Lopud
The middle Elaphiti island — no cars, one long harbour promenade, and Šunj beach, the closest sand beach to Dubrovnik.
Lopud harbour with palms and a car-free shore promenade
Why people stay in Lopud
Lopud is one of the three Elaphiti islands you can reach easily by ferry from Gruž. It's car-free, roughly 5km end to end, and its main village wraps around a sheltered harbour with palm trees, a Renaissance Franciscan monastery, and a shore promenade of small hotels and villas. Cross the island by foot in 30 minutes (or by golf-cart taxi for $8) and you reach Šunj — one of the very few actual sandy beaches on the entire Dalmatian coast.
This suits travellers who want island stillness with real infrastructure. There's a proper hotel scene, a couple of good restaurants, ferries to Dubrovnik every 90 minutes in season, and you can bring a suitcase without hating yourself. Skip Lopud if you need a car, want variety in dinner options, or planned to see Dubrovnik in the evenings — the last ferry back leaves around 7-8pm depending on the day.
The reopened Lafodia and RMH Lopud 1483 are the flagship stays at $250-$400 in summer. Smaller family hotels on the harbour front run $130-$200 with breakfast. Apartments in the village stone houses (Ulica Iva Kuljevana) go for $90-$140 with terraces. Avoid the far ends of the promenade if you want to be close to the ferry pier — a suitcase drag on cobblestones for 15 minutes is unpleasant. Best value: village apartment 100m up from the harbour, quiet at night, five minutes to the pier and restaurants both.
What to see
Hotels in Lopud
Getting around Lopud
Jadrolinija catamarans and ferries run from Gruž port to Lopud several times daily, $8 each way, 55 minutes on the ferry or 30 minutes on the fast catamaran. In summer, first boat around 7am, last back around 7pm — check timetables at Gruž. There are no cars on Lopud; travel is on foot or by small electric golf-cart taxis ($5-$10 per trip). Luggage carts available at the pier ($5) for the walk to hotels.
Questions about Lopud
Yes, easily — first boat at 9am, last back at 6pm gives you 8 hours. Enough for Šunj beach and lunch. Overnight is better if you want the island empty in the evening.
Yes — actual soft sand, not the coarse imported gravel most Croatian 'sand' beaches use. Shallow entry, safe for kids. In peak summer weekends it does get crowded; go on a weekday.
