Best Day Trips from Lopud, Croatia 2027

01How to Get Off Lopud for the Day

Lopud has no airport, no cars and no road connection to anywhere. Every excursion starts at the ferry quay in Lopud village. Two Jadrolinija lines serve the island, and both are foot-passenger friendly.

Line 807

runs Dubrovnik (Gruž) – Koločep – Lopud – Suđurađ (Šipan). It takes about 50 minutes from Gruž to Lopud, and the ticket is tied to a specific departure.

Line 831

runs Dubrovnik – Lopud – Suđurađ. It takes about 1 hour from Dubrovnik to Lopud, and the ticket is valid for any departure on the printed date.

Ferry fares for 2026 (use as a 2027 guide)

The 2026 season period ran from 29 May to 27 September. Check the Jadrolinija timetable before travelling, because the schedule changes in three periods during the year and sailings differ between weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Practical rule: the public ferries are timed around island residents commuting to Dubrovnik. Morning departures go toward the mainland and evening ones come back. Island-hopping is therefore possible, but it needs a written plan with the return sailing confirmed before you leave Lopud.

02Day Trip 1: Šipan, the Largest Elaphiti Island

Šipan is the nearest and most rewarding excursion from Lopud. The ferry docks at Suđurađ, the northern port. Crossing takes roughly 20 minutes, and the fare is €2.50 off-season or €4.10 in season.

What to do on Šipan

Suđurađ and Šipanska Luka

The two villages are the main settlements, linked by a road of about 5 km through the island's central valley of olive groves and fields.

Renaissance summer residences

Wealthy Dubrovnik nobles built villas here from the 15th century. Several ruined and restored houses are visible from the waterfront walk at Suđurađ.

Konoba lunch

The island is known for simple fish and lamb dishes. Lunch in a village konoba costs about €15–25 per person.

Cycling and walking

The island is mostly flat in the middle. Bikes are hired in Šipanska Luka, usually for about €15–20 per day.

The village of Šipanska Luka sits at the far end of the valley. It is not at the ferry dock, so plan transport or a bike. Many visitors step off at Suđurađ and never reach it.

Most visitors overrate the idea of seeing all of Šipan on foot. The island is about 9 km long and the two main villages are about 5 km apart, so a bike or a taxi is worth the money if time is short.

03Day Trip 2: Koločep, the Quietest Island

Koločep is the closest island and the smallest of the three inhabited Elaphiti. The crossing from Lopud is about 15 minutes. The fare is €2.50 off-season and €4.10 in season. The ferry stops at Donje Čelo, the main village with a sandy beach.

Walk to Gornje Čelo

A marked path crosses the island between the two villages. Allow about 45–60 minutes each way at a relaxed pace.

Blue Cave

The cave is only reachable by small boat. The public ferry does not stop there, so it is only available on organised tours or by hiring a local boat.

Swimming

Donje Čelo beach is calm and shallow, which suits families.

Koločep works best as a half-day. Check that the last ferry back to Lopud has not already left before starting the walk, because the evening service is limited.

04Day Trip 3: Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is the biggest excursion available. Line 807 sails to Gruž harbour in about 50 minutes for €3.40 off-season or €5.40 in season. The old town is 3–4 km from Gruž and reachable by city bus (lines 1A, 1B and 3 run toward Pile Gate).

City walls

The walls are the main paid attraction. Tickets cost about €40 per adult in 2026, so check current prices before travelling.

Cable car

The Srđ cable car costs roughly €27 return in season and gives wide views of the old town and the islands.

Timing

Cruise-ship days make the old town crowded between 10:00 and 16:00. Walking the walls first thing in the morning avoids the worst of it.

One caution: the last departures back to Lopud are early in the evening in the off-season. A day in Dubrovnik is easy in summer and tight in winter.

05Day Trip 4: Mljet National Park

Mljet is the longest trip in this list. There is no direct public service to it from Lopud. The standard route is to return to Dubrovnik first.

• Organised boat or catamaran from Dubrovnik: Full-day excursions to Mljet usually cost €40–60 per person. Entry to the national park is often extra, at roughly €25–30 in season.
• What you see: Two saltwater lakes, Veliko Jezero and Malo Jezero, and a small islet with a former Benedictine monastery. Rental bikes run about €15–20 per day and a loop around the lakes is easy.
• Time cost: With the transfer through Dubrovnik, expect a day of 10–12 hours. It does not fit well with a Lopud base unless a very early ferry is available.

This sounds convenient from Lopud, but in practice it rarely is. Staying on Lopud and doing Mljet as a day trip means travelling to Dubrovnik first, then on to Mljet. Most visitors do better to book Mljet from a Dubrovnik base on a different day.

06Day Trip 5: Ston, Mali Ston and the Pelješac Peninsula

The Pelješac peninsula is a mainland trip. From Dubrovnik, buses to Ston take about 1 hour and run several times a day.

Ston Walls

The fortifications are about 5.5 km long and are described as one of the longest preserved defensive systems in Europe. Entry is about €10 in season.

Mali Ston oysters

The bay is Croatia's best-known oyster-farming area. A dozen oysters cost roughly €12–20 depending on the restaurant.

Wine

Pelješac's Dingač and Postup red wines, made from Plavac Mali, are the region's main product.

A self-guided day needs a bus from Dubrovnik and is hard to link with the ferry back to Lopud. Treat it as a separate trip, or take a guided tour that collects you in Dubrovnik.

07Day Trip 6: Cavtat

Cavtat is a small harbour town south of Dubrovnik, roughly 20 km by road. Local boats run from the Dubrovnik Old Port in season, and buses run from the main station. Return costs about €10–20.

• Highlights include the waterfront promenade, the Račić Mausoleum by Ivan Meštrović and the Baltazar Bogišić collection.
• A half-day is enough.
• Combining it with Lopud on the same day is rarely practical.

08Organised Tour or Public Ferry?

An organised boat tour from Dubrovnik covers Koločep, Lopud and Šipan with lunch for about €30–50 per person. That does not help someone already staying on Lopud, but it matters for the choice of ferry. The best approach is the public ferry. It costs less than €10 return and lets you decide your own timing.

Public ferry

Cheapest and flexible, but tied to fixed sailings.

Water taxi or private boat

Costs several times more than a ticket, but opens up the Blue Cave and other coves.

Kayak tours

Some operators in Dubrovnik run guided sea-kayaking to the islands.

09Insider Tips

• Buy tickets at the Jadrolinija office or kiosk. Queues form before the departure of the morning boat in summer.
• Line 807 tickets guarantee a seat on a named sailing. Line 831 tickets are valid on any departure that date.
• In July and August, arrive at the quay at least 30 minutes before departure, because foot-passenger boats fill up.
• Carry cash for small konobas on Šipan and Koločep. Card machines are not universal.
• Check weather. High wind (especially bura and strong jugo) can cancel sailings, so keep a margin on your return day.
• Do not plan more than two stops. Three islands in a day only work with an organised tour.

10Best Season for Day Trips

May, June and September combine warm sea, full ferry timetables and fewer crowds. July and August have the most sailings but also the busiest boats and quays. From October to April the timetable is reduced, and a day trip to Dubrovnik or Šipan needs close planning.

11Suggested Plans

Easy half-day

Lopud to Šipan in the morning, lunch in Suđurađ, back on an afternoon sailing.

Active day

Lopud to Koločep, walk across the island, swim at Donje Čelo, return by evening ferry.

Culture day

Lopud to Dubrovnik first sailing, walls early, lunch, return before evening.