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Hiking Mount Srđ in Dubrovnik is the best, most rewarding, scenic hike in the city. Each climb reveals a more enchanting view of the vast, medieval city nestled along the Dalmatian coast and the surrounding landscape making it one of the Peral of the Adriatic’s most beloved attractions. We can still feel the lingering tightness in our quads – a result of hoofing up a steep incline of 255 meters (total elevation gain: 1,352 feet). It’s a good ache though and this is a hike we’d repeat in a heartbeat.
Since we’re fresh off hiking up Mount Srđ we’re ready to recount our favorite views, the tough spots we hit, blunders we made and our recommendations on how to make this hike a banger from start to finish.
Let’s start with some basics.
Where is Mount Srđ?
Mount Srđ is located in Dubrovnik, Croatia and has long protected the city from invaders from the east. It’s part of the Dinaric Alps Mountain range and rises 1,352 feet above the Adriatic and Dalmatia coastline. Whatever alley, gelateria or swimming spot you may find yourself in while exploring Dubrovnik’s Old City, Mount Srđ forms the majestic backdrop to the city.
Where to find the trailhead
There are technically different ways to hike up Mount Srđ. We highly recommend you start at the trailhead located northwest of the Old Town, across the road called Jadranska Cesta. This is the main road in Dubrovnik. The other option is to do the trail in reverse (hiking up through Bosanka and down Mount Srđ).
It is completely free to hike the trail up Mount Srđ and you can access the trail year-round. You won’t see a turnstile or ticket booth when you reach the trail’s starting point, just this sign:
Admittedly we got a bit turned around when trying to find this trailhead but if you’re walking north of the Old Town and along a road rail at a certain point, you’re getting close. If you’re walking along a sidewalk and find yourself walking below an underpass, you’re walking the wrong way. You just need to turn around and go left instead of right. Here is where the trailhead is located on Google maps. We walked to the trailhead from our Airbnb which took us about 30 minutes.
Once you find the trailhead, it’s time to get moving!
The ascent
The entire trek to the top of Mount Srđ is only about 1.5 miles (3 miles round trip if you hike down the same path you hike up). Plan at least one hour to reach the top. It took us about an hour and a half once we started. The trail is moderately difficult and made up of a string of switchbacks leading you over dirt and rocky terrain. The views get more spectacular as you climb so be prepared to stop more frequently than you anticipate to snap photos, take videos and of course hydrate/refuel as needed. We passed more hikers descending on the trail than ascending like us likely because the descent is easier and there are other ways to reach the top.
Pro Tips
If you decide to start ascending Mount Srđ before sunrise or after sunset while it’s still dark out, we recommend you do so with a headlight like this waterproof headlight we like to use while night hiking.
We also recommend you wear comfortable, sturdy footwear on this hike. Since we only traveled to Croatia with backpacks, we didn’t have our hiking boots but we did fine with trail running shoes / gym shoes. We do, however, wish we had our hiking boots with us so we could have hiked with more confidence. If you’re looking for a great pair of hiking boots, we highly recommend Nortiv 8 hiking boots. You can’t go wrong with the men’s Armadillo 2 hiking boots which are sturdy, waterproof and have amazing traction. Plus, with the Armadillo 2 hiking boots you’ll get high-quality at an unbeatable price. Seriously, we haven’t found a comparable quality hiking boot for a better price. Check out the Armadillo 2 hiking boots here and if you decide to purchase a pair, click here for a special, discounted price!
What to do at the summit
The summit offers breathtaking, unobstructed views of the Dubrovnik Riviera plus it’s stunningly azure coastline, along with gently rolling ocean waves, a great view of the forested Lokrum Island and a bird’s eye view of the Old City and its maze of alleyways. Be sure to take a moment to stand on the edge of the viewing platform and regain some solitude and gratitude. Just take it all in. You’ve arrived at the summit of Dubrovnik’s most celebrated mountain.
