Lokrum Island: Visitor Guide, Dubrovnik

Lokrum is Dubrovnik’s escape valve. When the old town gets too crowded and too hot, locals and visitors take the 15-minute ferry to this forested island just offshore. No cars, no hotels, no overnight stays — by Croatian law nobody can sleep on Lokrum. Just swimming, shade, peacocks, and a few quiet ruins. For a city that can feel like a film set in summer, Lokrum is the unscripted antidote.

The island has been a nature reserve since 1976, which is why it remains green and wild while Dubrovnik’s mainland coast is built up. It’s small — you can walk a perimeter loop in about an hour — but most people spend 3–5 hours: a swim, a wander to the monastery, a climb to Fort Royal, and a long lunch under the pines.

Getting to Lokrum

Ferries depart from Dubrovnik’s old port (the harbour right beside the old town walls), not from Gruž. The ferry company is run by the public Lokrum Reserve, which simplifies ticketing — buy on the spot at the kiosk by the dock.

Schedule: Ferries run roughly every 30 minutes from 9am to about 6pm in summer (June–September). In April, May, and October the schedule is reduced — typically every hour, last ferry back around 4pm. The island is closed entirely from November through to mid-March (no ferries).

Cost: Around €30 return per adult, includes the ferry both ways and entry to the island reserve. Children’s tickets are reduced. Cash and cards both accepted at the kiosk.

Crossing: 15 minutes each way, with views of Dubrovnik’s old town and walls receding behind you. Sit on the right side going out for the best photos.

Last ferry back: Check the posted schedule at the dock when you arrive — the last return ferry varies by season and weather. Don’t miss it — there is genuinely no way off the island after the last boat leaves, and overnight stays are forbidden by law.

The Dead Sea (Mrtvo More)

Lokrum’s most-visited spot is a small saltwater lake on the island’s south side, connected to the open sea by underground channels through the rock. The water is warmer than the open Adriatic and sheltered from waves — perfect for relaxed swimming. The salinity is similar to the open sea, not the actual Dead Sea (the name is a Croatian nickname for the calm water).

The lake is small — about 80 metres across — so by midday it gets crowded. Arrive before 11am for the best rock spots around the edge, or come back after 4pm when the day-trippers leave.

Swimming spots beyond the Dead Sea

The east and south coast of Lokrum is rocky and scattered with informal swimming platforms. The clearest water is on the eastern side facing the open sea. The Game of Thrones-era cliff jumps near Kupalište (the natural cove on the east shore) draw confident swimmers — the rocks are clean and the water is deep, but check with locals before jumping anywhere.

A few practical notes: Bring water shoes — the rocks are sharp and there are sea urchins. There are no sandy beaches on Lokrum. The water is cold even in August by Croatian standards (open Adriatic, not a sheltered cove). Bring a towel — there’s nowhere to rent one.

Peacocks and wildlife

Lokrum is famously inhabited by free-roaming peacocks, descendants of birds released by Maximilian I of Habsburg in the 1860s. They wander the paths, perch on monastery walls, and steal sandwiches if you leave them unattended. Leave them alone — feeding is forbidden and they’re aggressive when they want to be.

The botanical garden near the monastery has subtropical plants brought from around the world, also a Habsburg legacy. Look for the giant agaves and Mediterranean cacti.

Benedictine monastery ruins

A Benedictine monastery from the 11th century sits at the heart of the island, partially ruined and partially restored. The cloisters are atmospheric and largely empty — most ferry visitors miss them entirely.

The monastery houses a small Game of Thrones exhibition including a replica of the Iron Throne from the show. The exhibition is free with your ferry ticket. You can sit on the throne for a photograph — there’s usually a short queue in summer.

Fort Royal

A Napoleonic-era fortress at the island’s highest point (96 metres). The climb takes about 20 minutes from the monastery on a marked path through the pine forest. From the top: panoramic views of Dubrovnik’s old town and walls, the Elafiti Islands to the north-west, and the open Adriatic stretching south.

