Croatia had been on our travel short-list for a few years, and we finally got there in summer 2017. This page of Croatia travel photography contains galleries from Croatia’s southern Dalmatian coast along the Adriatic Sea. Our visit included Dubrovnik and the nearby wine region along the Peljesac peninsula, Split, and a bit of the islands via ferry rides.
This coastal part of Croatia has interesting local culture and quite a bit of Italian influence, from food to architecture and important historical events. There’s much to see and photograph from a travel photography perspective. From coastal sunsets and wide panoramas of Dubrovnik’s walled Old Town, to smaller details of Croatian culture and history, there’s something for anyone with a camera – even just a smartphone camera.
We had a great experience here and definitely recommend southern Croatia as a travel destination in the overall ‘Mediterranean’ region. It’s also a great starting point for further explorations into neighboring countries such as Montenegro (e.g., Bay of Kotor) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (e.g., Mostar).
Enjoy the photos below and feel free to add any comments or questions at the bottom of the page. I’ll be adding more photos from Dubrovnik, Split, and the region in between soon.
For more Mediterranean travel photography, also check out my photo galleries focused on travel in Greece and travel in Italy while you’re here.
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Dubrovnik Area
This wide pre-sunset view takes in the Dubrovnik 'Old Town' and perimeter walls, Lokrum Island just offshore, and the popular restaurant 'Panorama' at left.
A cable car makes its way over the slope of Mount Srd, taking passengers to a great Dubrovnik overlook shortly before sunset.
Visitors enjoy the view of Dubrovnik's walled Old Town from the observation platform atop nearby Mount Srd.
Tourists snap photos after taking the cable car to the top of Mount Srd, high above Dubrovnik's walled Old Town.
This shot shows the sun setting over the Babin Kuk peninsula, Port Gruz, and the Elaphite Islands to the northwest of Dubrovnik's Old Town.
Visitors explore Dubrovnik's city walls and the Minceta Tower along the northwest corner of the Old Town.
Four young guys play a little soccer in an enclosed playground below the Old Town walls.
Red rooftops are a main sight throughout Dubrovnik. The hillside white buildings in the background are outside the city walls.
A view of Dubrovnik's red rooftops, looking south across the Old Town toward the sea, Lokrum Island, etc.
A closeup look at the red/orange clay roof tiles typical in Dubrovnik.
A view of the Fort of St. Lawrence - and a passing tour boat - from the west wall of Dubrovnik's Old Town.
The Fort of St. Lawrence is toward the right side background in this shot, taken from atop the south wall of the Old Town.
There's a nice little bar atop the city walls on the south side of the Old Town. A little "yellow submarine" tour boat is cruising back to the old port here.
Wall walkers enjoy late afternoon views of the Adriatic Sea near the SE corner of Dubrovnik's City Walls.
The small harbor area just west of the Old Town walls. Kayak trips, restaurants, and the base of the Fort of St. Lawrence at upper left.
A portion of the south side of Dubrovnik's Old Town walls. People are walking and standing along the wall top here, enjoying great views in all directions.
People gather on top of the wallls near the Pile Gate of Dubrovnik's Old Town. The dome here is the top of Onofrio's Big Fountain near the west entrance to the town.
People stroll along the east-west 'Stradun' - Dubrovnik's main pedestrian street through the Old Town.
A wide view of Dubrovnik's 'old port' area on the east side of the Old Town. Background includes Lokrum Island and a few smaller cruise ships.
Large cannons protected Dubrovnik's old port back when foreign invasions from the Adriatic Sea were a constant threat.
This shot helps to show the heavy design and construction of Dubrovnik's Old Town city walls.
St. Blaise is the popular patron saint of Dubrovnik. He is usually depicted holding a model of medieval Dubrovnik.
Here's a close look at Dubrovnik's patron saint, tucked inside an upper section of the city walls. He's holding a model of medieval Dubrovnik.
Tourists refill their water bottles on a hot summer day in Dubrovnik. 'Onofrio's Little Fountain' is at the east end of the pedestrian Stradun. It was built in 1440-1442 AD.
The map on the right details the damage from intense shelling of Dubrovnik by Yugoslav forces in 1991-1992 during the war for Croatian independence. Posted near one of the entry gates in the Old Town.
A view of a daily produce market inside Dubrovnik's Old Town. We love finding and exploring these markets wherever we travel.
Tourists, many coming from cruise ships, explore the interior streets of Dubrovnik's Old Town.
Lots of local guidebooks, soccer (football) jerseys, and other tourist items on offer at a gift shop along Dubrovnik's pedestrian Stradun.
A model holding a white cockatiel poses for photos on Dubrovnik's Old Town Stradun during a rose giveaway promotion at the end of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival in 2017.
The Dubrovnik region has many pizzerias that make creative pizzas like this one spotted in the Old Town.
Sunbathers and swimmers enjoy a small rocky 'beach' just outside the city walls near the southeast corner of the Old Town.
The cruise ship Seabourn Odyssey lies at rest outside the old port on the east side of Dubrovnik's Old Town. This ship is 198 meters long and holds up to 378 passengers.
The Dubrovnik Card is a good way to save money when visiting multiple sights in the area. Different prices for different durations (days). The relaxed dusty white cat is not included, however.
This is the famous 'hand' rail inside the Rector's Palace of Dubrovnik's Old Town. This staircase and courtyard interior were used as the setting for at least one Game of Thrones scene.
'Khaleesi' Daenerys Targaryen holds a dragon egg on a popular Game of Thrones T-shirt for sale in a Dubrovnik Old Town gift shop.
A mother peacock and her chicks hunt for food on the island of Lokrum just offshore from Dubrovnik's Old Town. It's a quick boat ride to get here, with lots of interesting things to explore.
Young green olives absorb some sunshine in an old olive tree grove on Lokrum Island.
A boy meets a few of the many rabbits that populate Lokrum Island off the shore of Dubrovnik. They run around a lot, have little fear of people, and are fun to watch.
A portion of ruins from an old monastery complex on Lokrum Island, just off the coast of Dubrovnik. This island was used for some Game of Thrones scenes and also has a small GOT museum with replica Iron Throne you can sit in for photos.
This replica Iron Throne from HBO's Game of Thrones drama series sits inside a small museum on Lokrum Island near Dubrovnik. Visitors take turns making photos of each other sitting in it, each person getting a few seconds of fame on the throne. Definitely fun for GOT fans.
A cruise ship leaves the Dubrovnik, Croatia area after sunset on a summer evening. The lighthouse is at the end of the Greben group of small islets, just off the Lapad peninsula.
A cruise ship leaves the Dubrovnik, Croatia area after sunset, sailing under a blue sky and crescent moon.
A sailboat motors back to the port at Gruz in the Dubrovnik area just before sunset.
Colors start to pop as the sun sets behind the Elaphite island of Kolocep, just northwest of Dubrovnik.
Orange and purple colors develop just after sunset along the Dalmatian coast just northwest of Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Purple hues dominate this post-sunset view of the Dalmatian coast and Elaphite islands just northwest of Dubrovnik, Croatia.
This is the port of Gruz, a few miles northwest of Dubrovnik's Old Town. The port can handle multiple large cruise ships at once. Definitely needed during high season when Dubrovnik receives several thousand tourists via cruise ships each day.
A wider look at Port Gruz, the Lapad peninsula (Babin Kuk in right background), and the Adriatic Sea to the northwest of Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Cruise ship Celebrity Constellation off the coast of Dubrovnik, Croatia.
The cruise ship Celebrity Constellation passes a smaller passenger ferry off the coast of Dubrovnik, Croatia.
The cruise ship Celebrity Constellation approaches the port of Gruz near Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Octopus tentacles baked "under a bell" for several hours, then served for two. Cooked together with potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant. An outstanding dish to try while in the Dubrovnik area!
Beautiful!
Thanks, Jann! Croatia is indeed a beautiful country. The capital, Zagreb, is very interesting as well!