If you have seen photos of Croatia, it was probably taken in Dubrovnik. Nicknamed “pearl of the Adriatic” this picture perfect medieval city is a must visit when your family decides to holiday in Croatia. With warm dry summers and cooler winters, Dubrovnik is perfect for taking things slow while enjoying a bit of culture.
As Dubrovnik is one of the main reasons for us visiting Croatia, we spent four nights here. When we arrived, it was easy to see why so many families love Dubrovnik. Tourist crowds during the day can get a bit much. But plan your trip to Dubrovnik carefully and you will be able to enjoy the city.
Here is Letsgobeartravel’s Dubrovnik Croatia holiday with kids: best places to go…
Walk along Stradun
Everything inside Dubrovnik town walls is a pedestrian only zone. Stradun is the main street and here you get to see the main sights of old town. Start from Pile gate – Dubrovnik’s main entrance. Then make your way to find Rector palace (now a cultural history museum), Sponza palace, Luza square, Orlando’s column, Church of St Blaise and the Cathedral.
Since we stayed four days in Dubrovnik, we got to see Stradun at different times of the day. We loved walking up and down Stradun seeing it bustling with local and tourists alike. Sunset is our favourite time here. Our boys loved chasing pigeons at the square and saying hello to the cats.
(You must) Walk the Dubrovnik wall
Ticket entry price is quite pricey but views from each side of the town wall is amazing and worth the admission. This 2km loop took us about 2 hours to complete. While up there we had a café break (you will walk past a few cafes along the ocean side) and took plenty of beautiful photos.
We recommend starting the walk at Pile gate. It’s a one way (anti clockwise) traffic and gets real busy and HOT. Don’t forget to climb up the Minceta tower, the highest point of the city wall.
There isn’t much shade during the walk, so come prepared. We got there right at opening time and by the time we finished throngs of cruise ship passengers started arriving.
Always keep the tickets with you as it gets checked at some checkpoints.
Booking.comEnjoy best ice cream at Peppino’s
Kids and seriously good ice cream is a winning combination. It’s that good we came back here three times!
Explore Fort Lovrijenac
Aka St Lawrence fortress – entrance here is included in the city walls ticket (must be used within 3 days). The fort has fantastic views of the Adriatic sea and of Dubrovnik old Town.
Note: Apparently this fort was filmed many times in the Game of Thrones. You will see plenty of other Game of Thrones tours and filming locations when visiting Dubrovnik.
Get lost in Dubrovnik’s tiny lanes
You will find many pretty lanes on the north (hill) side of Stradun. As an added bonus you will find delicious restaurants along Prijeko ul – one street parallel to Stradun.
Eat seafood at Barba
With Dubrovnik being touristy, meal prices here are more expensive than the rest of Croatia. But fear not with good planning and research you can still find value for money eateries, just like Barba! Yummy, fresh, generous servings of fried squids, octopus salads, and tuna burgers can be found here. The place gets super packed so come early or grab a takeaway like we did.
For a more fancy meal, go to Gradska Kavana Arsenal. Ask for table at the back for views of the water and the old port. We had a nice breakfast on our final day here.
Ride cable car to Mount Srd
Hop on a 3 minute cable car ride up Mount Srd to see Dubrovnik from above. Cafe Panorama at the top is a great place to take the view in, while having a drink or an afternoon treat.
Note: you can enjoy a small discount if you dine at both Gradska Kavana Arsenal and Café Panorama
Don’t forget about Ploce Gate
While Pile gate gets all the attention, Ploce gate is just as pretty. Enjoy views of old town port.
Day trip to Montenegro
– Kotor
Just 2 hours away from Dubrovnik is the town of Kotor in Montenegro. The old town was designated UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. It is one of the best preserved medieval towns on the Adriatic coast. We loved exploring the maze of cobbled streets, narrow lanes and the many churches. Kotor’s picturesque mountain backdrop doesn’t get old.
Climb up the St John Fortress for excellent views. To get all the way to the top will take over 2 hours return hike. We chose to only hike up to the Church of Our Lady of Remedy, just over the half way point mark. The views from up there is just as incredible. The paths are rocky and less developed so it can be slippery. Pay your admission at the turnstile entrance near Trg od Salate.
After our hike, we had a delicious meal at Konoba Scala Santa located at the open square next to the climb entrance.
– Perast
20 minutes away from Kotor is this tiny bay side village. A short boat ride can take you to visit Our Lady Of The Rock church islet. Unfortunately at the time of our visit in April, it was extremely windy and no boats were operating. But we still had an enjoyable time walking along the promenade and eating the famous perast cake.
Day trip to Makarska
Makarska is one of our favourite towns in Croatia. Beautiful seafront promenade with the Biokovo Mountain Range in the background. Makarska is so pretty!
For other places we have visited, checkout our website’s travel Destinations section. We buy our travel essentials online via Ebay
