What to Buy in Dubrovnik: A Local’s Guide to Real Souvenirs

Walk down Stradun during peak season and you’ll see the same magnets, keychains and printed t-shirts in every third shop window — most of them made nowhere near Croatia. If you’re wondering what to buy in Dubrovnik that actually means something once you’re home, the honest answer is: look for the shops making things themselves, not importing them by the container.

How to spot a real Croatian souvenir

Genuine handmade souvenirs usually have small inconsistencies — a slightly different glaze, a hand-painted detail that’s not quite symmetrical. That’s not a flaw, it’s proof nobody pressed it out of a mold a thousand times. If a “handmade” shop has identical stock in every size and color, it probably isn’t.

Ceramics — the classic Dubrovnik souvenir

Hand-fired ceramics are one of the most traditional Croatian souvenirs, and for good reason — they hold up to the trip home better than most people expect. Our own ceramics collection is shaped and painted here in the Old Town, from figurines to mugs and candle holders.

Wearable and small-format pieces

If you’d rather travel light, look at jewelry and art prints — easy to pack, still distinctly local. Our cat-themed art prints rework classic paintings with a Dubrovnik twist, and small pieces like magnets cost little but travel well.

Where to find us

We’re a small artisan shop at Zlatarska 3, in the Old Town, a few steps from the Cathedral — open daily during the season. Everything on the shelves is made by local hands, and you’re welcome to ask which artisan made what; we’re happy to tell the story behind each piece. If you can’t make it in person, the same collection is available in our online shop.

Shopping for someone specific? See our gift guide for cat lovers for more ideas.