Panoramic view of Dubrovnik from Mount Srđ

Start from Pile bus station (all lines from 1 to 9 except line 7).

In the description below, place names are written in Croatian, i.e. as they appear on site, and in italics. See the list of routes in the “Practical Information” section. N.B. Not all letters specific to the Croatian alphabet are available, such as the letters c, s or z with an accent: in these cases, the standard Latin letter has been used. However, it was possible to use the letter d with a line through it in the name of the summit.

(S/E) From the bus station, head towards the taxi rank (towards the ramparts but before reaching them). At the corner of a restaurant, take the narrow Ulica Mileticeva. At the end, turn left towards a car park/garage. Follow Izmedu Vrta, a wide, gently sloping cobbled street, and ignore all side streets.

(1) At the junction, turn right onto Ulica Pera Budmani, still heading towards the car park/garage. Then climb a wide, stepped street. At the end, turn right into Zagrebacka Ulica. After about thirty metres, cross the boulevard at the pedestrian crossing.

(2) Continue straight ahead into Ulica Ivana Mazuranica. At number 16, turn left, then, at number 7, turn right. At the end, cross a wide avenue (take care) and first turn right then left to enter a cul-de-sac.

(3) Immediately take the^first right, Ulica od Kriza. At No. 3, go through a gate on the left (keep an eye out for this gate) and go up the narrow alleyway with steps between two walls. At the top, cross a boulevard at the entrance to a tunnel (take care, no pedestrian crossing; access to the tunnel is one-way, with vehicles coming only from the left). On the other side, climb a small flight of steps on the left leading to the edge of a second boulevard to cross (be very careful, two-way boulevard, no pedestrian crossing).

(4) Then take the path (Krizmi put) leading to the Imperial Fortress and Mount Srđ (signposted). Start by climbing a few steps. Follow an ascending path heading west, under the pine trees, with two flat sections.

(5) Take a hairpin bend to the left and begin a winding ascent marked by the 14 numbered stations of the Way of the Cross (crosses at the edge of the straight sections and sculptures in the bends). On a stony path lined with large rocks, the gradient is steep but very steady. As you climb, the vegetation thins out and the view opens up. After the^14th station, pass beneath the Imperial Fort. Ignore a path on the right (signposted ‘Danger’) and reach the far end of the fort, dominated by a large transmitter.

(6) Leave the path, which makes a hairpin bend here, and climb a flight of steps opposite. Continue across the flat, stony summit in search of the best view of the old town (watch out for a few hollows and the steep slope on the southern side).

(7) Retrace your steps back towards the fort, then walk all the way down the Way of the Cross.

(4) Cross the two-way boulevard, go down the small flight of steps and cross the boulevard at the tunnel entrance, taking the same care as on the way up. Walk back down Ulica od Krista.

(3) At the bottom, first turn left then right, cross the avenue at the pedestrian crossing and go down the narrow staircase.

(2) Cross Zagrebacka Ulica and turn right. Immediately turn left and head down the staircase towards Grad/Old City.

(1) Turn left. When you reach the ramparts, turn right into Ulica Mileticeva and, at the end, you will find the bus stop on the right (S/E).

It is recommended to reach the starting point by bus. Not only is the stop very well served, but access to the area around the old town is very difficult, particularly in summer, and car parks have limited capacity. See information on Dubrovnik’s bus routes (overview map and route details). Tickets can be purchased either on the buses themselves or at dedicated kiosks (there is one at the hike’s starting point).

Very soon after the (5), the terrain opens up. In summer, it is recommended to set off very early in the morning so that you can complete the ascent and descent in the shade. N.B. Buses from Dubrovnik start running around 05:30.

Make sure you have very good trainers or low-cut hiking boots. There are no water points along the route: bring plenty of water.

Panoramic bar near the cable car arrival station. At (6), follow the path round the hairpin bend and walk alongside the fort on your right. After the fort, look for the entrance to the bar on the right (likely to fill up quickly during the day in summer).

A detailed map is required (at the very least the one accompanying this description). Names of routes and sites:
- Ulica (pronounced "ulitsa"): street.
- Put: path.
- Vrta: garden.
- Grad: town.

Alternative starting point:
It is possible to start the hike from the Way of the Cross, at the Magistrala 1 bus stop (line 3) (4). From the bus stop, walk back down the boulevard for a few dozen metres to find the start of the path on the left (signposted).

Hike undertaken by the author on 29 August 2018, starting at 05:50 (see recommendation above).

The main attraction of this walk lies in the splendid views of Dubrovnik’s old town, the sea and the neighbouring islands that you enjoy for most of the route!

In addition to simple wooden crosses, the Way of the Cross, between (5) and (6), is dotted with modern metal sculptures.

The Imperial Fort (6) was built between 1806 and 1811, during the Napoleonic Wars. During the Croatian War of Independence (1991–1995), it served as a strategic defensive position for the city of Dubrovnik. The transmitter and cable car were destroyed during the bombing and rebuilt after the war ended.