The fort is the best photo spot on Lokrum. Go in late afternoon — the western light is on the city walls and the sea is golden.

Eating on Lokrum

There is one café on the island, near the monastery. It serves drinks, sandwiches, and basic hot food. Prices are double what you’d pay in town, the queue can be long in summer, and the menu is limited.

Bring a picnic. Buy supplies from the Konzum or Lapad market in Dubrovnik before the ferry. There are picnic spots all over the island — under the pines near the Dead Sea is the most popular. There is no fresh water anywhere on the island; bring at least 1.5 litres per person in summer.

When to go

Best time of year: Late May through early July, then September. Peak summer (mid-July to mid-August) brings cruise crowds and the Dead Sea fills up by 11am. Spring is greenest. October still has swimming weather but reduced ferry schedule.

Best time of day: Catch the first ferry (typically 9am) for a near-empty island for the first hour. Or arrive after 3pm and stay until the last ferry — by then the cruise crowds have left and the light is best for the Fort Royal walk.

Avoid: Days with strong south wind (jugo) — the sea around the swimming spots becomes choppy and the ferries can be cancelled.

Tips

• Don’t try to stay overnight. It’s illegal and the rangers do check.
• No camping, fires, or loud music — it’s a nature reserve.
• Pack out your trash — bins are limited.
• Sun protection is essential — most swimming spots have no shade.
• Mobile reception is patchy in the south of the island.
• The monastery exhibition closes earlier than the island — check the posted hours.

Where Lokrum fits into a Dubrovnik day

Lokrum is a half-day in itself. Most travellers do it as a relaxed second day after walking the city walls. If you have only one day in Dubrovnik, choose between Lokrum and the city walls — both deserve more than 2 hours.

For a full day-by-day plan that fits Lokrum into a 1-day, 3-day, or longer visit, see our one day in Dubrovnik itinerary, three days in Dubrovnik itinerary, or the broader things to do in Dubrovnik guide.

For a deep dive on Lokrum specifically — full ferry schedules by season, hour-by-hour island plans, where to picnic, and which swimming spots are worth the walk — see our complete Lokrum Island visitor guide.

Getting to Dubrovnik

Lokrum is a city walk-on attraction — once you’re in Dubrovnik, the ferry is a 5-minute walk from the cathedral. Getting to Dubrovnik is the bigger question for most travellers:

• From Split — 3.5 hours by private transfer (200 km coastal drive, no border)
• From Mostar — 2.5 hours by private transfer (1 border crossing)
• From Kotor — 2 hours by private transfer (1 border crossing)
• From Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) — 25 minutes (we cover this airport too)

See all private transfers from Dubrovnik — Mostar, Kotor, Split, Sarajevo, Tirana, and 24 more routes. Dubrovnik is also the most common starting point for Bay of Kotor day trips — see our Dubrovnik to Kotor day trip transfer and Dubrovnik to Perast day trip.

FAQ

Can I take my own boat to Lokrum? No — private boats are not permitted to dock. The reserve has only one official ferry service from Dubrovnik old port.

Is Lokrum suitable for kids? Yes, with caveats. The peacocks are interesting and the monastery cloisters are explorable, but the swimming spots are rocky (not sandy beaches) and the cliff edges along the perimeter walks need supervision. The Dead Sea lake is the safest swimming option.

Can I bring my dog? Dogs are allowed on the ferry and on the island, on a lead. They can swim in the Dead Sea but not in the monastery garden.

How long does the visit take? Minimum 3 hours to do anything meaningful (ferry there, one swim, monastery, ferry back). Most visitors spend 4–5 hours. Plan to be back at the dock 15 minutes before the last ferry.

Is the Game of Thrones throne the original prop? It’s a replica installed by HBO when the show was filming. The original prop is on display in Belfast. The Lokrum throne is photo-ready and sits in the monastery.