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 / Destination / Europe / Croatia / 11 things to do in and around Dubrovnik

11 things to do in and around Dubrovnik

June 25, 2015 by Gretta Schifano 31 Comments

Centre of Dubrovnik. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Centre of Dubrovnik. Copyright Gretta Schifano

We had an interesting and relaxing family trip to Dubrovnik in Croatia during the Easter holidays. I was with my husband and our children, 16 and 12 years old. We stayed for a week at the luxurious Dubrovnik Sun Gardens Resort (courtesy of James Villas) just along the coast from the ancient city of Dubrovnik. I’ve already written about our very swish apartment, the resort itself, the cool Dubrovnik Off-Road Buggy Safari which we went on and the inappropriate Game of Thrones premiere which we went to. This post is about the other things that we did and the places that we went to in the area.

Dubrovnik Old City

The old city of Dubrovnik is just gorgeous and we enjoyed exploring it. It’s an ancient walled city on the coast and the main street is paved with pale marble. I saw it for the first time for a few hours last summer when my daughter and I were on a Mediterranean cruise. We both loved Dubrovnik and agreed that we should come back for a family trip.

I’ve spent a lot of time in Italy and Dubrovnik reminds me a little of Venice – without the canals, obviously. It’s a fascinating place just to wander around on foot. The only drawback is that it can become very overcrowded with cruise ship passengers (like us). It’s a good idea to check the cruise ship arrivals schedule on the Dubrovnik Port Authority website so that you can visit the city when there are no cruise ships there if possible. We found that the best place to park in the city is the Public Garaje. Parking there costs 20 krone per hour and it’s a 10-minute walk downhill from there to the main part of town.

Dubrovnik City Walls

The old town of Dubrovnik is entirely surrounded by defensive stone walls. Construction of these walls began in the eighth century and continued over the years, including reconstruction after the Balkans conflict. Walking around these walls is a great way to see the city and its red-tiled roof-tops from above and to look out across the Adriatic and to the nearby islands. It took us quite a while to get around the 2 km walkway as there were so many photos to take along the way. There’s barely any shade once you’re up on the walls so, if it’s hot, make sure that you’re wearing sunscreen and a hat and take some water with you.

Cost: 100 kuna.

Lokrum island seen from Dubrovnik city walls. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Lokrum island seen from Dubrovnik city walls. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Ice-cream

The best ice-cream place that we found in the city was at Poklisar restaurant right by the old harbour. The ice-cream costs 10 kuna per scoop and is delicious. The staff that we met there were friendly and we went there a few times when we needed a break from exploring. Once we even left the kids there with cold drinks at a sheltered table when they’d had enough of sightseeing – we promised the staff that we’d come back to collect them eventually.

Aquarium

Dubrovnik Aquarium is housed on the ground floor of a medieval fortress by the old city harbour. The aquarium is home to aquatic species which are found in the Adriatic. They’re mostly all grey except for the lone sea turtle whose tank looks quite small. We all felt sorry for the creatures in here and I wouldn’t go back there again.

Cost: Adults 60 kuna, children 20 kuna.

Lokrum island

Lokrum island is just 700 metres away from the city of Dubrovnik. There are boats to the island from the harbour every hour (or more frequently in the summer) and we enjoyed the short crossing. Lokrum is a nature reserve and is home to a gang of confident peacocks. We climbed up to the ruined nineteenth century fort to enjoy the views across to the city.

Cost: Around 40 kuna for a return ferry ticket from the city to Lokrum.

Peacock, Lokrum island, Croatia. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Peacock, Lokrum island, Croatia. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Cable car

Srd Hill overlooks Dubrovnik and you can take a cable car up to the top of the hill from just outside the city walls. The upper cable car station was rebuilt after the damage it suffered during the Balkan conflict and today it has three smart viewing decks which offer spectacular views of the city, the Adriatic and the nearby islands. There are also a couple of restaurants up there – we left my daughter relaxing in one of them while the rest of us went on an off-road safari in the hills.

Cost: a round trip on the cable car is 108 kuna for adults, 50 kuna for children.

