A Guide to the Buza Bars of Dubrovnik

Buza bars dubrovnik

WHERE: Dubrovnik city wall

WHY: Best view anywhere

TIME: 1 hour

Walking through the old town of Dubrovnik this past winter, Carlie and I happened upon a few crudely drawn signs advertising ‘Cold Drinks.’ Intrigued, we followed the signs, leading us along the imposing walls of the town. After walking up a small series of steps we came upon a small hole in the wall, unmarked by any sign. Stepping through the hole we were greeted with the most glorious view of the Adriatic. A storm was approaching, the dark clouds over the island of Lokrum heralding some very serious rainfall.

We followed the winding series of steps down the cliff-face, now finding ourselves on the outside of the wall. After winding down several staircases we came to a small platform, marked only by a cat sitting on a chair, a woman standing behind a thin bar, and a series of unoccupied plastic chairs, all of which sat facing the beautiful Adriatic sea below. Below the bar, a series of cliff-faces could be reached by yet more stairs, the churning sea below not entirely inviting at that stage. At that moment, the bartender spoke;

‘Want a beer?’

We sat down and shared a beer, enjoying what had to be the most scenic view either of us had ever seen. Completely to ourselves, we used the Buza Bar to take photos, chat to the owner and play with the cat, which had taken to sitting on Carlie’s lap, despite her protestations hat she was ‘allergic.’ The view before us was speech-defying, an utterly gorgeous stretch of rocky coastline below and the deep azure of Adriatic, stretching way out to the horizon, unmarked by anything save the beautiful Lokrum island. After a few more beers we reluctantly left due to the approaching storm-front, the dark clouds now sending us scurrying for cover at a restaurant in the Old Town.

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HOW TO FIND THE BUZA BARS?

You can find the Buza Bars by walking through the old town of Dubrovnik towards the Jesuit stairs (as seen in Game of Thrones). Take the stairs all the way to the top and then turn left down the first alleyway to the left of the church. Follow this for fifty metres before seeing the first ‘cold drinks’ sign.

Take a right, and you should start walking up a series of small staircases that trace alongside the city walls. Follow these for about 100m, keeping the city walls on your left and you should see a small opening in the city wall, take the series of small stairs down and you’ll reach the bar.

Looking for a reason to visit Dubrovnik? Click here to read why you visit in Winter!

Visiting the Buza Bars of Dubrovnik are one of those ‘must-do’ activities for anyone visiting town. If you like a fairly decently priced beer, a very relaxed vibe, and the most scenic bar in the entire world, then look no further than stopping by the Buza Bar of Dubrovnik. Putting new meaning to the notion of ‘hole in the wall,’ the Buza Bar of Dubrovnik is a distinctly relaxed place to enjoy a beer or wine, yet be-warned, they don’t have toilets, only accept cash, and don’t do much in the way of food, especially in the off-season.

Visiting Dubrovnik? Click here for our guide on the most scenic locations in town!

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

• There are two Buza Bars in Dubrovnik, both located on the western side of the city walls, separated by about 200 metres. We visited the northernmost bar, but the vibe at the southern Buza Bar is essentially the same.

• We visited the bar during the off-season, so had it all to ourselves. However, in the summer, both locations are absolutely chock full of tourists and locals alike, keen to take advantage of the opportunity to swim in the sea below whilst enjoying a beer or two (safety bedamned). While there is plenty of seating at both, expect to wait for a while before getting a chair.

• The price for a beer at both locations is quite expensive for Croatian standards, you’ll pay around $5 USD for a small beer, and even more for a mixed drink or wine.

• Neither Buza bar has bathrooms, so definitely relieve yourself before visiting.

• The Buza bars are open all year round. During summer they open from 8 am to 2 am, and from 10 am to 5 pm in the low season.

Visiting Dubrovnik? Read our guide on where to eat, drink and find coffee here!