Cavtat came first. Before Dubrovnik existed, this small peninsula town was Epidaurum, a Greek and later Roman settlement that refugees fled in the 7th century after Slavic and Avar raids, resettling a short distance up the coast to found what became Dubrovnik. Cavtat itself was rebuilt and has quietly outlasted the empires that came after.
Today it runs as Dubrovnik's calmer alternative, a waterfront promenade town with genuine cruise-port infrastructure but a fraction of the old-town crowding, and, usefully for coach groups, an airport that sits closer to Cavtat than to Dubrovnik itself. The painter Vlaho Bukovac was born here in 1855, and his restored family home now runs as a museum of his work.
Ancient Epidaurum
Cavtat occupies the site of Epidaurum, a Greek and later Roman town that predates Dubrovnik by centuries; its residents fled inland in the 7th century following Slavic and Avar raids and resettled to found what became Dubrovnik. Underwater and onshore archaeological remains from the Roman period are still occasionally visible around the peninsula.
The Vlaho Bukovac House
Born in Cavtat in 1855, the painter Vlaho Bukovac became one of Croatia's most significant artists of the late 19th century, working across Paris, Prague, and Zagreb. His restored family home in Cavtat's old town now operates as a museum displaying his work alongside period furnishings.
A Quieter Alternative to Dubrovnik
Cavtat's waterfront promenade and harbour give it a genuine cruise-port role without the intense crowding that affects Dubrovnik's old town in peak season, and its position closer to Dubrovnik Airport than the city itself makes it a practical first or last stop on a Dalmatian coast coach itinerary.
What Bus Hire Costs in Cavtat
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Quick Facts
- Country: Croatia
- Airport: DBV (Dubrovnik Airport, approx. 5km, closer than to Dubrovnik itself)
- Currency: EUR (Euro, since 2023)
- Drives on: Right
- Language: Croatian
- Population: approx. 2,000
- Demand: Very high, May to October
Bus Hire in Cavtat: Common Questions
Is Cavtat older than Dubrovnik?
Who was Vlaho Bukovac?
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Why do some groups base themselves in Cavtat instead of Dubrovnik?
Are there ancient ruins visible in Cavtat today?
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