CROATIA · CITY GUIDE
CROATIA · CITY GUIDE
Dubrovnik With Kids
Limestone walls, the Adriatic below, Game of Thrones around every corner, and a cable car up the mountain at sunset
- ✈ Best For
- Families with kids 5+, history lovers, Game of Thrones fans, beach and culture in one
- Recommended Nights
- 3–4
- Getting There
- Dubrovnik Airport (DBV), 30 min drive to Old Town
- Best Seasons
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct (fewer crowds, warm water)
🇭🇷 Nicole Damiano · ASTA Verified Travel Advisor · Certified Family Travel Advisor with FG Luxury Travel
Start Here
Dubrovnik is the city everyone recognizes from photos and nobody quite believes is real until they walk through the Pile Gate. The walls wrap around the entire old town, the Adriatic is right there, and the whole place is built from the same pale stone that catches the light in a way that photographs cannot oversell.
With kids, the city walls are the main event. You walk the full loop in about ninety minutes, and it is one of the most memorable things you can do with a child in Europe. The cable car to Mount Srđ gives you the view from above. Lokrum Island is a ten minute ferry ride and has a saltwater lake, peacocks, and rocks for jumping into the sea. It is a city that packs an extraordinary amount into a small space.
The catch is the crowds. July and August bring cruise ships and peak heat. We tell families to come in May, June, September, or early October. Same weather, half the people, and you get the walls practically to yourself in the morning.
Getting Around
The old town is car free and small enough to walk in every direction. That is the whole point. Outside the walls, taxis and the local bus handle everything.
🚶 On Foot Inside the Walls
The old town is roughly 500 meters end to end. Everything is walkable. The Stradun is the main street. Steps and steep alleys branch off it in both directions. Strollers work on the Stradun but not much else.
🚕 Taxis and Transfers
Airport transfers run about €30 to €40. Inside the city, taxis wait at the Pile Gate and Ploče Gate. Uber works here too. You will not need a car unless you are doing longer day trips down the coast.
⛴ Ferries
Regular boats to Lokrum Island leave from the old port every 30 minutes in season. Ferries to the Elaphiti Islands (Lopud, Šipan, Koločep) leave from the Gruž harbor. The Lokrum ferry is about €15 round trip for adults.
Where to Stay
Location matters here more than most cities. Staying inside the walls puts you in the middle of everything but the rooms are smaller and you carry bags up steps. Staying at Ploče Gate or Lapad gives you more space, pools, and a short bus or walk to the old town.
Old Town (Inside the Walls)
Walk out your door and you are on the Stradun. Beautiful, but rooms are compact and you haul luggage up steps. Best for families with older kids who want the atmosphere.
Ploče (East of Old Town)
Just outside the Ploče Gate. Close enough to walk to the walls, with better hotel options and Banje Beach right below. The best balance for families.
Lapad
A 15 minute bus ride from the old town. Resort style hotels with pools, a long promenade, and Lapad Beach. Great for families with younger kids who want a pool and sand alongside the sightseeing.
Hotel Excelsior
Right at Ploče Gate with a private beach and views of the old town walls. One of the best hotels in Croatia. Family rooms available.
Hotel Kompas
In Lapad with a pool, sea views, and a five minute walk to Lapad Beach. Modern, family friendly, and well priced for what you get.
Apartments Inside the Walls
A two bedroom apartment inside the old town gives families space, a kitchen, and the atmosphere of waking up in a medieval city. Book early for summer.
Top Sights
1
Walk the City Walls
The full circuit is about two kilometers and takes sixty to ninety minutes with kids. You walk above the rooftops, above the sea, above everything. Start early in the morning to beat the heat and the crowds. Bring water. There is one small bar on the wall where you can stop for drinks. Tickets are around €35 for adults, free for kids under 7.
2
Cable Car to Mount Srđ
The cable car takes four minutes and the view from the top is the one you see on every postcard. The old town, the islands, the coast stretching south toward Montenegro. There is a restaurant at the top and a small museum about the 1990s siege. Go for sunset if you can.
3
Lokrum Island
Ten minutes by ferry from the old port. A car free island with a botanical garden, a monastery ruin, a saltwater lake called the Dead Sea that kids love swimming in, and peacocks everywhere. Pack a swimsuit and towels. There are no hotels on the island, everyone comes for the day, and the last ferry back is around 7 PM in summer.
