Cavtat Voyage Tips and guide

Cavtat is a Croatian city with a long history. Founded by the Greeks in the 4th century BCE under the name of Epidauros, after the city of the Peloponnese.

The town changed its name to Epidaurum when it came under Roman rule in 228 BCE. During the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey, it lined up in favor of the former and was besieged by Octavius, but was saved by the arrival of the consul. It later became a Roman colony and was occupied during the Gothic Wars from the fleet sent by Justinian.

When the city was sacked by the Slavs and Avars just before the 614, people took refuge on an island nearby which later united with the mainland, giving rise to the city of Dubrovnik. From that moment, Cavtat was always under the control of powerful neighbour. The modern Croatian name for the city reveals the ancient origin and the link with Dubrovnik: Cavtat is a derived from Civitas Vetus, the name by which the Dubrovnikans called their old city.

Today Cavtat is a popular tourist destination, with many hotels and private homes that rent rooms and apartments. The seafront is filled with shops and restaurants.

• Dubrovnik Airport (DBV ^IATA) is much closer to Cavtat (5 km) than it is to Dubrovnik (22 km). A taxi or bus may take you to Cavtat.

• From the old town of Dubrovnik or neighbouring Mlini to the main harbour of Cavtat.

• From Dubrovnik, serviced by the local bus company Libertas.

The whole town and peninsula are easily covered by foot, as most places are reachable within a 5-15 minutes walk.

42°34′51″N 18°13′25″E

Map of Cavtat

• Old Town streets
• Mausoleum of the Račić family
• Bukovac House Museum
• Sunset watching from the hills or peninsulas is most recommended

• Go swimming - The water is as warm and clear as it comes, with plenty of options both deep and shallow, quiet and noisy. Don't step on sea urchins.
• Relax by the sea - all beaches are free access (by law), so roll out your towel for free or rent a deck chair/sun chair almost anywhere.
• Take a walk/run around the peninsula and the coastal path - Nice path with no traffic. Each peninsula can easily be covered in 30-40 minutes.
• Watersports - Boats, kayaks, jet skis etc. can be rented several places.
• Day trip to the old town of Dubrovnik.
• Boat trips to the islands south and west of Dubrovnik.

• Small shops on several locations offers souvenirs, beach wear and swimming gear.
• Groceries can be bought from two smaller supermarkets in the town center. There's also a small farmers market just outside one of them.
• A few bakeries and gelaterias can be found.

Due to the tourism a lot of restaurants can be found in and around the town.

There are plenty of places to sleep here, both at hotels and by renting apartments.

42.57827118.213611 Hotel Croatia, Frankopanska 10, ☏ +385 20 475 777, fax: +385 20 475 793, [email protected]. High standard hotel overlooking Cavtat and the coast. Wireless internet throughout. 

42.578218.224052 Apartments Katušić, Put od Cavata 39, ☏ +385 976 138 133. (updated Jun 2025)

Adriatic Sea ← Dubrovnik ←

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