Mums do travel

Travel with and without teens

  • Home
  • Destination
    • UK
      • London
      • Kent
      • Northern Ireland
      • Wales
      • Elsewhere
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Croatia
      • France
      • Gibraltar
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Italy
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Russia
      • Spain
      • Turkey
    • North America
      • USA
      • Canada
      • Carribean
      • Costa Rica
    • Africa
      • South Africa
      • Tunisia
    • Asia
      • Thailand
      • Bali
      • Singapore
    • Australia
  • Inspiration
    • Things to do in…
    • Things to do in London…
    • Where to stay
    • Language learning
    • Family travel interviews
    • The journey
    • Recipes
  • Published in
  • About
  • Contact
  • Travel shop
Home / Type of trip / City / Things to do in Dubrovnik with kids

Things to do in Dubrovnik with kids

September 8, 2014 by Gretta Schifano 5 Comments

View of Dubrovnik from the city walls. Copyright Gretta Schifano

View of Dubrovnik from the city walls. Copyright Gretta Schifano

‘This place is just gorgeous, I can’t believe how lovely it is’ I say.

‘You’ve said that already, loads of times’ sighs my fifteen year-old daughter.

Dubrovnik

We’re spending a few hours in the city of Dubrovnik on the Adriatic coast of Croatia. We only have a few hours because we’re on a cruise and our ship, the MSC Preziosa, is leaving for Venice later today. It’s our first cruise and I’m really enjoying the chance to have a quick overview of different places and to see where I’d like to come back to another time. It’s my first time in Dubrovnik and I’d definitely like to return here.

The fortified old part of the city dates from the seventh century and is encircled by ancient walls which are up to 25 metres high in places. We walk in to the city over a stone bridge and through a stone gateway. The streets inside the walls are pedestrianised and are paved with creamy marble which seems to shimmer in the July sunlight as we walk along. The pale stone buildings are topped with red tiled roofs and it all looks lovely. Besides the draw of the city the coast is gorgeous too and apparently the waters here are the cleanest in the Adriatic.

At some places where we stopped on the cruise we were surrounded by people trying to sell us things as soon as we arrived. I find this irritating and sometimes stressful, especially if I’m with the children because they don’t like it at all. When we arrive in Dubrovnik there are also people waiting to sell us things but they keep their distance and don’t hassle us, which is much appreciated and is another reason why I’d like to go back there.

In case we do ever go back I’ve been looking into things for families to do in Dubrovnik. Here are some activities which have been recommended to me as great things to do.

View of the Adriatic from Dubrovnik city walls. Copyright Gretta Schifano

View of the Adriatic from Dubrovnik city walls. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Old city and city walls

The old city is lovely just to wander around and explore. The high city walls are one and a half miles long and are punctuated with towers, crenellations and are topped with an ancient footpath along which you can walk (for a charge) and enjoy some amazing views across the city rooftops and out to sea. We loved walking along the walls and took lots of photos.

Lokrum island

Lokrum is a forested island which you can see from the city walls. It’s just off the coast and is a 15-minute boat ride from the city. On the island there’s a small salt lake which is great for kids to swim in as well as some botanical gardens and a Benedictine monastery. There are also some tame peacocks wandering around the island.

Cable car

For great views of the city and beyond you can go outside the city walls and take a cable car up Srdj mountain. It runs every 30 minutes and takes just four minutes to get to the top. At the top there’s a restaurant and on a clear day you can see for up to 30 miles or so.

Sea kayaking

You can go sea kayaking in the water right next to the old city. When we arrived there were people in the square outside Pile Gate offering sea kayaking excursions there and then – I’d love to have done it if we’d had more time.

Café in Dubrovnik. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Café in Dubrovnik. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Aquarium

There’s a marine aquarium and maritime museum in St. John’s Fort at the old city harbour. It houses fish and marine life from the Adriatic.

Beaches

There are all sorts of beaches around Dubrovnik and the nearby islands from sandy to pebbly to quiet to busy. The Copacabana beach on Dubrovnik’s Lapad peninsula is one of the biggest and boasts a restaurant, water sports and some inflatable water slides in the sea.

Durovic cave

25 metres under one of the runways at Dubrovnik airport is Durovic cave. There’s evidence that the cave was used in the Bronze age. It was used as a shelter in 1991 during the Balkan war. You can now pay for a guided tour (including in English) to see the stalactites and stalagmites that are still growing in the cave.

Gunduliceva Poljana Market

My kids love going to markets and choosing food and souvenirs when we’re travelling. Gunduliceva Poljana Market is in the heart of the old city and we enjoyed browsing there when we visited.

Dubrovnik is a beautiful ancient walled city on Croatia's Adriatic coast. It was used extensively for filming Game of Thrones. Here are some ideas for great things to see and do there. including walking around the city walls, taking a cable car, sea kayaking and more. Click through for more details.

Thank you to Marijana of Smooth Holidays for the tips she gave me for this post. Have you ever been to Dubrovnik? Do you have any recommendations to add to the list?

