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.  

April 30, 2022 - Collaboration is getting stronger, as a number of remote work destinations are heading to Dubrovnik next week for the Work. Place. Culture. conference from May 5-7.  

Around 18 months ago, few people had ever mentioned the words 'Dubrovnik' and 'digital nomads' in the same sentence. How times change... Croatia's first-ever dedicated conference for nomads, Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads, followed by the award-winning Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence program, changed all that, and the city has been quietly implementing its strategy to attract more remote workers. 

A sign of the progress Dubrovnik has made in the global DN story will be reflected in the very global attendee list next week as Dubrovnik's latest conference in the sector, Work. Place. Culture, which takes place from May 5-7. 

In addition to leading remote companies eager to join - including VP People at Remote.com, CEO Butter and our keynote speakers (Gartner, RoRemote, Growmotely, Make The Leap Digital) and presenters from the ABC Travel Network, The Remote Life Podcast, a number of destinations at various  stages of their own DN journeys will be heading to Dubrovnik (either remotely or in person) to take place in a conference which will bring together a diverse and collaborative community of remote work professionals for 3 days of presentations, networking and socialising. Confirmed attendees include 3 leaders in digital nomad hubs: Bansko, Estonia and Sun & Co Coliving Spain. The conference will also feature initiatives from destinations looking to position themselves to the DN market - such as Scotland, Mostar, BiH, Venice, Central Istria, Croatia and Tirana, Albania.

Just as Dubrovnik hsa been pioneering in its efforts, so too Croatia is an early mover on certain initiatives. Only the second country in Europe after Estonia to initiate a digital nomad visa, Croatia was the first in the world to found a Digital Nomad Association. The initiative has beeen well received elsewhere, and there will be representatives of no less than 4 DNAs at the conference. 

TCN reached out to some of the conference participants and destinations ahead of Work. Place. Culture. conference (you can see the programme and buy ticktets here). 

DNA Croatia - one of the many achievements in the early Croatian DN story was the founding of the world's first Digital Nomad Association. Why do you think countries need such an association, and what have you achieved so far?

Michael Freer, DNA Croatia

For countries like Croatia, an association can complement public efforts in trying to promote the country as a destination. It also has the luxury of working with both private and public bodies, without necessarily having to go through the red tape that public bodies do, nor have to focus on digital nomads as a customer like the private sector has to. Finally it can act as a neutral friend of digital nomads, looking to support, connect and inspire them before, during and after their experience in that country.

On the other hand, you have DNA America, which is very much about supporting DNs from the US outside of the US, rather than attracting DNs to the US (although this could also be part of their later mission). In this way they can also connect the community, and act as a digital nomad embassy providing US specific support around certain subjects like taxation or immigration when needed.

Whether a sending or receiving DNA, they are both vital for the ecosystem and building that momentum, vision and representation of DNs worldwide. 

In terms of our achievements, we're right at the beginning of our journey, and have learnt a lot and gained so much experience in the last 18 months as an association. We think DNA Croatia, along with those we collaborate with, like TCN and Saltwater, to name but a few, have to be proud of how Croatia is perceived outside of Croatia. We've created and most definitely earned an impressive global reputation. 

On a more local scale, we think it's an achievement to see all of us collaborators working together, from all three sectors, pushing forward with the same vision - to make the whole of Croatia a digital-nomad friendly and slow travel destination all year round.

DNA Croatia, DNA Italy - two countries and neighbours with a rich history and much in common on the Mediterranean. How can we synergise to develop a Mediterranean Nomad Trail for the benefit of all?

Giovanni Filippi, DNA Italy

Digital nomadism is a global, transversal and conscious movement, in exponential growth and continuous evolution, involving people of all ages, with very different personal, professional and cultural backgrounds. People free to live and work anywhere generally choose to move to those destinations where the quality of life is better, especially seaside, in close contact with nature and with a favorable climate.

The Mediterranean coasts would be an ideal destination for many of them: encouraging synergies between the various Mediterranean countries in order to attract digital nomads represents an opportunity for Europe to foster cohesion among its members and attract people with skills useful to improve the economies of its territories.

The Associations of Italy and Croatia, and of all the others that want to be involved, could start to collaborate in the organization of a series of online and offline activities involving digital nomads and local communities to let them encounter and interact with each other, co-designing together territorial and extraterritorial events and projects that can be collected in a Mediterranean Nomad Trail.

Bulgaria is home to one of Europe's most dynamic nomad destinations and festivals in Bansko. How is the scene developing nationwide, and how can we integrate it more into a Balkan Nomad Trail? 

Martina Mihneva, DNA Bulgaria

Digital Nomads Association of Bulgaria (https://www.linkedin.com/company/digitalnomads-bulgaria/) was officially established in February 2022 with the aim to work together with the Bulgarian government and create the right environment for the digital nomads who are choosing to spend part of their life in Bulgaria. We want to create the needed regulatory conditions that will make Bulgaria easily accessible for digital nomads from all around the world and to offer these people the right places for co-working and co-living, entertainment and learning about Bulgarian culture in several locations on the territory of Bulgaria. 

Currently, we are working on creating a proposal to the government for a Digital Nomad Visa that will ease the process of  getting permission to stay for a year in Bulgaria for digital nomads and their families. Also, we are creating an online platform that will gather the digital nomads community in Bulgaria, will include all the information needed for a digital nomad to plan a stay in Bulgaria, do the needed paperworks and will offer complete information for accommodation and co-living spaces, co-working spaces, tourist destinations and events. We are planning to create weekly meetings for digital nomads where they can meet and know each other, exchange ideas and make plans for cooperation, share stories from their journey as a digital nomad, as well as present different destinations and cultures they have visited. 

DNA USA - the first digital nomad association outside Europe! Tell us why you founded it, who are your members, and what your vision is for the association?

Erkan Munishi, DNA USA

The Americans are the largest group of digital nomads in the world and the pandemic has given a different perspective to everyone in the US and around the globe on their freedom and priorities when it comes to working remotely. The Digital Nomad Association USA (DNA USA) was founded with the goal of bringing the American digital nomads together to support each other, and sharing their stories and skills with many other Americans who are hoping to go remote. It is the only digital nomad association that is both origin-based and destination-based. We also promote destinations within the United States that cater to digital nomads and we work on growing the number of destinations that improve their infrastructure focusing on creating a better work and life environment for remote workers.

Croatia may be attracting a lot of the nomad headlines in the region, but once can definitely feel the emergence of a Balkan Nomad Trail. How is the scene in Mostar, and where does Mostar fit into this new Balkan Trail?

Ana Bogdanovic, INTERA Technology Park, Mostar 

Mostar and Herzegovina have a lot to offer to digital nomads. Less than hour far from the border with Croatia, Mostar should be the next stop for digital nomads. Geographical position, beauty of nature, hospitality of people, gastronomy, safety, low living costs and great coworking space are some of the advantages of this area. When you add development of web platform for digital nomads and educational programs for key stakeholders which we plan to implement in the next few months, Mostar imposes oneself as an obvious digital nomad destination. 

Scotland - with sterotypes of noamds on laptops at the beach, Scotland can appear at first to be a little off the beaten path when it comes to the nomad lifestyle. What kinds of nomads are coming to stay, and what are the main Scottish competitive advantages?

Jemma Reid, JR Event Sales

Scotland, with its rugged landscapes, dark skies and temperamental weather, may appear off the beaten path when it comes to the typical digital nomad / workcation lifestyle. However there is a fantastic opportunity to work with and engage with likeminded people that work internationally within the food and drink sector, to consider Scotland as a workcation destination. A place to escape, a place to think, a place to taste and experience exceptional food and drink – a new place to work. We are really looking forward to attending the conference to hear from those looking for a new adventure, scenery like no other, peace, tranquillity and ensuring Scotland can be considered as the new go to place to be a remote working/ workcation destination.

And a final word from Ukraine, which will also be represented at the conference: 

Orest Zub, Ukraine

Ukraine will emerge from this war stronger and more progressive than before. The entire world has united around Ukraine embracing us into the global community. It is not the war between Ukraine and Russia only. It is a war between good and bad, between light and evil. Rarely in history the red line was so clearly visible... Currently we stand for ideal liberal values many of which have been forgotten in the West. So once the war is over we are waiting everyone who wants to join rebuilding Ukraine :-)

Looking to attend the Work. Place. Culture. conference? More details here.

For more news and features about digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

September 22, 2021 - The city of Dubrovnik has been positioning itself as one of the best-prepared destinations to receive digital nomads, after the success of the In-Residence project. Now, it has invited economic entities and other city services to present new offers for digital nomads and thus continue their arrival.

The City of Dubrovnik, through the Administrative Department for Tourism, Economy, and the Sea, announces a Public Invitation for the participation of economic entities in shaping the offer of Dubrovnik as a destination for digital nomads, reports HrTurizam. The Call invites all interested parties to express their interest through new offers for digital nomads that include accommodation, catering, transport, trade, and other social and service activities in tourism, which would attract digital nomads to choose the City as their place of residence.

Namely, by amending the legislation on 1 January 2021, the Republic of Croatia introduced visas that regulate the temporary stay of the so-called digital nomads. It has thus become only the fifth country in the world to regulate the market, which currently covers 4.8 million people, and which could house 17 million people in the future. The initiative of the Government of the Republic of Croatia was launched due to the fact that more and more people in the world work exclusively online, and the further increase in interest in this specific way of life was additionally influenced by the COVID-19 virus pandemic.

With its geographical location, natural and cultural heritage, and safe environment for a comfortable life, Dubrovnik certainly has the prospect of becoming one of the most desirable destinations for digital nomads, with numerous benefits for the local population. In order to diversify the tourist offer and strive to become a year-round destination, the City of Dubrovnik recognized digital nomads as one of its tourist niches, which is why in 2020 it organized a special conference to discuss digital nomads and implemented the project "Dubrovnik Digital Nomad In-Residence”, which was a success and attracted the attention of the international public.

For positioning on this market, with excellent communication technologies developed by the City of Dubrovnik, it is necessary to adapt, monitor trends and market requirements of this segment of tourism. In this context, it is important to involve employers in shaping the new offers for digital nomads that will attract them and ultimately reap the benefits for the entire community.

Applicants are required to provide information about their company or trade and a statement of intent to participate in this project with the benefits that registered digital nomads can use with them.

Applications are accepted by e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. until September 30, 2021.

For more news and features about digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section.

May 22, 2021 - As Dulist reports, the closing conference of 'The Dubrovnik digital nomad-in-residence' project was held this Saturday at Lazareti. At the closing ceremony, Dubrovnik mayor Mato Franković announced a Dubrovnik Digital Nomads coworking space.

As part of the conference, the results of four creative workshops were presented, in which, in addition to digital nomads, representatives of the City of Dubrovnik and the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, as well as citizens, also participated. The goal of these workshops was to make joint recommendations for creating a better environment for digital nomads who will be staying in Dubrovnik. 

photo credit: Dulist

"We are pleased to conclude the first major conference of digital nomads in Dubrovnik. Digital nomads stayed in the City for a full 30 days and saw it in a different way, not only as a tourist city, but also as a city that has neighbourhoods pleasant to live in, like Mokošica, Lapad, Gruž, and Gornje Selo. They discovered a different Dubrovnik as well as our way of life. This is exactly what we wanted to achieve, to have digital nomads with this experience send a clear message to their colleagues across the world to come to Dubrovnik and stay here for a few months as a place to develop their creative ideas and contribute their practical experiences and knowledge to the Dubrovnik economy. We cannot expect our tourism of the future to rely solely on digital nomads, but I believe they will occupy one significant segment of it. At the same time, we expect some new ideas, products, and reflections of our city," said Mayor Mato Franković on this occasion, announcing that Dubrovnik will soon get a digital nomad coworking space. 