View from Dubrovnik cable car. Copyright Gretta Schifano

View from Dubrovnik cable car. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Buggy Safari

Dubrovnik Buggy Safari is a fun off-road driving experience – you can read my full review here.

Cavtat

About 20 km along the coast from Dubrovnik is the pretty village of Cavtat. A few people had recommended it as a good place to eat and so we headed there one evening. We wandered along the peaceful seafront, dawdled at the playground and then ate an excellent meal on the terrace of Toranj restaurant overlooking the bay.

Cavtat, Croatia. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Cavtat, Croatia. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Trsteno Arboretum

If you’re a Game of Thrones fan (we’re not) then you need to go to Trsteno Arboretum. These historic gardens are along the coast around 18 km North-West of Dubrovnik. The 70-acre arboretum has been used as a filming location for the hit TV series (as has the city of Dubrovnik itself). Amongst the plants and trees is a Renaissance summer house. It’s all quite overgrown and wild but it’s a pretty place to visit.

Cost: 40 kuna for adults and 25 kuna for children under 14 years old.

Ston

Ston is an small, medieval town which claims to have the longest defensive stone walls in Europe – they’re 5.5 km long and have 40 towers and five forts. Ston is around 50 km North West  of Dubrovnik and it took us about 30 minutes to drive there. The town was an important salt producer for centuries and you can tour the salt works if you want to see how it is produced. The kids weren’t keen on visiting Ston so they stayed at the hotel while my husband and I went there. As we enjoyed a coffee in the sun on the main square, climbed the city walls and explored the cobbled streets I thought about what our holidays will be like in a few years’ time when the kids are off doing their own thing.

Ston, Croatia. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Ston, Croatia. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Montenegro

When I mentioned to the lovely Kirstie Pelling of Family Adventure Project that we were going to Dubrovnik she suggested that we should go to Kotor in neighbouring Montenegro for a day trip. Kirstie and her family spent eight weeks exploring the Balkans one summer so she knows the region well.

We drove in our hire car from our resort along the coast down to Kotor, around 100 km away. The drive should have taken us a couple of hours but it took a little longer as it was very slow crossing the border. Once over the border we drove to Herceg Novi and around the Bay of Kotor, which is shaped like a butterfly, until we reached Kotor itself. It was a beautiful drive: the views of the bay and the mountains as we drove along were spectacular and we stopped a couple of times to take photos.

Driving to Kotor, Montenegro. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Driving to Kotor, Montenegro. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Kotor itself is an ancient walled town and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We parked the car opposite the city gate and then went in to find some lunch. We wandered through the pretty, narrow streets until we came across a restaurant called Bocalibre in a quiet square. Bocalibre has a wood-fired pizza oven and we ate some delicious pizza at a table outside.

Kotor, Montenegro. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Kotor, Montenegro. Copyright Gretta Schifano

On our drive back around the bay we stopped off briefly to take photos at a pretty town called Perast – another of Kirstie’s recommendations.

Verdict

All four of us really enjoyed our week in Dubrovnik. It’s a beautiful place where there are many interesting things to see and do. We’d definitely recommend it as a family holiday destination.

If you’ve been to Dubrovnik, what did you think of it? If you haven’t been there, is it the kind of place that you’d like to visit?

Disclosure: James Villas provided our accommodation at Dubrovnik Sun Gardens Resort. The Dubrovnik Tourist Office arranged for our entry to Trsteno Arboretum, the City Walls, and the boat crossing to Lokrum. All opinions are my own.

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: Croatia
Tags: Cavtat, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Montenegro, Ston

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. Stuart Forster says

    October 15, 2015 at 12:18 pm

    I visited Dubrovnik for the first time in September and was very impressed with the city and nearby beaches. Thanks for sharing these suggestions. The cable car ride for the view of the town impressed me. It’s a great spot for photographs of the Old Town.
    Stuart Forster recently posted…Book review: Bridges of ParisMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      October 16, 2015 at 8:06 am

      You’re welcome – thanks for commenting. I agree, the viewing station at the top of the cable car ride is a great spot for photos – the views from there are fantastic.