Disclosure: My daughter and I visited Dubrovnik as guests of MSC Cruises on a seven-night Mediterranean cruise aboard the MSC Preziosa. If you’d like to read more about our cruise then read these posts: Top tips for first time cruisers, How to choose a cruise excursion, The spa on board the MSC Preziosa, Cruising for beginners. 

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Related

Categories: City, Coast, Croatia, Cruise, Things to do in...
Tags: city breaks with kids, Dubrovnik, sea kayaking

About Gretta Schifano

I'm a freelance journalist and blogger specialising in family travel with teenagers, trips when parents manage to travel without their kids, and 50+ travel. I also write about vegetarian travel, parenting teenagers, adoption, SEN, ADHD and anxiety. My work's been published by the Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, National Geographic Traveller, Lonely Planet and others. I've lived and worked in Italy and Spain and am now based in rural south-east England with my husband, adoptive and birth kids and our dog. I previously worked as a social action radio producer for the BBC.

Facebook - Twitter - Google+

Subscribe to posts by email?

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Comments

  1. Sarah Ebner says

    September 10, 2014 at 10:41 am

    I went to Dubrovik years and years ago, but just for the day. However, I do remember being absolutely blown away by how beautiful it was – just like you!
    Sarah Ebner recently posted…A family holiday cycling in Austria by St Wolfgangsee (Pt 1)My Profile

    Reply
  2. Trish - Mum's Gone To says

    September 10, 2014 at 7:46 am

    Just the thought of not being hassled by hawkers endears me to Dubrovnik.
    That’s the best bit about cruisers -giving you a taster session of places to visit in the future.
    Trish – Mum’s Gone To recently posted…Florentines, guitar riffs and the Nobel Peace PrizeMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      September 10, 2014 at 10:35 am

      I know, it’s perfect for that. Another place we stopped at which I’d really like to visit again is Istanbul. We had a whirlwind tour but it wasn’t enough!

      Reply
  3. Donna says

    September 8, 2014 at 9:49 pm

    I’d love to visit one day! x
    Donna recently posted…Secret Cinema: Back to the Future #MinuteMondayMy Profile

    Reply
  4. Fiona Wats says

    September 8, 2014 at 2:00 pm

    Shame was a flying visit, but as you say it gave you a taste for more! We went to Dubrovnik on our honeymoon, so pre-kids, but I’d agree the pathway along the top of the old city wall is wonderful and great for kids with its spectacular views inside to the city amd outside yo the sea. Game of Thrones was filmed there. It’s probably worth mentioning that many of the beaches are either rocky (for diving off) or shingly, not much soft sand. There may well be other activities and sports in the area as Croatia is very big on rafting, canyoning etc. Cruising seems very popular with travel bloggers!
    Fiona Wats recently posted…Centro Ceramica Triana – inside Seville’s now-open tile museumMy Profile

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Search site

Follow me!

Email: gretta at mumsdotravel dot com
Follow me on FacebookFollow me on Google+Follow me on TwitterFollow me on InstagramFollow me on YouTubeFollow me on PinterestFollow me on Bloglovin

You'd like posts by email?

Booking.com

Most popular posts:

  • How to pack for an 8 kg luggage allowance
    How to pack for an 8 kg luggage allowance
  • Thailand with teenagers: a two-week summer itinerary
    Thailand with teenagers: a two-week summer itinerary
  • Where to find Mary Poppins film locations in London
    Where to find Mary Poppins film locations in London
  • 5-night itinerary for Northern Tunisia
    5-night itinerary for Northern Tunisia
  • Itinerary for a three-night Berlin sightseeing trip with a teenager
    Itinerary for a three-night Berlin sightseeing trip with a teenager
  • What to do when your teenager doesn't want to go on your family holiday
    What to do when your teenager doesn't want to go on your family holiday
  • 5 of the best: UK castles for family stays
    5 of the best: UK castles for family stays
  • 60 free things to do in London with a teenager
    60 free things to do in London with a teenager
  • Top things to do in Sicily with teenagers
    Top things to do in Sicily with teenagers
  • How to go seal watching in Winterton, Norfolk
    How to go seal watching in Winterton, Norfolk

Recent Posts

  • How to apply for Italian citizenship: everything we’ve done so far
  • How to explore London’s top attractions from home
  • Amsterdam virtual museum & gallery tours
  • Introducing Armchair Travels
  • How to explore Florence, Italy, from home

About

  • About
  • Published in
  • Contact

Disclosure

This is a personal blog written and edited by me, Gretta Schifano. Sometimes I’m given products or sent on trips to review, but I always make this clear and give my honest opinion. See my About page for full details.

Copyright © Mums do travel 2019
Header by Suzanne Barton
Website by
Callia Web

Sign up for my free newsletter:
Subscribe to the Mums do travel mailing list... it's FREE!
You'll receive family travel news, offers and competitions. Once you sign up you can download my tips for saving money on family travel.
Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.
Sign up for my free newsletter: