Having been in Croatia for a couple of months, the beauty of this country is somewhat mesmerizing. The pristine beaches, crystal clear blue waters, tranquil islands… through to the incredible historic buildings, make Croatia a top destination to visit.
And, one of the top places to visit in Croatia is undoubtedly, Dubrovnik… otherwise known as The Pearl of the Adriatic.
This unique town made it on the UNESCO list of world heritage sights in 1979. Dubrovnik’s history stems back to the 13th Century, when it was seen as an important town… especially for trade relations.
Yet, like many parts of Croatia, Dubrovnik suffered through the earthquake in the 1600’s…. as well as in the Homeland War in the 1900’s. Even so, many of its historical buildings and artefacts underwent restoration… to restore its Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance architectural styles.
Now, when you’re in Dubrovnik, one of the top places to visit is the Old Town. It sure is a magical place when wandering around, and taking in the ancient sites. It sure is one of the most beautiful ancient towns we have seen. Yet, what if you could look at it from high above, and see a different perspective?
Well, when you see Dubrovnik from high up, your breath will be taken away at its beauty. And, the popular place to see these views is from Mount Srd… rising over 400 metres high above Dubrovnik.
So, while there are several different ways to get to Mt Srd… we did stumble across a little-known hiking path.
Yet, when you take this hiking trail… you will be rewarded with some of the best views in Dubrovnik. And, we’re sure that most people who visit Dubrovnik… will not know about this hiking trail, let alone even walk it.
So, keep reading as we reveal to you… this little-known hiking trail you should put on your list of things to do in Dubrovnik.
The Start of the Normal Mount Srd Hiking Trail
For us, the start of the Mt Srd hiking trail was at a point called, Staza Prema Utvrdi Imperial. So, for us, we had to cross the busy main road of, Jadranska cesta. Here’s a few photos…
Now, with our footwear we weren’t wearing hiking boots. We simply wore sneakers which was suitable enough for the hike up Mount Srd.
So you know, the path for the hike up changes. For the initial part of the hiking trail, it’s undercover from the shade of the trees. Plus, it’s a combination of smooth and rocky areas. So, here are some pics to give you an idea of what it looks like…
Yet, as you get further up while hiking the zig-zagging switchbacks… there’ll be no shade and you’ll be exposed to the elements. So, make sure you prepare for the hike accordingly. And, the Mount Srd Hiking Trail then looks like this…
While you’re making your way up, there are some beautiful photo opportunities…
Also, along the path are crosses which are part of a pilgrimage trail. And, each cross is numbered like this…
And, if you’re hiking up with children… you can help to keep their motivation levels up, by getting them to count the number of crosses.
So, this is the normal path that many people would take for the Mt Srd hike. Yet, soon we’ll share with you the “secret path!”
The Mount Srd Hiking Trail is one of the easier paths we’ve been on… especially because the incline isn’t really steep. For us, to get to the top of Mount Srd, it took about 40 minutes from the start of the trail… including making a few stops to take pics.
It’s a pleasant hike to the top with great views along the way!
The Top of Mount Srd
When you’re at the summit of Mt Srd… there are of course, amazing views of Dubrovnik, and beyond to be seen.
Yet, here’s a travel tip… DON’T go to the Dubrovnik viewpoint at the Observation Deck first. When you get to the top, you’ll see the Imperial Fortress and a few towers like this…
Make sure you walk past this… in the direction which would be AWAY from the Observation Deck. And, that’s because you can get different vantage points for spectacular views of Dubrovnik and the other islands…
Now, you may also see some goats that roam freely when you’re at the top of Mt Srd!
Then, after enjoying those magnificent views, there are other things you can see and do.
Other Things To Do at the Top of Mount Srd
Most people take the Mount Srd Hiking Trail… to get breathtaking views of Dubrovnik and the landscape. Yet, there are other things you can do when at the summit.
For example, make your way to the ancient Imperial Fortress. This fortress was originally built by the French in the early 1800’s. Then, after the fall of the Napoleon empire… the Austrians made more modifications to help strengthen the fort. As with most forts, the walls are massive and thick!
Also, in the Imperial Fortress, is the Homeland War Museum… which was established at the top of Mt Srd in 2016.
In this museum are photos, video footage, weapons, and other war equipment from the Dubrovnik Homeland War… which was between 1991 and 1995. Now, to access the museum and learn about the history… the fee to get in is 30 Kuna (about 4 Euros / USD $4.25).
After visiting these sites, you’ll come across the Restaurant Panorama and Bar. At the time we were there, unfortunately the restaurant and bar wasn’t open. Yet, for some local Dubrovnik cuisine or beverages while taking in the wonderful vista… this may be a place to stop by when at the top of Mount Srd.
Now, something you can’t miss nearby the restaurant is the huge cross.
