Dubrovnik Has a New Attraction: We Took a Ride on the City Sightseeing Open-Top Bus
By Ivana Smilović Barkiđija · 23 September 2026
Photography: Željko Tutnjević
Few people will have failed to notice the red open-top double-decker bus on Dubrovnik’s roads in recent days. While it is new to our city, it is a familiar sight around the world. We decided to take a ride and discover what makes it special.
If you have spotted the red open-top double-decker and thought it looked familiar, you are probably right. Not from Dubrovnik, but from one of the many other cities where City Sightseeing Worldwide operates tours. We will come back to that a little later. For now, let us focus on our own Dubrovnik tour.
A sunny morning was perfect for hopping aboard the bus we have been seeing around town since 10 August. Quite literally hopping aboard, as it operates on a hop-on, hop-off basis: a €25 ticket allows you to board at any of its 12 stops and get off at any of them, too. We chose to board at the Port of Gruž to experience the full tour, which takes approximately 90 minutes.
At the wheel, cheerful driver Luka Spremić welcomed us and handed us headphones that would prove very useful. Finding a seat was a little less straightforward, mainly because of us. We went upstairs, saw plenty of tourists looking back at us and failed to spot a single empty seat. So we returned to the front row beside Luka, who happily welcomed us but pointed out that neither pair of our eyes had done a particularly good job: there were free seats upstairs. Rather than confuse everyone on the upper deck again, we stayed beside our good-humoured driver for the time being. It turned out to be a good decision, as he was happy to answer our questions.
The first step was to plug in our headphones and get acquainted with the audio guide. With no fewer than 13 languages available, we could not resist experimenting and listened to the first few sentences in Japanese and German. Soon, though, we settled down and began following the tour with real interest. Even as Dubrovnik residents, we enjoyed hearing about Gruž, the Franjo Tuđman Bridge and Nuncijata. It quickly became clear that this was no conventional tour. The descriptions were neither dry nor dull, but lively and accessible. Alongside the city’s rich history, the commentary covered Jug Water Polo Club, the Divlja Liga amateur water polo competition, coffee on Vojnović, nightlife, beaches, swimming and many other details of everyday life in Dubrovnik.
A smooth experience, even in traffic
It was easy to stay engaged, even in an age when so many of us struggle to concentrate. Despite the number of passengers, the bus was remarkably quiet. Everyone was listening to information that would provide an excellent starting point for exploring Dubrovnik afterwards. Choosing what to see was easy: the tour covered a wide range of interests, leaving passengers to decide what appealed to them and which parts of the city they wanted to explore. That is especially useful for visitors with limited time, perhaps only a few hours, who do not want to spend it on things that do not interest them.
Along the way, we stopped at various locations to let more visitors hop aboard. Throughout the city, including at the stops, the bus attracted attention. People watched it pass, while many passengers responded with waves and smiles.
Traffic was kind to us that day, but as that is often not the case, we asked our driver how things work when the roads are busy. He explained that an app lets passengers track the bus’s location and see how long it will take to reach their chosen stop, taking the uncertainty out of waiting. Those already aboard can listen to music through their headphones. The commentary is location-triggered, so it only begins when the bus reaches the relevant place. That matters: the experience would not work if what passengers heard did not match what they could see. Wi-Fi is also available on board.
Lapadska obala, the post office, the stadium, Vojnović, Bellevue… We glided past familiar places, learning new details as time seemed to fly. There was particular excitement on the way to Park Orsula, where a break was planned. The audio guide set the scene, mentioning Andro Vidak, who welcomed us with open arms as soon as we stepped off the bus.
Visitors immediately set off to explore the park and, inevitably, take photographs with the Old Town in the background. Even we, accustomed to the sight, enjoyed the view and the company.
After the break, we moved upstairs for the full experience. With the wind in our hair, fresh air and a sense of relaxation, we continued towards the roundabout at Brgat, where the bus turned around to reveal a magnificent view of Župa dubrovačka that many of our fellow passengers might otherwise have missed. Then came the grand finale: views of Lokrum and the Old Town, followed by a leisurely ride down to Ploče, where we said goodbye to the visitors heading off to explore the historic centre. Alongside them, we had learned something new and experienced Dubrovnik in a special way.
A strong, established brand
Beyond the tour itself, the story of how City Sightseeing Worldwide came to Dubrovnik is also interesting. A leading multinational tourism experiences company, it offers panoramic open-top double-decker bus tours, boat trips and guided walking tours, as well as a booking platform for excursions and activities in some of the world’s best-known destinations. Founded in 1999, the company now operates in more than 100 cities across over 35 countries on six continents. Every year, more than 13 million passengers discover, explore and enjoy destinations worldwide with City Sightseeing. Since this year, Dubrovnik has been among them.
The story takes us back to the ITB trade fair in Berlin in 2024. Representatives of City Sightseeing Worldwide approached Miro Drašković, Director of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, and expressed an interest in bringing Dubrovnik into their network. A visit to the city followed, and City Sightseeing now operates here in partnership with Adriatic Sunsets. Drašković says the arrival of this internationally recognised brand adds value to Dubrovnik’s tourism offering while giving the city greater visibility within its global network.
Why does that matter? Because this is an established brand that offers reassurance, a well-organised service and recognition around the world. Many visitors will choose these buses because of a positive experience in one of the more than 100 other cities where they operate.
We also wanted to know what had drawn City Sightseeing Worldwide to Dubrovnik. Gonzalo Ruiz, the company’s Director of Business Development for Franchises and Licences, provided the answer.
“As the most widely established brand offering experiences in the hop-on, hop-off tour segment, we always seek to add the most appealing destinations for international travellers to our portfolio.”
“Dubrovnik’s combination of exceptional cultural heritage, international appeal and a well-developed cruise sector also offers significant potential for long-term growth within the City Sightseeing network, supporting the company’s continued expansion across Europe,” Ruiz explained.
He said the launch of operations in Dubrovnik further strengthens City Sightseeing’s position in the global cruise tourism market. As one of the Adriatic’s busiest cruise ports, Dubrovnik is a valuable addition to the company’s portfolio, allowing even more cruise passengers to explore the destination and make the most of their time ashore.
There are further plans, particularly for the support the company will provide to Adriatic Sunsets, as a wide range of experiences, products and services could become part of City Sightseeing Dubrovnik.
“From our global perspective, we would be delighted to promote Dubrovnik through our network of more than 200 key industry partners, at the sector’s leading trade fairs and through our sales channels, as well as to provide the technology and expertise needed to develop the business further,” Ruiz explained.
The distinctive red bus is already a hit on Dubrovnik’s roads, and another is due to arrive next year. Plans also include involving the local community and further expanding the offering. Together, these developments will help make Dubrovnik even more recognisable on the world map, with services that visitors know and trust. And they offer a lovely experience for locals, too.
