The Libertas Guide covers cultural events in Dubrovnik — concerts, theatre, festivals and days out in one of the Adriatic's most historically rich cities. See our Dubrovnik Summer Festival Guide for the main annual event programme and our Venues section for individual guides.

Choosing a Bag for Evenings at Dubrovnik's Festivals and Venues

A good bag earns its keep in Dubrovnik. Performances take place in courtyards, on fortress terraces and in squares inside the Old Town walls, and getting to them often means steep stone steps, polished limestone streets and crowds of visitors. The bag you carry decides whether you arrive relaxed or flustered, so it pays to choose it with the city in mind rather than on looks alone.

Size matters more than style

Many historic venues have tight seating and narrow aisles, and some open-air performances ask audiences to keep belongings small. A compact crossbody bag or small shoulder bag fits on your lap or at your feet without bothering the people beside you. Large backpacks are awkward on stairs and in packed rows. Some venues may also have rules about bag sizes, so check the event information before you go.

What to carry for an outdoor show

  • A light layer: evenings by the sea can turn breezy once the sun goes down, especially on exposed terraces.
  • Water: summer days are hot, and queues to enter can be slow.
  • Your ticket and ID: keep them in an easy-to-reach inner pocket so you are not digging around at the entrance.
  • A small cushion or fold-flat seat pad: handy where seating is on stone.
  • A phone set to silent: performers and audiences alike appreciate it.

Features worth paying for

The bags people rarely regret buying share a few traits: a zip closure rather than an open top, which helps in busy streets; a strap that adjusts to cross the body, leaving your hands free for railings and steps; and material that copes with a sudden shower or a splash of harbour spray. Neutral colours suit both a daytime walk along the walls and a smart evening at a concert.

For day trips around the region, a slightly larger daypack makes sense; our Days Out pages suggest where you might use one. For evening performances, though, travelling light is the smarter choice. Browse the Events Guide to plan which shows you will be heading to, and pack accordingly.