day. Marathon Month: February Duration: 3 nights

Split bus station ──(Arriva coach, about 4 hrs 30)──> Dubrovnik
                                                             │
                       Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) ◄──(airport bus / taxi)

The Split Marathon is run in mid-February, and Dubrovnik in the same month is a different city from the summer one. The cruise-ship crowds are thinner, and so are the open-air options.

February in Dubrovnik: expect a cool, damp climate with rain on many days, and shorter opening hours. Do not assume island boats and summer tours run, and expect some restaurants to close for the season. Confirm any venue's winter hours before you walk across town.

The coach from Split takes about 4 hours 30 minutes for 224 km, per Arriva's published figures. Stops and running time vary by service. Check arriva.com.hr and treat Monday as a travel day. Ask your hotel how to get from the bus station to the room, and whether you can store bags on arrival.

Nights One to Three: The Old City

The Stradun, the limestone main street running through the old city, is the flat recovery walk. It is about 300 metres long, level and polished by centuries of feet, so it is slippery after rain. Side streets climb in steps. A central address does not mean a level room, so ask about stairs and a lift.

The city walls form a circuit of roughly two kilometres and involve many steps. Do not make the walls your first activity after a marathon. If your legs are recovering, leave them until the third day, or skip them in wet weather.

Hotel Excelsior, at Frana Supila 12, is on the coast just east of the old city, with a sea view and its own Salin restaurant. For a meal in the old town, the tourist board lists Restaurant Marco Polo at Lučarica 6 and Natali Garden Restaurant at Privežna 21. Confirm which of them open in winter. Book a table, particularly for dinner.

Getting Home

Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) is outside the city. Check the airport bus timetable and the taxi option when you book. If you prefer to fly from Split, coach back with a full day in hand.