It’s said that in 1935, the cross was given as a gift by the Archdiocese of Brac Island. And, remember how we were talking about the crosses on the Mount Srd Hiking Trail earlier? Well, this is the last of the crosses on that pilgrimage trail
So, the cross was originally made using stones from Brac Island. And, Brac is well known for its high quality, brilliant white stone… that has been used to construct buildings not only in Croatia, but in different parts the world too.
To learn more about things to do on Brac Island, check out our blog post HERE.
OR, take an organized tour for a unique Brac Island experience.
Yet, the original stone cross was damaged in the Dubrovnik Homeland War, in the 1990’s. Even so, it was then rebuilt. And, if you look closely… you can see the difference between the white stone and new materials of the cross.
So, also here is the Dubrovnik viewpoint observation deck. This is where you can witness some of the most breathtaking views of Dubrovnik and beyond.
It’s incredible looking at the Dubrovnik City Walls, that encloses the quaint Old Town. Plus, the turquoise waters of the Adriatic Sea… as well as the rugged mountain landscapes are spectacular to say the least. Words and pictures can’t describe how beautiful it is… and they don’t do it justice. So, you must go there and see for yourself!
Yet, there is one thing that obstructs these beautiful views. And, if you look a little closer in the photos, you can see the damn cable car lines!
Even so, there are better views without any obstructions, as we’ll get into soon.
So, when we were there not many people were around, which was great. At one point we had the entire observation deck to ourselves.
Plus, we’d brought some food with us for a little picnic, and sat on the edge of the observation point… enjoying the amazing surroundings in Dubrovnik.
Now, if you want some of the best views in Dubrovnik, keep reading… as we go into the lesser-known hiking path.
Revealed: The Little-Known Mount Srd Hiking Trail
Now, here comes an exciting part of the hike… as it’s lesser-known and did allow us to explore a different part of Dubrovnik. So, when we go for walks or hikes, we prefer to go up one way… and then go down a different path, so that we can get different views.
Plus, we may find quaint towns with yummy local cuisine… or even discover new landmarks or historical artefacts that are not widely known.
So, for the walk down back to the Dubrovnik Old Town area… we discovered a path, which would reward us with some of the best views in Dubrovnik.
Now, to start walking this trail, head in the direction behind the observation deck. Then, you’ll see a tree with a board… which is promoting a local tavern called, Konoba Dubrava, in the small town of Bosanka.
And, when you see this sign, make sure to follow the road to the town of Bosanka…
Yes, it will be on a traffic road for part of the way. Yet, check out the different magnificent views of Dubrovnik you can get snapshots of… as well as breathtaking views of the surrounding islands. Don’t you think it rivals the views from the Dubrovnik Observation Deck? In some ways, it’s better.
Plus, the BONUS is there are no cable car lines obstructing these amazing views!
Now, keep walking down the road and you’ll come across remnants of what appears to be a fortress… as well as lots of trees, and a path.
Keep following this path and you’ll see a sign for the town of Bosanka…
There was no-one around when we were walking this different path for the Mount Srd Hiking Trail… well, except for a few horses. And, if you want to stop by the local tavern of Konoba Dubrava, it’s close by. Here, they pride themselves on produce from the local farmers’ market… as well as the nearby villages.
So, after the sign for the tiny town of Bosanka, you’ll see another sign, for the Old City… You’ll be on your way “home” but via a new way, to see Dubrovnik in a different way.
Then, all you need to do is keep following the one and only path to Dubrovnik Old Town. The path for most of the way is rocky and looks like this…
Be aware though, that this path does not have any cover. So again… make sure you prepare for the walk accordingly to protect yourself from the elements.
Breathtaking View of Dubrovnik From a Different Perspective
Now, when you take this lesser known path via the town of Bosanka, you will be rewarded with different and beautiful views of Dubrovnik…
And, to get back into the town centre of Dubrovnik, simply keep walking down the stairs…
And, we got some of the best views in Dubrovnik, with no cable car wires in the way!
It did take us a little longer to get back to town, than using the normal Mount Srd Hiking Trail… around 10 minutes longer depending on how many stops you take. Yet, why not be adventurous and do something different! It’s all part of the excitement of traveling and exploring.
So, this is a different hiking trail that most people wouldn’t be aware of. Yet, if you want to get some of the best views in Dubrovnik, we recommend you take this path.
Now, a travel tip is this… we would recommend you take this path on the way down from the summit of Mount Srd. And, that’s because it is much steeper on the way up… in comparison to using the normal Mount Srd Hiking Trail. Yet, if you’re up for a fitness challenge, then take the path through Bosanka!
Yet, regardless of which hiking trail you take… you will witness some of the most breathtaking views of Dubrovnik, and in Croatia.
By the way, if you’ve found a different path for amazing views of Dubrovnik up high… make sure you let us know, and we’ll share it with our We Drink Eat Travel community.
Finally, if hiking isn’t your thing or you don’t have much time… make sure you check out our other blog about different ways to get to Mount Srd.
Enjoy your time in Dubrovnik, and take those amazing shots for the memory bank!
For more amazing and unique things to do in Dubrovnik, CLICK HERE
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