      Reply
  2. Marc says

    August 4, 2015 at 5:11 am

    Great info. I have been to Dubrovnik before the war and I am wanting to go back. You article inspired me to trying going there again.

    Reply
  3. Helen Space In Your Case says

    July 18, 2015 at 8:17 am

    I’ve seen a bit about Dubrovnik recently on blogs and have to say I love the look of it – it’s somewhere I’d definitely like to visit, and it’s good to know that it’s doable with a family. Good tip on the cruise ships – had my first experience of that in Barbados and it totally transforms a place. I will bear that in mind for all my city trips in future, as it’s becoming more and more popular.
    Helen Space In Your Case recently posted…Tried and tested or new adventure?My Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      July 18, 2015 at 3:11 pm

      It does make such a difference, it’s definitely worth checking when there’s a cruise ship in town.

      Reply
  4. chickenruby says

    July 12, 2015 at 2:27 am

    I’d love to go that cable car. Croatia is one of my places to visit when we eventually move back to the UK
    chickenruby recently posted…Week 28 – My Sunday Photo. Fed up with RamadanMy Profile

    Reply
  5. katja - globetotting says

    July 7, 2015 at 9:48 pm

    I love, love, LOVE Croatia! I was there 10 years ago exactly, in my life pre-marriage or kids. I would love to return with the children though as I think it’s such a magical place. You mentioned a number of destinations that we never got to first time around including Ston so I will keep this on file for our future trip! #GlobalKids
    katja – globetotting recently posted…My Family Adventure: Unwinding in Bali & the Gili Islands, IndonesiaMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      July 8, 2015 at 9:15 am

      It feels like such an easy place to visit with kids, we all loved it!

      Reply
  6. Laura says

    July 7, 2015 at 10:07 am

    So many great places to visit! It just makes me want to go back on holiday again!
    Laura recently posted…Toyz World Top 20 FUN attractions in the MidlandsMy Profile

    Reply
  7. Cerys says

    July 6, 2015 at 4:17 pm

    I’ve got to add Croatia to our travel wish list – it looks beautiful at Easter was it cool or a pleasant temperature?
    Cerys recently posted…Tropical Island Lanzarote – ReviewMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      July 6, 2015 at 5:54 pm

      It wasn’t hot enough to swim or sunbathe but it was comfortable walking around and it wasn’t cold.

      Reply
  8. Ickle Pickle says

    July 6, 2015 at 12:18 pm

    What a beautiful place – I would love to take the children on the cable car. Kaz x
    Ickle Pickle recently posted…University FREE Printable Checklist & TipsMy Profile

    Reply
  9. Life Loving says

    July 5, 2015 at 4:15 pm

    Your photos are great. The view from the cable car is amazing. I would love to go someday. I always thought of Croatia as a place for lots of boat trips (and I’m not keen on boats) so it’s so nice to see so much to do on dry land.

    Sally @ Life Loving
    #Time Traveller
    Life Loving recently posted…Go Ape, Leeds CastleMy Profile

    Reply
  10. Michelle says

    July 5, 2015 at 2:44 pm

    I’ve never heard of Dubrovnik before, it looks like a lovely place xx

    Reply
  11. Sonya Cisco says

    July 3, 2015 at 9:21 am

    It is somewhere I would love to visit so it is nice to know there is plenty to keep younger people happy while I admire the architecture!
    Sonya Cisco recently posted…Biscuit of the Week – Queen of Hearts CookiesMy Profile

    Reply
  12. Globalmouse says

    July 2, 2015 at 10:06 am

    We were exactly the same, visiting Dubrovnik on a cruise and now are sure we really want to return to Croatia. It’s beautiful. Great roundup…I’ll be back here when we return to Dubrovnik!
    Globalmouse recently posted…Home inspiration – Spanish treats we loveMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      July 2, 2015 at 10:48 am

      Thanks Nicola – it’s a really interesting place to visit.