photo credit: Dulist

"We must not stop here, this is just the beginning. The future brings us coworking spaces of digital nomads, a place where all those who come to Dubrovnik will find all the information they need, a workplace where they can share ideas with all other digital nomads. They are not engaged in just one job, but in different professions and jobs. They love to travel, their work allows them to realize their ideas elsewhere. These are people who are very well paid for the jobs they do, and their company allows them to travel the world because of their creativity. That is the future we will go for. The coworking spac is the next thing we will realize," said Franković keeping the location of the space a secret for now.

                                                                                                                                                                           photo credit: Dulist

Franković emphasized that a digital nomads week, with which he would connect, was being prepared in Zagreb, but also that the goal was to connect all cities in Croatia through the project of digital nomads. (Read more about Zagreb Digital Nomad Week).

"Digital nomads are moving around and if the whole of Croatia is ready for the project of digital nomads, then the wealth of Dubrovnik in that project will be greater. If we are all open and friendly towards them, only the sky is our limit," concluded Franković.

 photo credit: Dulist

The director of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, Ana Hrnić, emphasized that at the very end of the project she would have concrete data on how many posts digital nomads had from Dubrovnik and what results the project obtained.

"Nomads gave their suggestions about the little things that we could improve as a destination for them. For the time being, our accommodation has been intended for shorter stays. All they have listed are things that can be easily improved. They had, for example, suggestions like providing kettles, additional hangers, and similar minor details. It doesn’t require a big investment, and it makes a big difference. We should start on a coworking space where they will all meet as soon as possible. For digital nomads, when they come on their own, it is very important for them to have a space where they will meet others, work, and exchange experiences. They showed that the involvement of the local community in every part of this project was important. We are happy that the general impression is good, everyone is happy and satisfied," said Hrnić.

photo credit: Dulist

She added that this conference was a good foundation for the further strategy of digital nomads that would be developed in Dubrovnik in the future. The concrete effects of the stay of digital nomads will be reflected in their social media posts, which will ultimately be summarized and multiplied in the following period. When asked about the financing of the stay of digital nomads and this conference, director Hrnić answered that the Tourist Board financed the fees of the companies Saltwater Nomads and Total Croatia News, in the amount of 200 thousand kuna.

Tanja Polegubić from the Saltwater Nomads company presented the results of four creative workshops, in which, in addition to digital nomads, the citizens of Dubrovnik also participated.

"The aim of the workshops was to make joint recommendations for creating a better environment for digital nomads who will stay in Dubrovnik," said Polegubić.

The owner of the Total Croatia News portal, Paul Bradbury, stated that the project is a great opportunity for changes in tourism, based on the new slogan "Croatia - your safe, authentic, lifestyle destination".

"The project is great and could stop now, but there is already great momentum and discussions on the next steps. It is very encouraging to see the CEO of Raiffeisen Bank, as well as senior representation from Hrvatski Telekom, KPMG, and the Zagreb Tourist Board here today," Bradbury said. "The future of work will look very different, and Croatia - and especially Dubrovnik - can repivot its tourism based on its three jewels of safety, authentic experiences and lifestyles. People want these things, and with the freedom of workplace, Croatia has a lot to offer. And one of the findings of this month was the Beyond the Walls concept, which we will be exploring more on TCN shortly. Rather than Dubrovnik being limited in its offer by the content of the old city, these nomads found more than enough content for a one-month 'workation'."

The president of the Digital Nomad Association of Croatia, Jan de Jong, stated that the project is developing very quickly and successfully.