Beyond the trail and gorgeous views, Mount Srđ’s summit is a little hub for a few other things to do if you want to stay awhile.
If you’re in the mood for a refreshing beverage or bit to eat, check out Restaurant Panorama & Bar, the only restaurant on Mount Srđ. As you might have guessed by its name, this establishment is crazy popular among tourists especially during sunset because of the stunning views you can enjoy while dining. The fare is mostly Croatian and European and while the service and creative chef are top-notch the prices are on the steeper-end. Food-wise we recommend you try the lamp chops with mashed potatoes or a seafood dish. The dessert menu is also worth a look over.
There is also a public restroom available, a souvenir shop and a small, Homeland War Museum that shows what Dubrovnik was like during the Croatian War (1991-1995). It’s about $5 USD per adult to enter the museum.
For the thrill-seekers, you can zipline on the side of Mount Srđ (away from the main hiking trail up the mountain). You will see zipliners when you start walking down the paved road away from Mount Srđ. You can organize gear, guides and ziplining time slots ahead of time with companies down in the Old City or online.
The descent
While you can hike back down to Dubrovnik via the same trail you trekked up, we highly recommend you descend on the other side of Mount Srđ – along the paved road that vehicles travel up by. To access this return route, head to the parking lot at Mount Srđ and look for the sign directing you to the restaurant called Konaba Dubrava.
This trail will lead you along country roads to the town of Bosanka, a tiny town in the mountains. If you do not stop at all on this path, the walk to Bosanka will take you 15 minutes. But good luck not stopping. It took us about 40 minutes to reach Bosanka.
The first part of the hike down is easy – just be mindful of vehicles sharing the road. There are many stunning vistas to be enjoyed along this route and not just of the city below but also of farm landscapes. You’ll also walk past what looks like crumbling buildings from long ago. These are in fact ruins from the Croatian War. Today, the village of Bosanka is small, less than 200 people live here. This village was sadly completely burned to the ground during the Homeland war in the 1990’s. We don’t think Bosanka is a touristy place, but it is a nice town to roam around, and we did pass one Airbnb. In fact, we came across plenty of newer houses built after Bosanka was liberated in 1992 but there are also many skeletons of former houses sitting sadly around the charming little town.
Today, the “main attraction” in Bosanka is Konoba Dubrava, a restaurant serving authentic Croatian cuisine made with fresh ingredients. A meal at Konoba Dubrava is a true Mount Srđ hiking highlight. We enjoyed the best Croatian food here – we’re talking the best we had after traveling around Dubrovnik, Zadar and Split. Konoba Dubrava is best known for peka which is meat and potatoes cooked under an iron lid or “under the bell” which is an ancient style of cooking in Croatia. This meal takes up to 3 hours to cook so if you’re dying to try this authentic meal, call ahead to arrange for your peka to be ready by the time you arrive on your hike. We arrived around 11 a.m. right when the restaurant was opening. There is ample seating both inside and outside. When we arrived, we were greeted with a complimentary shot-glass sized drink of homemade brandy. We did not try peka but truly enjoyed both our meals – both of where were available to be ordered on the spot – and left our plates clean when we continued our hike back to Dubrovnik.
After a satisfying meal, continue descending along winding paths through lovely mountainside terrain including fields of tall grasses and pretty wildflowers. One of the main reasons we recommend you travel down from Mount Srđ via this route is because you always will be hiking towards stunning views of Dubrovnik – your back is never to the city if you follow this route. Eventually, the hike back to Old Town starts to become more difficult due to steep stairways you will encounter the closer you get to the city.
At one point, you will pass a bus stop so if you must call it a day on the hiking, you can wait to pick up a bus back towards the Old Town. Otherwise, continue on and you’ll end up on the outskirts of the old city walls, outside the Dubrovnik port or wherever your end destination may be.