      Reply
  13. VaiChin @RamblingThroughParenthood says

    July 1, 2015 at 4:19 pm

    This is one place I have always wanted to visit. Now I remember why. It is so beautiful!
    VaiChin @RamblingThroughParenthood recently posted…A Minions Birthday Party by Party Bags and SuppliesMy Profile

    Reply
  14. Kara says

    June 30, 2015 at 1:21 pm

    I would love to travel more and need to guide myself from Greece where I normally head. It does look beautiful
    Kara recently posted…The Best Ways to Make Your Family Summer Holiday CheaperMy Profile

    Reply
  15. Sarah Bailey says

    June 30, 2015 at 12:55 pm

    Wow what an amazing sounding place to go and visit! x
    Sarah Bailey recently posted…5 tips to help you sleepMy Profile

    Reply
  16. Rachel says

    June 30, 2015 at 9:31 am

    I absolutely love Dubrovnik and have been twice and it is definitely somewhere I would love to go again x
    Rachel recently posted…Fragrance Shop Discovery Club Summer 2015My Profile

    Reply
  17. Erica Price says

    June 30, 2015 at 9:15 am

    Loving the sound of Lokrum Island and I’d like to go Game of Thrones location spotting.
    Erica Price recently posted…Make A BarMy Profile

    Reply
  18. Pinkoddy says

    June 30, 2015 at 8:17 am

    I love how you are discovering all these wonderful places. The walls sound very interesting and I like the thought of needing ice-cream (not so sure about it being too hot mind).
    Pinkoddy recently posted…How do Astronauts Eat in Space?My Profile

    Reply
  19. Jen aka Muminthemadhouse says

    June 29, 2015 at 11:35 pm

    It looks and sounds like an amazing place to visit. It has been on our list for a while. This just makes me more keen to visit
    Jen aka Muminthemadhouse recently posted…Free Minions Colouring Book Printable and Minion craft roundupMy Profile

    Reply
  20. Louise says

    June 29, 2015 at 8:56 pm

    beautiful photos and lots of info! I would love to visit Dubrovnik and imagine it to be quite Italian in vibe. My sister is going in a few weeks so I will send her your post x
    Louise recently posted…Silent Sunday 28/6/15My Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      June 29, 2015 at 9:00 pm

      Thank you, I’m glad that you enjoyed the post and I hope that your sister has a great time.

      Reply
  21. Sonia says

    June 29, 2015 at 1:37 pm

    I’ve always wanted to visit Croatia. My other half used to go on holiday there and I have heard so much about it. This post just makes me want to go even more x
    Sonia recently posted…Instagram Weekly 22nd-28th June 2015My Profile

    Reply
  22. Kirstie says

    June 26, 2015 at 6:59 am

    This is full of good info. VERY good idea about checking the timing of the cruise ships. Our experience of the old town with and without the cruisers was markedly different.

    Reply
  23. Donna says

    June 25, 2015 at 11:45 pm

    Fabulous advice and tips! We’re hoping to visit this year so I’m bookmarking this 😉 xx
    Donna recently posted…May Round UpMy Profile

    Reply
  24. Cathy (MummyTravels) says

    June 25, 2015 at 8:42 pm

    I went to Dubrovnik about 15 years ago and have been wanting to go back ever since. Then you could still see the brighter red roof tiles against the sun-bleached originals where they’d repaired after the war. And I am a Game of Thrones fan so it gives me an added incentive!

    Reply
  25. Sarah Christie says

    June 25, 2015 at 5:55 pm

    Ooh I would love Dubrovnik Greta it looks so beautiful, Montenegro look stunning we love visiting new and interesting places and this looks so fab, x
    Sarah Christie recently posted…My Captured MomentMy 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:

  • Where to find Mary Poppins film locations in London
    Where to find Mary Poppins film locations in London
  • 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
  • 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
  • What to wear for a DofE expedition
    What to wear for a DofE expedition
  • Itinerary for a three-night Berlin sightseeing trip with a teenager
    Itinerary for a three-night Berlin sightseeing trip with a teenager
  • Visiting London film locations: Paddington
    Visiting London film locations: Paddington
  • Family-friendly places to stay in Normandy
    Family-friendly places to stay in Normandy
  • How to shop in the souks of Tunis medina, Tunisia
    How to shop in the souks of Tunis medina, Tunisia
  • What's it like to stay at La Manga Club?
    What's it like to stay at La Manga Club?

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: