The Rankings · Dubrovnik · October 2026 · 3 min
Dubrovnik Beaches: Banje, Sveti Jakov, Šunj and Pasjača
One under the city walls, one down 160 steps, one on a car-free island and one made from tunnel rubble. Three of Croatia's ten are within reach of Dubrovnik.
Three beaches on our Croatia list are a bus, a ferry or a drive from Dubrovnik. Šunj on Lopud is rated Worth a detour. Pasjača near Popovići would be too, but a rockfall buried its path in April 2025. Sveti Jakov, a walk from the Old Town, is rated Only if you're already there, and if you are in Dubrovnik, you are. Banje, the busy one by the walls, is not in our ten.
| Beach | Getting there | Rating | Sea in its warmest month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banje | A 5 to 10 minute walk from the Old Town | Not in our ten | 25.9 °C (August) |
| Sveti Jakov | Bus no. 8 from Pile Gate, then 160 steps | Only if you're already there | 25.9 °C (August) |
| Šunj | Ferry from Gruž, just under an hour, then a 25-minute walk | Worth a detour | 25.8 °C (August) |
| Pasjača | 40 minutes' drive south, to Popovići; check the path | Only if you're already there | 26.0 °C (July, August) |
Sea temperatures are 2025 monthly averages (Open-Meteo Marine). Each beach's page carries its sources.
- 01
Banje: the view of Lokrum.
A pebble beach lined with sunbeds and white-chiffon baldachin beds, looking across to the green island of Lokrum. There is a beach club with a cocktail bar and evening DJs. A lounger costs €25. It is usually very busy in summer.
- 02
Sveti Jakov: 160 steps of breathing space.
A 30-minute walk from the Old Town, or bus no. 8 from Pile Gate to the church, then 160 stone steps down and back up. Free showers, a restaurant and a bar, open until mid-October. Sunbeds and umbrellas are €15 each for the day.
Sveti Jakov → - 03
Šunj: an island with no cars.
The ferry from Gruž port takes just under an hour and costs about €10 return. From the harbour it is a 25-minute walk or a golf cart taxi. Loungers, showers and a small restaurant; families with small kids love it, and the eastern end is for naturists.
Šunj → - 04
Pasjača: built from a tunnel.
Earth and stone dug out to drain the Konavle fields were thrown into the sea from the top of a 200-metre cliff, and the beach formed below. The way down is a steep, narrow path and a small tunnel in the rock, and in April 2025 a rockfall buried it; check it is passable before you go. Nothing is provided: bring water, a towel and a roll-up mat.
Pasjača →
Somebody's construction waste is now one of the best beaches in Croatia. Recycling has never looked better.
Asked
- What is the best beach in Dubrovnik?
- Of the beaches we have rated near the city, Šunj on Lopud, rated Worth a detour. Pasjača near Popovići is the more famous, but a rockfall buried its path in April 2025. In the city itself, Sveti Jakov is the quieter choice and Banje the closest to the Old Town.
- Is there a beach near Dubrovnik Old Town?
- Banje, a 5 to 10 minute walk away, with loungers at €25. Sveti Jakov is a 30-minute walk or bus no. 8 from Pile Gate, then 160 steps down.
- How do you get to Šunj beach?
- Take the ferry from Gruž port to Lopud, just under an hour and about €10 return, then walk 25 minutes or take a golf cart taxi.
The beaches in this post
- Sveti JakovONLY IF YOU'RE ALREADY THERE
- ŠunjWORTH A DETOUR
- PasjačaONLY IF YOU'RE ALREADY THERE