Dubrovnik is considered to be one of the most romantic cities in the whole world. It’s also the most famous Croatian landmark when it comes to historical places. Just Google the term Dubrovnik and you’ll immediately see why so many couples decide on Dubrovnik proposal. As elopement & wedding photographers who spend a lot of their time in this city, we are here to make the planning of your proposal in Dubrovnik feel like a breeze.
We’ll tell you about our favorite Dubrovnik proposal spots, what to have in mind when hiring Dubrovnik proposal photographer and how to make your proposal something both of you are going to remember for a long time.
Dubrovnik proposal photographer and videographer
Love and Ventures are Andrea and Mario, a wedding and proposal photographer and videographer, based in Croatia. With years of experience shooting elopements and intimate weddings in all kinds of landscapes, we decided to create this guide to serve you as a good starting point for planning your proposal in Dubrovnik.
Let the adventure begin!
‘I asked Andrea and Mario to capture a proposal on a photo, without being seen by my girlfriend. They did a fantastic job. But the reason why I would highly recommend Andrea and Mario is the clear and fast communication and the help with the entire preparation of the proposal.
Thommy
They were even able to arrange a musician and a bottle of champagne!
They also thought very carefully about the location for the proposal.
All in all a great experience!’
Explore further: 5 tips for a perfect engagement in Croatia
A bit about Dubrovnik
It’s the most famous city in Croatia and probably the most photographed one too. Dubrovnik was the capital city of once the mighty Dubrovnik Republic which stretched across southern Croatia. It was a republic of skilled sailors and some of the best merchants in the world.
The whole city of Dubrovnik was engulfed by high walls which are preserved to this day. And when we say preserved, we mean that they look much the same as they looked like centuries ago. In fact, the whole city of Dubrovnik has one of the most preserved old city cores in the world. The old part of the town is also under UNESCO protection.
Dubrovnik is also the most visited place in Croatia with thousands of people visiting it each day. It’s especially famous among couples and you’ll see a lot of them holding hands and exploring the old alleys together. Dubrovnik couple photo session is one of the best ways to make some great memories in this eternal city.
Check out our best tips for a romantic couple vacation in Dubrovnik
Why choose Dubrovnik for your proposal?
Because it’s like not so many places in the world. It’s a perfect blend of history, landscape, and romance. It has all you would need for a dream proposal of your partner. And it’s not just Dubrovnik, the whole of southern Croatia is beautiful and you’ll enjoy exploring it after your Dubrovnik proposal. Let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be so smart to choose a good location for your proposal that you need to spend your vacation at just to find out that that particular location is good only for the proposal but there is nothing else to do there.
Because it’s not only the proposal that matters, it’s the days after it too. Proposing to your loved one takes just a few seconds and it’s the most important part, but the rest of your vacation is important too. Just imagine that you just proposed to your partner and you don’t have anything to do anymore.
Dubrovnik is the perfect location for couples because you have a whole bunch of things to do after your proposal. And we really mean it. Since it’s one of the most visited places in Croatia, you can just imagine the number of things to do in Dubrovnik.
Top 9 Spots For Unforgettable Croatia Proposal
The best time to visit Dubrovnik as a couple
After the introduction, we are moving on to things that matter to you the most. Let’s say that you decided to propose to your partner in Dubrovnik. She/he doesn’t know anything about it and you are starting to plan your Dubrovnik proposal and you are probably asking yourself what would be the best time to visit Dubrovnik. As we spend a lot of time in Dubrovnik as wedding and elopement photographers, we get to know how Dubrovnik looks in different periods of the year.
Let’s start. Summers in Dubrovnik are hot and too crowded. The weather is also very predictable with a lot of sunny and dry days. Most people choose to visit Dubrovnik during this period since it’s a time of the high season in Croatia. Personally, we would recommend you avoid this period if you are planning a Dubrovnik proposal. The hottest and busiest months are July and August, with the addition of the second part of June and the first half of September.
The Ultimate Dubrovnik Elopement Guide
When it comes to our suggestion about the best period to visit Dubrovnik, we would say that April, May, and October are the best ones. For both your proposal in Dubrovnik and the experience of the city. The season in Dubrovnik lasts for a larger part of the year so you can never expect it to be empty, but still, it is most crowded during the summer period mentioned above. The weather in Spring and early Autumn is just perfect. It’s not too hot, the sunsets are beautiful and it’s much less crowded.
Finally, let us just say that you can have a nice experience of Dubrovnik even in the high season, but in these times we suggest you wake up early in the morning and go out to explore the city before anybody else. Summer is the usual time most people have left so if that’s the only option for you, no worries, you can still have a great time and make your Dubrovnik proposal perfect.
Dubrovnik proposal spots
Finding a perfect spot for your Dubrovnik proposal is crucial. The most important thing you need to think about is how to stay away from crowds. You don’t want to propose to your beloved one while a bunch of tourists licking their ice creams walks past you. Your proposal in Dubrovnik should be intimate and secluded so you can focus just on the two of you. It’s not something you want to share with a bunch of strangers. Here are some of our top picks when it comes to Dubrovnik proposal spots.
