May 28, 2022 - Dubrovnik's first digital nomad ambassadors are giving back - a few hints and tips for DNs coming to visit the Pearl of the Adriatic.
This guide has been written by Yvette Pelgrom and Mandy Fransz to share their top tips and recommendations after working remotely in Dubrovnik, Croatia as the inaugural Digital Nomad Ambassadors, a pro-bono concept designed and deivered by Saltwater Nomads, in partnership with the Dubrovnik Tourist Board and City of Dubrovnik.
With its Mediterranean vibe, impressive culture and history, beautiful nature, extremely friendly locals, and surrounded by islands with crystal clear water, we truly believe that Dubrovnik is a must-visit city to add to your bucket list!
For the last few weeks, we’ve had the amazing opportunity to experience the digital nomad lifestyle of this magical “Kings Landing” city as a Digital Nomad Ambassador.
In this guide, we happily share our experiences to hopefully provide you with the tips and recommendations needed to create the ultimate digital nomad experience!
Where to stay:
During our 3-week stay, we’ve stayed at a different apartments each week which gave us the opportunity to explore different areas of Dubrovnik.
One of our favorite areas is Lapad, which is about 10 minutes by taxi (approx. €6- one-way by Uber or Bolt) to the Old Town. We stayed in Dvori Lapad which was only a few minutes walk from Sunset Beach where you can walk alongside the beautiful promenade filled with hotels and restaurants serving delicious fish and seafood.
Another area we enjoyed during our stay was only a 7-minute walk up the hills from Old Town. We stayed at Apartments Lora which offered one of the best views from our big (+ sunny!) terrace right on top of Old Town and the magical Lokrum island. A little side note: you do need to walk a few stairs to get here, but it’s worth the view!
(Apartment Lora)
Where to eat:
Our favorite restaurant is Urban & Veggie, which is conceived as “Dubrovnik's vegecentric sustainability hotspot” offering the best vegan and healthy options in town. Definitely try their Veggie Burger while you’re there!
Another favorite is Nishta, a small place in the middle of Old Town that offers vegan, raw and gluten-free dishes, including a salad bar. Their falafel wrap is delicious! A few other restaurants in Old Town that we really enjoyed are Castro (pizza / pasta), Kamenice (budget-friendly seafood), Kopun (seafood - a bit more fancy / higher prices), and Arsenal (amazing harbour view - a bit more fancy / higher prices).
Finally, we highly recommend walking alongside the promenade in Lapad for delicious fish and seafood restaurants such as Casa (incl. very friendly staff who kindly allowed us to work remotely with an ocean-view while enjoying a seabass for lunch!)
(Casa)
Where to work:
As digital nomads, having a work-friendly home office is essential. Hence, make sure to find accommodation with high-speed Wi-Fi, enough space to work from, and/or ideally, a dedicated desk to comfortably work-from-home.
While Dubrovnik currently doesn’t have many co-working spaces, we truly believe that Lazareti has the potential to become one of the most beautiful co-working spaces worldwide! With an exceptional location only a few minutes wak from Old Town and a picture-perfect view the Adreatic sea, this makes it the perfect place to work and meet like-minded people. During our stay, Yvette Pelgrom (one of the Digital Nomad Ambassadors) hosted a Workshop ‘Life Design for Wellbeing’ which was a great way to bring together digital nomads and expats in Dubrovnik.
(Lazareti co-working space)
Finally, we regularly worked from the previously mentioned Urban & Veggie, which offers a few work-friendly tables with electrical outlets and an outside garden which makes it a perfect spot if you’re looking to switch up work environments.
Things to do:
There is no reason to be bored in Dubrovnik! There are a lot of fun activities including walking the Dubrovnik Walls, going for a Karaka sunset tour, sea kayaking, exploring Kings Landing with a Game of Thrones tour (highly recommend Dubrovnik Tourist Guide!), or enjoying a cocktail during sunset at the Buza Cliff Bar.
Dubrovnik is the perfect place to start your day with a dip in the sea. A few of our favorite beaches include Banje Beach nearby Old Town, Sunset Beach in Lapad, and St Jacobs Beach which is a ~20-minute walk alongside the coast and is located next to the old ruins of Hotel Belvedere, a Game of Thrones venue! You can also take a ~35-minute drive to the secluded Pasjaca Beach, a must-visit according to locals.
If you’re a little more adventurous, you can also hike the Srd hiking trail, which takes you within 45-minutes to the top at the Panorama restaurant with a breathtaking view. Also, we recommend exploring “hidden gems” within walking distance such as the romantic seaview point we discovered in Velika and Mala Petka Forest Park.
Last but not least, for a unique experience we highly recommend Koshara picnic to enjoy an Instagrammable picnic with a view in beautiful locations such as Gradac park (yes, another Game of Thrones venue!).
General tips & recommendations
Want to live in Croatia for a year? Check out the digital nomad visa by DNA Croatia.
Want to meet fellow digital nomads in Dubrovnik? Join the Facebook group here.
We hope this guide will help you to create the ultimate digital nomad experience in Dubrovnik. Do you have any other tips and recommendations? Feel free to leave a comment below!
(Lazareti co-working space, just outside the Old Town)
This guide is written by Yvette Pelgrom and Mandy Fransz to share their top tips and recommendations after working remotely in Dubrovnik, Croatia as the inaugural Digital Nomad Ambassadors, a pro-bono concept designed and deivered by Saltwater Nomads, in partnership with the Dubrovnik Tourist Board and City of Dubrovnik.
For more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, check out the dedicated TCN section.
