Lokrum Island
There isn’t a shortage of pools or beaches to swim in Dubrovnik. But when you want to get away from the crowds in the Old Town, take a day trip to the close Lokrum Island. It is an island in the Adriatic Sea 600 meters from the city of Dubrovnik in Croatia. The island is a nature reserve and a special forest vegetation reserve. It stretches from northwest to southeast and receives a regular ferry service from the city. When in Dubrovnik, it’s an often visited site, and we also highly recommend it.
Lokrum Island can be a one-day trip, or it can be less. We decided to spend about half a day because the weather was getting worse and we didn’t want to be on a boat during a storm.
However, we can easily imagine being there a whole day. You can do some light hiking; there are plenty of restaurants to eat in, history to be discovered, beaches where you can chill and swim, and more.
And for the fans of the HBO show Game of Thrones, the original Iron Throne from the series is located on the island.
Many people spend the day at the beach, but we also saw hikers on the boar ride with us.
When in Dubrovnik, visiting Lokrum Island is highly recommended.
Note that because the island is a reserve, it is not allowed to endanger the natural and cultural goods on the island, throw the waste, bring dogs, or light a fire.
Where to buy tickets to Lokrum Island
The first boat for the island leaves at 9 am sharp, and you can buy tickets directly at the port.
If you take the first boat as we did, buy the ticket at the ticket office. Payment by card is available.
You can find the ticket office at the port between all the stands selling various courses and trips. Beware, as you can easily miss it. We haven’t noticed it for two days walking around 😅.
Later, you can also buy tickets next to the boat leaving for Lokrum Island, but in the morning (before 9 am), the person selling them wasn’t there yet.
After getting your tickets, the overall boar ride is about 10 – 15 minutes long and very enjoyable.
How to get to Lokrum Island
The only way to get there is by boat or by kayak, but the boat is the preferred way of travel. You could also swim there, but remember it is 600 meters from Dubrovnik.
The first boat leaving for Lokrum Island is at 9 am, and the last one is at 6 pm.
The last boat back is at 7 pm (and don’t get confused when you see on the island notes saying the last boat leaves at 6 pm).
Tickets are 200 HKR (about 26 €) and include the boat ride and the entrance to the island. There is a possibility of taking a taxi boat to the island, but then you have to pay extra for the access to the island.
You can also buy them online here – link.
Check out their official website for more information here – link.
A little bit of history of Lokrum Island
- Lokrum has been inhabited since prehistoric times.
- Certain records state that Lokrum was settled by the Benedictine monks around 915 A.D.
- The entire island used to be owned by the monastery, which was later destroyed.
- In the 15th and 16th centuries, a new monastery in the Gothic-Renaissance style was constructed to the south of the old Romanesque one.
- Over the cloister door, a timeless and ever meaningful message is inscribed: “Harmony makes small things grow; lack of it makes great things decay. ”
- At the beginning of the 1860s, in the southeast corner of the new monastery’s courtyard, the summer villa of Maximilian I, the Emperor of Mexico, was constructed.
- After Emperor Maximilian’s execution, the island was surrendered to the Habsburg Family in a deal between Franz Joseph I of Austria and Leopold II of Belgium.
- Then the island was given to Archduchess Elisabeth Marie of Austria as part of her marriage dowry; Yugoslavia claimed it under the Treaty of Saint-Germain.
- Then the French ruled the island, and in 1806, the French army started the construction of a fort on Lokrum due to the island’s strategic importance.
- In 1959 a Botanical Garden was founded on Lokrum, which contains native and imported tropical and subtropical plants, and other vegetation originating in Australia and South America.
- The island is also occupied by families of peacocks brought over by Maximilian from the Canary Islands.
Whosoever claims Lokrum for his own personal pleasure shall be damned!
Lokrum Island Curse
Many believe Lokrum Island to be cursed. Legend says that the island’s Benedictine monks were forced to leave by an individual of power, commonly the pope or the ruling nobility. The monks were given a set of time to leave the island. On the night of the deadline to go, it is said the monks traveled the island dripping a trail of candle wax and placed a curse on the island and anyone who tried to seek it for their own in the future.
They went around the island this way three times, which took the entire night, ceremoniously chanting the terrible and harsh words of the curse:
“Whosoever claims Lokrum for his own personal pleasure shall be damned!”
The curse laid on the island soon began to take effect. One of the three Dubrovnik aristocrats jumped out of a window, the other drowned in the sea on the way to Lokrum, and a servant killed the third.
Lokrum Island things to see and do
There is so much to discover on the island and prepare for quite the waddle. Although the island is small, covering an area of 0.8 square kilometers (0.31 sq mi), there is much to see.