Dubrovnik’s old city core
The old city core is our first pick. Yes, we know it’s too crowded but not at every time of the day. In case you want your Dubrovnik proposal to be in the old part of the town, we suggest you do it early in the morning. And by early morning we mean at the time of sunrise. It will be a magical experience because of a few reasons.
First of all, the city will be empty or almost empty, depending on the time of the year. You’ll have the opportunity to experience the city as it truly is, walk through its empty streets and observe the sunrise together. Sunrise is romantic as the sunset is, it’s just that a lot of people don’t like to wake up early if they don’t need to.
We strongly believe that dawn is the perfect time if you want to have your proposal in Dubrovnik within the city walls. You can find some secluded alleys within the old city even during the rest of the day, but there’s always a risk that somebody might stumble upon you during your proposal.
Srđ hill above Dubrovnik
Srđ is a hill that rises above Dubrovnik and it’s a perfect place to have your Dubrovnik proposal at. It’s easy to get up there and it’s easy to find a spot where you’ll be alone. We have a few suggestions when it comes to the proposal on Srđ hill. Most of the trails lead straight to the top of it which is not the place with the best view of Dubrovnik and the surrounding area.
The place with the best view is some 30 minutes of walking away from the top of the hill. If you are going on the Srđ by car, which we suggest, then the place with the best view will be a few kilometers from the top. It’s quite a large surface and it’s near the road.
Srđ hill is a perfect location for the sunset Dubrovnik proposal. If you are visiting Dubrovnik during the high season, we suggest you take a taxi to the top since the road is narrow and a lot of people are going to Srđ to observe the sunset.
Park Orsula
Park Orsula is a beautiful place not so far from Dubrovnik. Usually, it’s not so crowded and it’s easy to find a private spot inside it. It’s not a park with huge trees but rather a really nice viewpoint of Dubrovnik and the surrounding area. Both sunset and sunrise are perfect times for the Park Orsula proposal. The best place within the park is near the ruined chapel.
Check out Por and Ken’s engagement photos in beautiful park Orsula at sunset time
Buža bar cliffs
Buža bar is one of the most interesting bars in Dubrovnik. It’s a place just outside the city walls, overlooking the island of Lokrum and the open sea. It’s not only the bar you can visit this place without drinking anything at the bar. This place is rather empty during the sunrise hours while it’s crowded during the rest of the day, especially during the sunset hours.
Lokrum island
Lokrum is a small island just opposite Dubrovnik city and many boat tours can take you there. You can also arrange a private boat that will take you there and pick you up when you are done with everything. Lokrum is full of nice places and some of them have an incredible view of the city of Dubrovnik. It’s easy to find a secluded spot within the island, especially if you visit it during the less crowded hours.
Some ideas for your proposal in Dubrovnik
To make your Dubrovnik proposal the best it could be, there are some additional things to think about. First of all, consider a proposal to be more than just an act of kneeling at a beautiful location. Consider it to be a sacred moment for both of you. There are some small things you can do which will make a lot of difference.
What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when somebody mentions sunset and a location with a beautiful view? Picnic, that’s right. Is there anything better than a glass of wine along with some great food right after your proposal?
Let’s move further. What about a song both of you love? Wouldn’t it be nice if somebody played it on an acoustic guitar right after you proposed to your partner? Some additional happy tears are ensured in this case.
What about the photographer? You can make a few selfies and that’s perfectly fine, but you should consider hiring a photographer if you want to have a few photos from a different perspective. After all, you came here to enjoy, not to worry about the photography.
Now you see how just a few simple things can make things even better. But be considerate, let the music and all others be there just for a while. Spend some time alone too.
Dubrovnik proposal photographer
Since we are Dubrovnik wedding photographers, we’ll tell you a bit more about what to have in mind when choosing a photographer for your Dubrovnik proposal. First of all, a good photographer will know the details about any of the proposal locations in Dubrovnik and he/she will give you some insider tips about it. A good proposal photographer will not stand out but will blend with the location. Proposals are usually secret and you don’t want your partner to suspect anything, do you?
So the proposal photographer should look like a common tourist with a camera that just happens to be at the same place as the two of you. Also, we suggest you tell the photographer not to be near you during the proposal. It’s the intimate moment that’s reserved just for the two of you and nobody else. Make sure that the photographer has a telephoto lens which will enable him to take a good photo from a distance.
Later, after you are done proposing to your partner, you can give a signal to the photographer to come closer. Proposal photos are usually accompanied by a couple photo session that usually doesn’t last too long so you can still have some time just for yourselves.
What to do after the Dubrovnik proposal?
First of all, congratulations. You have just made a very important step in your relationship. Now it’s time to celebrate and spend some time together. You came to Dubrovnik not only to propose but to have a great time overall. As you already know, there are many things to do in Dubrovnik. Boat rides to nearby islands, kayak tours to some of the most beautiful beaches in Croatia, room escape adventures, you name it.
We suggest renting a car and exploring the wider Dubrovnik area. You’ll find it as stunning as Dubrovnik itself. Mljet island and Pelješac peninsula are just 1 hour of driving away you will love them. Famous Neretva Valley and Baćina Lakes are just a bit further north and are also places worth visiting.
Having any additional questions?
We believe we have covered the most important aspects and questions you would have regarding the Dubrovnik proposal. Still, if there is anything else that you are interested in or want to hire us to be your proposal photographers, feel free to write us.