From start to finish including stopping for lunch at Konoba Dubrava, this hike took us 4.5 hours to complete. That also includes the ascent up Mount Srđ and time at the summit taking in the views, using the restroom and browsing the souvenir shop. It was a perfect, unrushed half day hike that left plenty of time in the afternoon for a relaxing/recouping swim in the sea!
Other ways to reach the top of Mount Srđ
If you’re short on time, it’s just too hot for a rugged hike or you have travelers of all ages and abilities with you, there are still plenty of ways for you to reach the top of Mount Srđ and feel like you are standing on the edge of the world.
The Cable Car offers a unique way for you to travel up Mount Srđ but it’s only available April – October. Interesting fact – the entire cable car experience and station was completed renovated in 2010 after years of being inoperable after damage during the war in the early 1990’s.
Today, you can locate the cable car station right outside of the Old Town on Ulica Petra Kresimira IV. The easiest way to reach the station it to depart the Old Town from Ploče Gate and wind up the streets following signposts along the way. Here is the walking route on Google maps. The walk takes about 10 minutes (not 4 like Google says).
We recommend you hop on one of the earlier cable car ride options, close to when they open or around the lunch hour or book a ride in advance online because otherwise, the queue can get jammed. The ride takes about 10 minutes, can carry 30 people at a time and costs 26 Euro roundtrip for adults. There are discounted rates for children and children ages 4 and under can ride for free. Apparently, there is also free Wi-Fi onboard in case anyone needs to distract themselves from the elevation gain.
Vehicles are allowed up to Mount Srđ so if you want to take a taxi to the top, that too is an option. You can also arrange an organized tour with a professional guide. We spotted several E-Tuk Tuks full of tourists heading up the mountain on our descent. This E-Tuk Tuk Sunset Tour to Mount Srđ is a popular small group experience that includes stopping at several viewing points along the way and a glass of wine for each passenger or legal drinking age (you have to be 18 years of age to purchase alcohol, but we don’t think there is a minimum age to consume it).
The best time to go
Given this hike is the most popular in Dubrovnik and there are several different ways to reach the summit of Mount Srđ, crowds may be inevitable during high season (summer months July and August with some spillage into early September). Your best chance of avoiding crushing crowds and blazing summer temps is to visit in early June (or another off-season month) and earlier in the day, if possible. Prioritize catching a sunrise over a sunset and you will surely capture some stunning, random tourist free photos. Plus, while the trail is open year-round, visiting during non-peak seasons like spring and late fall will allow you to enjoy temperatures more favorable for hiking. The trail can get slick when it rains so be sure to check the weather before you hit the trail to ensure the safest hiking conditions.
We can’t say enough about how scenic and worthwhile this hike is. We truly hope you’ll be able to trek up Mount Srđ and enjoy the postcard perfect views along the entire hike when visiting Dubrovnik. Afterall, locals and tourists alike say the views from the top of Mount Srđ are THE BEST in all of Dubrovnik!
~ Justin + Alyssa
We hiked this mountain back in 2011. At the top, in a small hut, one of the soldiers who had held out against the Serbs during the Wars of the ‘90s, was still there. He was on older man by then, but refused to leave his post. He hadn’t returned home since defending his city for weeks against a better equipped army. The story was that he was insistent that he would stay there, guarding his city, until the day he died. I don’t know how that story ended!
That’s incredible to hear. What a story and one that is truly believable – the war of the 90’s was horrific and still lingers in the area from remaining ruins to tales such as this. For what it is worth, we don’t recall seeing him there when we hiked up this summer.
Great guide and tips here. I’ve never been to Croatia but hopefully one day. My friend said winter is nice but looking at your photos and descriptions, summer months look very inviting.
We truly hope you’re able to explore Croatia one day. It’s a magical place and probably wonderful to visit at any time of the year but if you’re keen to take a dip in the crystal clear waters then warmer months are a safe bet!
Oh yes ‘crystal clear waters’ sounds like paradise. 🙂