Discover the Hidden Parks of Dubrovnik with GoTravelDaily

Most visitors swarm to Dubrovnik’s exquisitely preserved old town, set within its UNESCO-listed city walls. However, at some point, you’ll want to escape the tourist crowds and the Mediterranean sun, retreating to one of the city’s quiet green spaces, historic gardens, or leafy parks.

This small city boasts loads of green cover, thanks to its towering Aleppo pines, orange trees, and fragrant hedges of pittosporum. Nonetheless, discovering a park in Dubrovnik can be a bit challenging—its parks seem to be hidden away, sometimes in the most obvious yet well-concealed spots. Here’s where to find them.

Take a Quiet Stroll Through Gradac Park

Just a few minutes’ walk from the old town lies this green hideaway, tucked on a cliff’s edge overlooking the Adriatic Sea. Gradac Park is perfect for quiet contemplation, solitary walks, or romantic strolls. The soothing sounds of birdsong, waves lapping at the shore, and the crunch of gravel underfoot enhance the tranquil experience.

The shady walking paths are lined with scented pittosporum, majestic cypresses, and Aleppo pines, many of which were planted at the park’s inception in 1898. Well-trodden paths criss-cross this green oasis, sometimes leading to crumbling stone walls of abandoned ruins. Although wild and neglected in parts, a renovation plan is in the works for this urban haven.

Catch a Concert in Orsula Park

Located a little over 2 km (1.4 miles) east of the city center, this popular cliffside viewpoint offers a sweeping vista over Dubrovnik’s old town and Lokrum island. However, few who stop here for a selfie notice the modest sign to Orsula Park or its entrance gate hidden behind the drinks kiosk.

From there, a path winds down the cliff to a semicircular amphitheater with stone seating and a panoramic view that is truly spectacular—an ideal backdrop for picnics among olive trees, conifers, fig trees, and broom shrubs, not to mention a magical venue for summer concerts.

An age-old walking route stretches from the semi-restored ruins of the 14th-century St Orsula’s chapel towards the old town, a 25-minute stroll away. In the past, travelers would pray at the chapel before entering or leaving the city.

Birdwatching Paradise: Velika & Mala Petka Forest Park

Named after its two hills, Velika (big) & Mala (small) Petka spans an impressive 43 hectares (106 acres) on the southern end of the Lapad peninsula, northwest of the old town. The park is predominantly covered by towering Aleppo pines, as well as evergreen oaks, a few wild olive trees, and low-lying Mediterranean shrubs.

Upon closer inspection, you may spot morning glory and primrose growing among the thickets. Consequently, this dense vegetation serves as a habitat for songbirds, thrushes, chaffinch, and goldfinch, making it a haven for birdwatchers.

Locals frequently walk their dogs along the shady paved and gravel paths, and you might even encounter morning joggers or groups of walkers following the marked hiking trails. A paved path leads to Velika Petka, rewarding you with a breathtaking view of Lapad Bay and Srđ hill.

Children’s Playground at Pile Park

In the shadow of Dubrovnik’s massive city walls, Pile Park serves as a children’s playground—a delightful spot for kids to let off some steam on the swings and slide while parents relax on nearby benches.

Access Pile Park through a stone staircase, located just left of the footbridge leading to Pile Gate. On the other side of the footbridge, you’ll find a leafy area shaded by orange trees and the familiar shrubs of pittosporum. An elegantly sculpted stone fountain enhances the park, while a gateway in the wall provides access to Pile Gate and the Stradun, the old town’s main pedestrian street.

Find Respite in Bogišićev Park

If you park at Ilijina Glavica, the city’s main parking lot, you’ll stroll through this wooded park on your way down to the old town. Look for a fenced children’s playground just a few steps away; from there, Bogišićev Park continues down a gentle slope.

A plaque indicates that the park was established in 1913. It provides a serene respite from the tourist hustle and bustle, with the city’s signature Aleppos providing welcome shade from the sun. Flanked by oleander, laurel, and fragrant pittosporum, the stone walking paths reveal glimpses of terracotta rooftops and St Lawrence Fortress. For Game of Thrones fans, this is the location of the Red Keep in King’s Landing.

Explore Lokrum’s Botanical Garden

The tiny island of Lokrum floats enticingly close to Dubrovnik and is easily reachable via a regular ferry service. Designated a Nature Reserve and a Special Forest Vegetation Reserve since 1975, the car-free island is a botanical treasure trove, featuring 800 species of exotic plants and dense forests of Aleppo and black pines, cypresses, and Mediterranean oaks.

Plant lovers will enjoy wandering through the botanical garden on the eastern end of the island. Archduke Maximilian I of Habsburg planted its first trees in the 19th century, after acquiring the island, importing many plants from the Canary Islands. While lofty Australian eucalyptuses dominate, visitors can also discover palms, yuccas, acacia, and an astonishing collection of cacti.

Stage a Game of Thrones Photoshoot at Trsteno Arboretum

Located 19 km (12 miles) up the coast from Dubrovnik, this enchanting green space will be familiar to Game of Thrones fans as the gardens of King’s Landing, where the Tyrells shared secrets and plotted their next moves.

The 15th-century Trsteno Arboretum is the oldest of its kind in Croatia. It possesses an ethereal quality, perhaps due to its wildness and minimal upkeep, making it feel other-worldly.

Among the 300 species of trees and plants thriving in this dense, 25-hectare (63-acre) garden are lindens, bay laurels, Aleppo pines, cypresses, hornbeams, Japanese palms, and bamboo. Each tree is labeled with a plaque detailing its name, origin, diameter, height, and age. Many are centenarians, and the oldest exceeds 150 years.

A striking landmark is the baroque fountain, under the watchful gaze of a lofty statue of Neptune, the Roman god of waters and seas. Observant visitors will spot goldfish, frogs, and turtles among the waterlilies.