"We need to build content and community, where I recognize the role of the association, which must unite and serve digital nomads. We also need to send a message of inspiration to young people who may want to leave Croatia and somehow reverse the 'brain drain' with the arrival of digital nomads," he said.

photo credit: Dulist

Dutchman Rob Schubert is one of the digital nomads who has been in Dubrovnik for the past month and is delighted with the experience he has gained. His ‘start-up’ is normally located in Estonia, but it offers him various opportunities to work as a digital nomad.

"This project was so inspiring, we broadened our horizons. At this conference, I strengthened my thinking about digital nomads. I am glad that Dubrovnik has positioned itself as a new ‘hotspot’ for digital nomads. I will recommend to my friends and colleagues to come here. The city is beautiful, I have gotten to know it and I am so sad that I have to leave tomorrow," said Schubert.

photo credit: Dulist

Let us remind you that in a joint project of the City of Dubrovnik and the Tourist Board of the City of Dubrovnik, in cooperation with Total Croatia News and Saltwater Nomads, Dubrovnik hosted ten digital nomads from different parts of the world for a month.

photo credit: Dulist

For more information about digital nomads in Croatia, visit the TC Digital Nomads in Croatia in a Page, or follow the latest in the dedicated TCN section. 

May 20, 2021 – Travellers from Texas visiting Dubrovnik is nothing unusual. However, a Texas digital nomad living, working, and making friends in Dubrovnik is not a very common occurrence. Meet Marlee McCormick!

Participants in the Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence program are a diverse group. They come from various fields and demographic segments. So, running into someone hosting a morning radio show in Texas shouldn’t be all that surprising. Still, it is hard to imagine anyone guessing one of the digital nomads in Dubrovnik is an on-air personality working for a Fort Worth-based country and western radio station. That someone is Marlee McCormick. Together with her husband, she made a trip from the USA to Dubrovnik to pursue a recent dream of remote work. The charming couple was forced to take their jobs out of the office due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But, once they realised they can change their place of work and still perform their tasks well, there was no going back. Aside from work, Marlee spends her days exploring southern Croatia. She enjoys living in the heart of the medieval city and making friends, a skill she has perfected.

Through Total Croatia News Marlee found out about the Dubrovnik DNiR program and applied. She didn’t think she would be selected, but the selection process was done well and the group is now richer for a very interesting perspective she brings to the table.

DNiR Program

The Digital Nomads-in-Residence program was created by Saltwater Nomads in partnership with Total Croatia News. With the Dubrovnik Tourist Board and the City of Dubrovnik in support of the program, the results will likely be very valuable. The program aims to create a strategic direction for the city. Through design thinking workshops the potential future of digital nomads in Dubrovnik will be described. It is one of the ways of moving forward on Dubrovnik’s path to a more sustainable tourism future.

The Interview

A sunny morning in the historical centre of the city was perfect for a chat with Marlee. She shared her thoughts on the program and Dubrovnik, but also about how it all started:

"About a year ago when things happened with my partner and I… the station decided to split us up, where one stayed in the studio and one broadcasted outside of the studio. So I made myself a home studio and spent most of my time broadcasting from my home over the last year. But, you know, that can get a little dull, when you are just at home, 24/7. So, I found out, being safe about it, being smart about COVID rules and restrictions, that I could go other places and as I said, with good Wi-Fi, do my job anywhere in the world. I just have to adjust to the hours a little bit."

Her working experience in Dubrovnik has been wonderful, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Getting to the city wasn’t all that straightforward. Some Wi-Fi issues in Dubrovnik and working hours of the co-working spaces were also a slight challenge.

The overall experience for Marlee and her husband Jeff has been a very rewarding one. She emphasized:

“I’m finding myself doing things that I haven’t done in so long, because I’m revitalised by this lifestyle.”

Do not miss the full interview with Marlee below.

Check out the full video below.

Saltwater Nomads' Tanja Polegubic on Dubrovnik Digital Nomad-in-Residence Program

Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Frankovic on Digital Nomads, US Flights, 2021 Season

Winners announcement video:

Learn more about the Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence program.