Dubrovnik or Ljubljana?

This is Dubrovnik's clearest advantage. The Adriatic laps the city itself, and in summer you can swim from the rocks under the seaward walls, at Banje or in the Lapad and Babin Kuk coves, with quieter water a short boat ride away on Lokrum, Lopud's sandy Sunj cove or at Cavtat. The shore is pebble and concrete rather than sand, and it fills up early in high season.

Ljubljana is inland, so swimming means the Sava on the city's edge, a trip to Lake Bled or Bohinj, or the long ride to Piran and Izola on Slovenia's short coast. All of these are pleasant outings, but none of them is a beach vacation.

Ljubljana eats a little better day to day. The Central Market under Plečnik's colonnades, gostilna inns serving štruklji and jota, and riverside bars pouring Vipava, Brda and orange wines by the glass make good meals easy to find.

Dubrovnik's strength is narrower and depends on the sea: Ston oysters, black risotto, grilled fish and Peljesac reds. Much of the Old Town caters to day crowds, so eating well means heading out to the konobas of Lapad, Gruz or Konavle.

Dubrovnik has the stronger set piece. The unbroken walls, the marble Stradun, the Rector's Palace, the Franciscan pharmacy and Fort Lovrijenac form one of the most intact walled towns on the Mediterranean, although the narrow streets are crowded on summer days.

Ljubljana's appeal is quieter and spread across the townscape. Plečnik's UNESCO-listed bridges, embankments and library, the castle hill and Metelkova's murals add up to a pleasant whole rather than a list of must-sees. Both cities take about two or three days to see.

Both cities offer small, relaxed scenes rather than serious clubbing. The difference lies in the setting and the season. Dubrovnik is at its best for a sunset drink at the cliff bars outside the walls or a late dance at the Revelin fortress, but it depends on summer and goes quiet from November.

Ljubljana's evenings centre on the terraces along the Ljubljanica. Students keep it going through term, and Metelkova's scruffy clubs give it a grittier, alternative edge that runs late at weekends.

Ljubljana has more landscape within reach and more variety in it. Tivoli Park and Šmarna Gora are on the doorstep, Triglav National Park and the Vintgar gorge are about an hour away, and the Soča's rafting, the karst caves and winter skiing round out the year.

Dubrovnik's outdoors are mainly about the coast: mountains falling into an island-scattered sea. The best of it is kayaking around the walls, the climb up Mount Srd, walking on the Elafiti islands and Mljet's saltwater lakes, ideally in spring or autumn before the heat sets in.

Ljubljana sits in the middle of a small country, which makes it the better base for day trips. Bled, Škofja Loka, Predjama Castle, Idrija, Piran and the Brda wine villages are all easy outings, with Trieste and Zagreb further afield.

Dubrovnik's highlights lie across its borders, with the Bay of Kotor, Perast, Trebinje and Mostar, plus closer trips to Ston, Cavtat and the islands. Summer border queues can turn a day out into a long one.

Neither city does much with children in mind, and they suit different ages and kinds of day out. Dubrovnik offers more adventure, with boat rides to Lokrum, the cable car, the walls and calm swimming coves. The stairs, heat and summer crowds make it tiring, though, especially with a pushchair.

Ljubljana is gentler and easier to manage. The centre is flat and largely car-free, and there are playgrounds in Tivoli, a modest zoo, the castle funicular and a puppet theatre that small children can follow without the language.

Ljubljana is the easier city to get around. Everything a visitor needs is within about 20 minutes' walk on flat, mostly pedestrianised streets, and bike-share and electric shuttles fill the gaps.

Dubrovnik's Old Town is car-free too, but most hotels sit out in Lapad, Babin Kuk or Gruz. That means buses along a single congested coast road, steep climbs between districts and boats for the islands.

Neither city is worth visiting for shopping, though Ljubljana has a little more to browse: market stalls selling honey, pumpkin-seed oil and Piran salt, Idrija lace, a Sunday antiques market on the embankment and a few design boutiques on Trubarjeva. Dubrovnik is mostly souvenir shops, with Konavle embroidery, filigree jewellery and candied orange peel as the more authentic buys.

Ljubljana is clearly the easier city on a budget. Lunchtime set menus, fairly priced local wine, cheap sights and a walkable centre keep daily costs moderate, and only central summer rooms are priced like Western Europe.

Dubrovnik is expensive by Mediterranean standards. Rooms near the Old Town, restaurants on the Stradun and paid sights such as the walls and cable car all add up. Staying in Lapad or Cavtat and visiting in spring or autumn helps, but only up to a point.

Ljubljana has a year-round programme. The Slovenian Philharmonic, the National Opera and Ballet and Cankarjev dom all perform in the city, and the summer Ljubljana Festival fills Plečnik's Križanke courtyard. Metelkova adds live rock and alternative music.

Dubrovnik really comes alive for the arts only during the July and August Summer Festival, when plays and concerts move into Fort Lovrijenac and the Rector's Palace atrium. Outside the festival there is little to see beyond occasional concerts.

Ljubljana is the more restful choice. The calm, car-free centre and long riverside café afternoons set an easy pace, and Slovenia's thermal spa towns, with their mineral pools, are within about an hour's drive.

Dubrovnik has no bathing tradition beyond hotel spas, and the Old Town in summer is anything but calm. Rest there comes from escaping to the Elafiti islands or Cavtat, or from visiting out of season.