If this little gem on Unesco’s heritage list is on your bucket list, then you’ve made the right choice. And here are some basic facts about Dubrovnik you should know before you visit.

Geography: Dubrovnik lies on the southern part of Croatia’s coastline, also known as Dalmatia. Does this name ring a bell? You’re right. Who hasn’t heard of Dalmatian dogs?

Population: around 42000

Economy: Although a small city, Dubrovnik is one of Croatia’s prime tourist spots. Its economy depends on tourism and tourism-related activities to a great extent. No wonder, if you know that in 2019, Dubrovnik had around 1,4 million visitors, staying in one of its fifty hotels, or homestays and holiday homes. On top of that, the city had incredible 800 000 visitors from cruise ships.

Language: the official language in Dubrovnik is the Croatian language. It belongs to the group of Slavic languages.

But don’t worry, you don’t have to start learning Croatian. English is the first foreign language taught at schools. This means that a considerable number of people understand and can communicate in English, especially among younger generations.

Money: as of January 1, 2023, Croatia entered the euro zone, adopting Euro as its official currency, and replacing Croatian Kuna as the means of payment.

If you check in a Croatian dictionary, you’ll find out that the word kuna stands for a small weasel-like animal—the marten. Its pelt was highly valued and used as a form of payment in the Middle Ages in Croatia.

Methods of payments/Getting Euros: you’ll find ATMs all around the city. Visa, Maestro, and MasterCard are the most commonly used and accepted cards. It’s good to get informed on the charges taken on the foreign card payments and money withdrawal. Most places (but not all!) accept credit cards, so it’s good to have some cash with you as well.

In the old town, you’ll find numerous exchange offices and a couple of banks as well.

Public restrooms: In Dubrovnik, you’ll find public restrooms in the old harbor and right outside the old town.

Please note that in Dubrovnik, Croatia, a public restroom doesn’t necessarily mean free of charge (sometimes they are, and sometimes not).

For instance, the public restrooms in and right outside the old town are payable. You’ll need one euro in euro coins (the machine will accept 1 euro or 50  cents coins), and you’ll need to have the exact amount of money to pay for the restrooms.

Dubrovnik card: if you are staying in Dubrovnik for a couple of days or planning to visit more than one site, you may want to consider buying the Dubrovnik card.

It comes in three types: 1-Day, 3-Day, and 7-Day package. It offers entrances to a different number of cultural-historical monuments, as well as some other benefits, like daily public bus tickets.

The pass can be a great money saver, but make sure it meets your needs. For more info, check here.