Gruž Port – Dubrovnik

Although the Port of Gruž has been expanded and modernised in more recent times, it has a long and rich history, which is why we will describe it as one of the sights of Dubrovnik. The Port of Gruž is the international maritime passenger port of the city of Dubrovnik. Throughout its history, however, this port has had different purposes and has always been of great importance to the city of Dubrovnik.

It is located in Dubrovnik's business centre, in the settlement of Gruž. It lies 3 km west of the old town core, in a bay between the Lapad peninsula to the south, the southern slopes of Mount Srđ to the north, and the settlement of Batala to the east. With the development of trade and the arrival of the railway in Dubrovnik, the need arose to build a new maritime port in Dubrovnik. The old port could not cope with the ever-increasing traffic, nor could it meet the technical requirements for the kind of modern traffic we know today.

The port was initially a cargo-passenger port. For this reason, one passenger pier was built, while the rest of the port was built as a berth for cargo ships. At that berth there are cranes for loading and unloading ship cargo, as well as a terminal for loading and unloading railway wagons.

Only after the Croatian War of Independence was the Port of Gruž completely converted into a passenger-tourist port. All the cranes were removed and the port was adapted for passenger traffic.

Today it is of exceptional importance for tourism in Dubrovnik

The Port of Gruž occupies a large bay on the western side of the city. It is interesting that, at the time of the Republic of Dubrovnik, noble families built luxurious summer villas on this spot, which still stand there today. These summer villas are still preserved today, some admittedly in better condition and some in worse, but they still stand there and bear witness to the history of the city.

Also, in the past the Port of Gruž was a place where the old Dubrovnik people built ships, and with the advent of the railway, there was a railway station in Gruž, so it became a passenger-cargo port. Today this port has neither a railway, nor a shipyard, nor a cargo terminal. Despite this, the port still offers beauty to every visitor who passes through it.

Feel free to head towards the port and take a stroll along the waterfront. On a leisurely walk discover the beautiful summer villas, admire the luxury yachts and imagine what Dubrovnik used to be like. Along the waterfront, the scents of organic agricultural produce drift from the Gruž market. Also head to the Church of the Holy Cross, located opposite the port. Take a look at the interesting construction details and enjoy the beauty of this entire area.

If you arrive by boat, this place will be your first contact with Dubrovnik, so by no means skip it in your rush to get to the old town. Otherwise, it takes about twenty minutes by public transport from this spot to the city walls, with services running frequently on this route.Timetable – Jadrolinija Ferries.

More than a million passengers pass through the Port of Gruž every year. This makes it the tenth-largest port in the world, and the third-largest in the Mediterranean, by number of day-trip passengers. The port itself has a bus station, many shopping centres, restaurants and cafés. One part is reserved for anchoring luxury vessels. The view in that direction is a special feeling, and photographs with such a backdrop will bring smiles and a desire to visit to anyone who looks at them.