Note that because the island is a reserve, it is not allowed to endanger in any way the natural and cultural goods on the island, throw the waste, bring dogs, or light a fire. Smoking is prohibited on the whole island, and it’s not allowed to stay on the island overnight.
Getting around the island is easy. You can get a map in the Ranger House right where the boat will drop you, but it is not necessary as, over the whole island, there are a lot of signs navigating you where to go.
Peacocks of Lokrum Island
Wild peacocks will be the first thing to greet you on Lokrum. After exiting the boat and waddling a little, wild peacocks roaming the island will greet you.
We knew they would be there, but seeing so many was still a shock.
The Botanical Garden
Lokrum is well known for its lovely botanical garden, which grows numerous species of plants including a large collection of eucalyptuses, palm trees, and cacti (agave, aloe vera..). The trees and plants were mostly planted in the 19th century by Maximilian, at the time the owner of the Island. Nowadays, the area established as a botanical garden (in 1959) has about 800 species of exotic plants. It is a lovely waddle.
Fort Royal
After setting foot on Lokrum, we decided to go first to Fort Royal. It is in the opposite way everyone else went.
The Fort Royal is on the island’s highest point, at 96 meters (315 feet) above sea level.
Because it is on the hill, be prepared for a bit of sweat while waddling, but it will be worth it. Not only because of the Fort but also because the views are the best from there.
The French built it during Napoleon’s occupation of Croatia. However, it was later named “Maximilian’s Tower” by the Austrians.
The French army started the construction of a fort on Lokrum due to the strategic importance of the island. The fort stands on the hill called Glavice.
The circular fort consists of an antemural with towers and the central circular fortification, later called the Tower of Maximilian, however, Maximilian didn’t have anything to do with the construction.
Skalica
Skalica is a beautiful port when waddling down from Fort Royal. You can see Dubrovnik beautifully from there. It is Lokrum’s oldest port and the place of the alleged landing of Richard the Lion Heart’s ship in the 12th century.
It is worth waddling there and just relaxing, if nothing else. Not many people are coming here.
The cross of “Triton”
Triton Cross, Lokrum Island, erected to the memory of 95 crewmembers of the Austro-Hungarian K.u.K. – Warship “Triton” who died in a strong explosion on 09th of May 1859.
Charlotte’s Well
A beautiful oval stone pool, built during the time of Maximilian of Habsburg, was probably used to water the exotic plants and for bathing the landlords and their guests.
The Dead Sea
It is a unique lake linked with the sea with very calm waters; it is the best to swim in! Just be careful not to slip on the rocks. For many million years the rocks were intensely tectonically disturbed, which were gradually widened by karstification and erosional activity of the sea.
During the youngest geological age, the ancient erosional depression in the relief was filled with the sea. Today “The Dead Sea” is the famous Lokrum beach and many people come here to swim.
While waddling towards the Dead Sea, make sure to stop by the white cliffs. It is yet another beautiful view from here. Also, sit down on the bench there and listen to the sound of the sea between the rocks. It’s very relaxing.
The Church of Annunciation
Built in the 15th-16th century, it is the only preserved ecclesiastical building on the island, in which holy masses are sometimes held.
It is a beautifully preserved complex and worth waddling around a little.
The Monastery Complex
This one is one of my favorite places, and the waddling towards it.
The complex consists of the remnants of the basilica (12th-13th century), a monastery with a cloister garden (15th-16th century), and the summer residence of Maximilian of Habsburg with gardens and parks (middle of the second half of the 19th century).
And, of course, you will find more peacocks here as well.
Game of Thrones and Lokrum Island
The Monastery is also what you need to go to when you are a Game Of Thrones fan. After finishing the filming (also on the island), they left the original Iron Throne at Lokrum, where you can sit and take pictures.
Beaches and more
Lokrum Island has it all and is constructed to host you for the whole day if you choose so. It has a lot of beaches where you can stay and swim, like the one close to the harbor. It is located close to the toilets and offers changing rooms to get into your bathing suit.
The beach, as such, is covered in stone and cliffs but has easy access to the water. And they didn’t forget about the shower either. Very convenient.
Other little things we noticed
Over the whole island, you will see many fire hydrants ready to be used in case of a fire.
There is no need to worry about drinking water; you can get some at the water stations.
And as mentioned, there are many bars and restaurants to get a drink and refresh yourself or even eat.
Benches are everywhere
This might be like a small thing, but an essential one. Benches are scattered over the island, which is great because with all the beautiful views, you want to sit down and chill. Also, after waddling for a while it’s nice to have a break.
And we found an extraordinary one on the way up towards Fort Royal. You have to waddle a little and will come to a quiet place with magnificent views.
Lokrum Island is a destination you shouldn’t miss; you will certainly enjoy it.
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