There is a distinct magic to the first 24 hours of a massive journey. Before the early alarms, the group dynamics, and the beautifully chaotic energy of a Contiki tour begin, there is just you, a carry-on, and a completely unfamiliar city grid.

Before kicking off my multi-country tour through the Balkans, I gave myself two full days to just be in Dubrovnik. No strict agendas, no rush. Just the limestone streets, the Adriatic breeze, and my own internal compass.

Here is exactly how I spent my quiet, solo intro to Croatia's most famous coastal walled city.

Day One: Quiet Wandering & Gelato

My journey began with the familiar multi-leg transit haze: flying from Toronto to Frankfurt, navigating the massive German hub, and finally dropping out of the clouds into Dubrovnik.

I checked into Hotel Lero, a perfect base that sits just a 15-minute walk from the historic core. After shedding my travel layers, the only logical next step was to walk. I headed down the road running along the water, watching the dramatic cliffs and turquoise waves guide my way toward the Old Town.

*Walking along the cliffside from my hotel to the Old Town (May 2026)*

Instead of heading straight for the main tourist spots, I let myself get lost in the steep, winding backroads that frame the city. The stone staircases here are practically vertical, lined with green shutters, bursting bougainvillea, and lines of laundry drying in the afternoon sun.

Eventually, my feet found the polished limestone alleys of the old core. To celebrate surviving the long transit haul, I made a necessary pit stop at Gelateria Dubrovnik for a massive scoop of Nutella gelato.

Eating it while watching the shadows lengthen across centuries-old stone walls was the exact moment my brain realized: I am finally here.

*Salmon dinner at Piano Bar and Nutella gelato (May 2026)*

I ended the night back at the hotel’s Piano Bar. Sitting in a quiet corner reflecting on the day, I tucked into a plate of perfectly prepared salmon and potatoes, washed down with a crisp limoncello spritz. It was the ultimate low-key comfort meal needed to reset my internal clock.

Day Two: City Walls & Cave Swims

After fueling up with breakfast at the hotel, I set out for a deeper look into the history behind the stone. I had booked a walking tour via GetYourGuide, meeting up with the guide and a small group just outside the historic Pile Gate.

Our guide was a wealth of local lore and took us through a "secret" side entrance near the gate that most tourists completely miss.

Over the course of the morning, the city's details came alive:

We stood by the famous stone gargoyle head protruding from a wall, watching people attempt to balance on it for good luck.
We paused outside the historic building that housed the city's very first orphanage, its historic arches now bricked up but steeped in centuries of stories.
We rubbed the gleaming nose of the Marin Držić statue — a local superstition that guarantees you’ll return to Dubrovnik one day.

The tour culminated with the big bucket-list event: climbing up onto the iconic City Walls.

*Walking the iconic City Walls of Dubrovnik and climbing Minceta Fortress (May 2026)*

The views from up there are staggering. The contrast between the stark orange terracotta roofs and the deep, infinite blue of the sea is something a camera can never fully translate.

At the top of the walls, our guide left us to explore at our own pace. One of the best parts of solo travel is how easily you connect with other independent spirits; I ended up striking up a conversation with a fellow solo female traveller. We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring together, playing photographer for each other at the massive Minceta Fortress and striking our best dramatic poses on the famous "shame staircase" made famous by Game of Thrones.

*Gelato break at Gianni and sitting on the “shame” staircase (May 2026)*

Our reward for completing the hot walk around the city? A stop at Gianni, a gelato spot tucked into a quiet alleyway that our guide had whispered about. I ordered the goat cheese and blackberry gelato, and it was hands-down one of the most unique, refreshing flavour profiles I’ve ever tasted.

By late afternoon, the Mediterranean heat was peaking, so I split off to head down to Bellevue Beach on my own, which sits in a dramatic cliffside cove just minutes from my hotel. Diving into the cool, salt-heavy water of the Adriatic was pure bliss. I swam out along the cliffside, discovered a hidden sea cave, and floated inside the cool, shaded stone for a while, just listening to the echoes of the water.

*An afternoon floating in the cave at Bellevue Beach (May 2026)*

I wrapped up my final solo evening with a quick shower, a peaceful dinner at the hotel, and an early bedtime. My alarm was set for a bright-and-early 7:30 AM meet-up to find my crew and kick off the Balkans Discovery Contiki tour!

The quiet introduction was over — the whirlwind was about to begin.

Coming up next on the blog: Meeting the Contiki crew and heading deeper into the Balkans!