Dubrovnik Day Trips - Montenegro? Mostar? Medugorje?

If someone on this pages give you sound advice, start there and then contact an agency. I like to visit the local Tourist Information Office (called other names in some cities).

I always wait to check on tours locally after I arrive. Find a travel agency or two and ask about day tours. Do it just like you would do it here. Use the phone when you cant visit the agency.

Howdy,

IMO, Mostar is worth (at least) an overnight. It can be a long drive from Dubrovnik getting there (time dependent on things like traffic on the one-lane roads and also how long it takes to get through border control), so it would be a long travel day with not much time spent in Mostar. If you were able to, you could take a public bus one morning, get to Mostar and stay overnight, then the next day head back to Dubrovnik with a stop at Medugorje.

As for Montenegro, it is an easy day trip from Dubrovnik, but I am sorry I can't help with tour company suggestions because we just rented a car (from autoeurope.com) for one day to drive down there on our own (it was very easy to do). Part of the reason we rented a car was because we tried booking a tour company upon arrival in Dubrovnik, but found that since it was shoulder season (March), they did not run regular tours and the only option was one in Spanish. I think in September the tourist season is starting to wind down, but you may have more luck with finding a tour. I believe Atlas is one of the big tour operators there.

Lastly, we found the staff at any of the TIs in Dubrovnik to be very helpful, and they likely would be able to put you in touch with a driver if you weren't able to find one before you left.

Have fun planning - it is a great part of the world!

I did an Atlas tour to Montenegro this past September. Think it runs 2 or 3 times a week. Left about 7:30am and got back about 7:00pm. Stop in Budva wasn't all that interesting, but rest of sights were great. Atlas Travel website may have information on the tour. Their office is down the stairs behind the digital display near the Pile Gate. I booked the day before the tour. I agree with Angela that Mostar is a long day trip from Dubrovnik and better as an overnight. I did Dubrovnik to Mostar to Split. If overnight isn't an option, Atlas also offers a Mostar tour. You could inquire whether they have one that includes Medugorje, which is close to Mostar.

another GREAT trip while in Dubrovnik is a wine tour (or even a cooking lesson with a wine tour)on Peljesac peninsula.

Mostar and Medjugorje can be combined.

Booking late or in advance depends on how do you want to travel: group tour or private program

Hi!

We used DBV as a home base for daytrips to Mostar and Montenegro (Perast and Kotor) We chose to hire a private driver who was highly recommended by friends and we were VERY pleased. Though Atlas has bus tours but not every day of the week and it might not work with your schedule.

I would add another night to your trip, as I feel both are must sees. From what I understand about Medugorje is unless you are very very devout Catholic, it is a place that can be passed on. I myself am a Catholic but I was refused the sacrament of marriage because I cant have kids...so you can imagine the church is on my short list these days...

anyway I digress..back to your travel plans...

I've travelled throughout the world but Mostar really rocked me to my emotional core...tears in the photo museum, anger at my fellow Christians and joy how everyone has come together to rebuild. Those aren't just old falling down buildings you are looking at ...that;s Mortar and sniper marks.

If you would like info on our private driver, to view our photos, along with videos on DBV, Split, Montenegro and Mostar ...I especially recommend the Mostar one. Also check out the bonus albums as cheap eats are mentioned, along with handicrafts of Croatia you might want as souveniers

Just go to our personal travel website and then into the photo section and the where we've been section.

Here's the url...http://ourpassportstamps.com/

For planning we used the following resources ...

Rick Steves, croatiatraveller.com, inyourpocket.com and
DK Eyewitness Top Ten Dubrovnik.

If you have any questions just let me know

There are at least three bus companies that do morning to night day trips to Montenegro and to Mostar, as well as other tours. They each have a weekly schedule, so that on any given day you have at least 2 options for English language day trips. All can be booked at the TI. No need to book in advance--in fact, you wouldn't want to, because in case of really bad weather the trip might be cancelled. I booked the afternoon before I planned to go via my hotel, but the TI can do it if you are staying at a sobe.

I took the Elite bus trip to Mostar and the Atlas one to Kotor in Montenegro. Both were well worth doing. Frankly, all of the bus companies do a standardized tour to all the same destinations, even stopping at the same coffee shops on the road, so pick by what day is convenient for you.

I figured that the bus tour was a better deal for a solo traveler, but a private driver would be preferable if you have travel partners to split the cost.

Dear Carrie,My name is Anela and I work in Travel agency"Almira Travel"(www.almira-travel.ba) in Mostar.You can visit in one day Mostar and Medjugorje.A guided tour of Mostar is 2 hours,attraction for each tourist is Old town Kujndziluk,than the towers from the both sides of Neretva,Old bridge-symbol of the city.
I am certified guide so I can tell from my own experience.We usually enter in mosque(explanation of religious life)price 1,5euro and tourkish house(built in 16 ct,explanation of the way of life that people were living and compare with the way of life that they are living today)Price of guided of Mostar for one person is 20 EURO
I would recommend you to visit Medjugorje too especially cause you are Catholic,that is one of the most famous and most visited pilgrimage places in whole Catholic world.You can pray in the church,later you can climb to the hill of indication.And If you get hungry you can go for lunch in of the famous restaurants,they are serving domestic Herzegovina food,they are very famous by that. Price for guided tour 20 Euro.
for any further informations you can contact me on our mail.a.travel@bih.net.ba
Best regards from sunny Mostar

I was in Dubrovnik in May. I used Atlas for a day trip to Montenegro. As others indicated, it leaves Dub. around 7:30am and returned about 7pm. Pick up and drop off were in front of Pile Gate with several other pick up/drop off stops around town. I booked online before getting to Dub but there is an office right outside Pile Gate and you can book there. I am not a "tour person" and was very skeptical about this. I had this image of being crammed in a bus with the people my grandparents age! That wasn't it at all. The bus was about 1/2 full and the people on the tour were from all over the world and all ages. The tour guide was a young gal who was very knowledgeable and friendly. She narrated from the front of the bus and also provided brief overview at each stop before letting us explore on our own.
This tour was well worth the money. I made a new friend on the tour (fellow solo traveler) and he did the Mostar trip the next day, also with Atlas. he said just as good.
I would definitely book with them again.
And as far WHERE to go if you have to make a choice......i have only been to Montenegro but loved it. So much so that on my next Euro trip I am looking to make it a destination and not just a day trip. The tour took us around the Bay of Kotor, Perast, Kotor, Budva. It was so beautiful there. Just stunning. I think Montenegro will be the next trendy destination much like Prague and Croatia have been in recent years past!

Mostar feels different then all the other places you could do as a day trip from Dub. For that reason I would do Mostar. Some companies do the trip on one day others on different days, so pick the one that best fits your schedule. Very easy to do once you get there. No need to do ahead of time.
You can see our pictures of outr trip at: http://gadtravel.blogspot.com/

I would highly recommend renting a car for the day to go to Bay of Kotor and Montenegro. Its very easy drive, and beautiful places to see on the way that you wouldn't be able to pull off to if you were on a bus. One of our highlights of our Croatia trip.

Montenegro has beautifull coastline but for me more impressive is interior with it mountain range. It is unique and stunning beauty, it can't be found anywhere else. I.e. National Parks Durmitor and Biogradska Gora as well as Tara River Canyon (great rafting there, one day or more up to three days) and many others still not overpopulated or overvisited areas. If you are going to check interior, make sure you have several days there.