Gay Dubrovnik Dubrovnik City Guide

Curation by Yasmina Rodríguez, words by Kerry Murray

Few cities wear their history quite as beautifully as Dubrovnik. Ringed by medieval walls that drop straight into the Adriatic, its terracotta rooftops, baroque fountains and luminous limestone streets have seduced travellers for centuries – and the LGBTQ+ community is no exception. This is a city where sophistication meets sea air, where Michelin-starred suppers perched atop ancient fortifications are entirely possible, and where the first sip of an obscure native varietal feels like the Mediterranean's best-kept secret. Whether you're scaling the city walls at dawn, drifting off the gay-friendly shores of Lokrum Island, or raising a glass at Dubrovnik's first dedicated gay bar tucked among the Old Town cobblestones, Mr Hudson has you well covered. Welcome to the Pearl of the Adriatic.

The best hotels in Dubrovnik

For the pinnacle of boutique restraint, Villa Orsula is the address. Occupying a lovingly restored 1930s white-stone villa in the upscale Ploče district – minutes on foot from the Old Town’s eastern gate – this Small Luxury Hotels member commands sweeping views of the city walls, Lokrum Island and the Adriatic. With just thirteen rooms, the focus is entirely on personalised attention: brass-accented bathrooms, cobalt walls, fringed linen and a shaded outdoor pool set the tone, while the full Sisley spa ensures recovery is as considered as the design.

Hotel Excelsior sits on the waterfront a five-minute stroll from the ramparts, its guest book a roll call of 20th-century luminaries from Queen Elizabeth II to Agatha Christie. The interiors, reimagined by Croatian design studio Franić-Šekoranja, weave understated tones with bursts of sea-green velvet; rooms in the original wing offer high-ceilinged grandeur, while the contemporary Tower delivers floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the Old Town with cinematic precision. Three restaurants, a piano bar and a stone promenade terrace at sea level – the place to be seen – complete a thoroughly compelling package.

Perched on the cliffs of the Sveti Jakov district to the south-east, Villa Dubrovnik is the coast’s most architecturally distinctive offering. Brazilian designer Studio Arthur Casas wove terracotta tones, Croatian limestone and bespoke artworks from local artists into 56 suites, each positioned for the extraordinary Adriatic panorama. The property descends to a private beach hewn from the rock below – a rare luxury on this stretch of coast – while a charming Venetian-style Vaporetto speedboat connects guests to the Old City gate with considerably more flair than a taxi ever could.