Getting ashore
Most big ships dock at Gruž , the cruise port on the harbour. Gruž is not the Old Town . It is a separate landing, a few kilometres away. A few smaller ships tender to the Old Harbour , inside the walls. That old port is not the cruise terminal. If your ship runs a shuttle, it usually drops you at Pile , just outside the main gate. Ask where that shuttle leaves from on the way back, and what time the last one goes. Local buses also stop just outside the pier gates at Gruž.
Watch-outs
Pile Gate fills up when several cruise ships are in. The crowd stands on the pavement outside, and the doorway is narrow. Taxis queue in ranks directly in front of the Gruž terminal. They do not wait inside the Old Town. Cars stop at the walls. Lanes off the main street are cobbled, and they climb. After rain the stone is slick. The city walls are steps in the open sun. At midday there is very little shade. The road from Gruž to Pile is a long way in that same sun.
Getting into the Old Town
City buses stop just outside the pier gates. For Pile, look for Libertas buses 1A and 1B. The number is on the front of the bus. The port authority says the ride to Pile takes about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on traffic. A bus runs about every 10 to 20 minutes. Buy the ticket before you board if you can. From a kiosk, the one-hour ticket is about 1.73 euros. From the driver it is about 2.50 euros. Small change helps on board. On foot, allow about 30 to 40 minutes from Gruž to the Old Town. The route is direct, along the road.
Taxis & ride apps
Bolt operates in Dubrovnik, and taxis work from the port as well. The port authority says the ride from Gruž to the Old Town takes about 7 to 10 minutes. Fares often start at about 10 euros. The price changes with traffic and the time of day, so ask before you get in. The Old Town is closed to cars. For the ride back, agree a pick-up outside the pedestrian streets, at Pile or on the Ploče side. The driver cannot collect you inside the walls. Name the Gruž cruise port when you book the car.
What to do nearby
Pile is the usual place to start. You come through the gate onto Stradun , the main street. It runs about 600 metres, and the Old Town is small enough to cross on foot. The harbour inside the walls is about 300 metres past the far end of Stradun. The city walls have three entrances: on Stradun by the Pile gate, by Fort Saint John, and at the customs-house gate. Allow about an hour to go round. You can pay by card at the office near the Pile gate. The day’s price is on the board there. The tourist office sits where the shuttles and taxis drop you, by Pile.
Going further
Banje beach is a pebble beach a few minutes beyond the Old Town. One part is public. Another part charges for chairs. The cable car goes up to Mount Srđ. A return ticket is about 30 euros, and one way is about 17 euros. It does not run in January, February, March or December. The lower station is uphill from the Old Town, and the way there is steps. Bus 8 from the cruise terminal stops at the cable car, so you can skip that climb. Short boat trips leave from the Old Harbour, at the end of Stradun.
Food & shopping
Cafés and the larger shops line Stradun. Smaller shops sit in the lanes just off it. Things to look for are Konavle embroidery, silver and gold jewellery, and wine from local cellars. At the cruise port there are souvenir stands, and there is no duty-free shop. Cards are taken at most shops and at many food counters, so you can pay for lunch by card. Prices are in euros. If you sit down for a meal, leave time afterwards for the bus or a taxi out to Gruž.
Opening times & connectivity
Shops on the tourist streets often open from about 8 in the morning until about 8 in the evening. In season, many stay open seven days a week. Banks and the post office are more likely to open on weekdays, from the morning until mid-afternoon. Attraction hours change with the month, so check the walls for the date of your call. Croatian is the local language. English is widely spoken in shops and by taxi drivers. Some cafés charge for Wi-Fi even when you buy a drink. Save the name Gruž cruise port on your phone. For emergencies, call 112.
Accessibility & mobility
Use the accessible city map before you pick a route. It marks stairs, slopes and facilities. Stradun is smoother than the side lanes, but the stone is polished and it is awkward with a wheel or a stick. Ask the ship what the gangway is like on the day. If you need a car, ask for one that can take a wheelchair, and agree the pick-up outside the gate at Pile. A shuttle to that gate stops on ordinary paving. It is not a level door into every lane.