With Kids
Cable Car
Lokrum Island
Sea Kayaking
Beach Hopping
Game of Thrones Tour
Ice Cream on the Stradun
🌿 Downtime Pick: Lokrum Island
When the walls and the cobblestones start to wear everyone out, take the ferry to Lokrum. The saltwater Dead Sea lake is warm, shallow enough for younger swimmers, and surrounded by rocks perfect for sitting and reading while the kids splash. Peacocks wander the paths. There is a small café but bring snacks. It is the easiest half day reset in the city.
What to Eat
Dubrovnik eats seafood, simply prepared. The Dalmatian coast does grilled fish, octopus salad, black risotto, and fresh pasta with shellfish. For kids, there is plenty of pizza and pasta alongside the local specialties.
Black Risotto (Crni Rižot)
Risotto colored with cuttlefish ink. Looks dramatic, tastes rich and briny. Kids either love it or refuse to try it. Worth ordering either way.
Grilled Fish
Whole fish, simply grilled with olive oil and lemon. Sea bass or sea bream from the Adriatic, usually the freshest thing on the menu.
Peka
Meat or octopus slow cooked under a bell shaped lid with potatoes and vegetables. Order it an hour ahead. A sharing dish the whole table will fight over.
Burek
Flaky pastry filled with cheese, meat, or spinach. Cheap, filling, and available at bakeries everywhere. The best grab and go breakfast in Croatia.
Ice Cream on the Stradun
Multiple gelato shops line the main street. Quality is high across the board. It will become a daily ritual whether you plan it or not.
Nicole’s Perspective
Dubrovnik is the kind of place where you walk through a gate and suddenly understand why people keep coming back to Europe. The walls are extraordinary with kids. Gavin walked the whole loop and still talks about looking down at the rooftops. The cable car at sunset made everyone quiet, which with our crew tells you something.
The one thing I tell every family: do not come in July or August unless you have no other choice. The cruise ships unload thousands of people into a city that is essentially a few streets wide. September is perfect. The water is still warm, the crowds thin out, and you can actually hear yourself think on the Stradun. Book the wall walk first thing in the morning, do Lokrum in the afternoon, and save the cable car for sunset. That is a day in Dubrovnik that your kids will remember.
Day Trip
Montenegro: Kotor and Perast
The Bay of Kotor is about two hours south and it is one of the most dramatic day trips in Europe. Perast is a tiny baroque town on the water with a church on an island. Kotor has its own walled old town and a fortress hike with views of the entire bay. You can do both in a day with a driver or organized tour. Bring passports since you are crossing into Montenegro.
Practical Tips
💰 Currency
Croatia uses the euro. Cards accepted almost everywhere in the old town, but bring a little cash for the smaller bakeries and market stalls.
🧳 Stroller Warning
The old town is steps. Lots of steps. Bring a carrier for babies and toddlers. A stroller works on the Stradun and nowhere else.
🌡 Beat the Heat
Summer temperatures regularly hit 35°C. Start early, take a midday break at the beach or hotel, and come back out in the late afternoon. Hydrate constantly.
🎫 Book Ahead
Wall walk tickets can be bought online to skip the queue. Book the cable car in advance for sunset slots in peak season. Lokrum ferry is pay on the day.
How Many Days
2
Core
Wall walk, Stradun, cable car at sunset, one beach afternoon. Tight but doable.
3–4
Full
Add Lokrum Island, a sea kayak morning, Game of Thrones walking tour, and a proper day at the beach. This is the sweet spot for families.
5+
Add On
Day trip to Kotor and Perast in Montenegro, or island hop to the Elaphiti Islands. Combine with Split and Plitvice for a full Croatia trip.
Dubrovnik, Answered
The ones that come up in almost every planning call. If yours is not here, ask me.
Is Dubrovnik safe for families?
Yes. Dubrovnik is one of the safest cities in Europe. The old town is pedestrian only, crime is very low, and the biggest risk is sunburn and sore legs from the steps. It is a place where kids can run ahead on the Stradun without worry.
How many days do you need in Dubrovnik with kids?
Three to four days is the sweet spot. That gives you time for the wall walk, the cable car, Lokrum Island, a beach day, and a day trip to Montenegro or the Elaphiti Islands without rushing. Two days is possible but tight.
Is Dubrovnik too crowded for families?
In July and August, yes, it can feel overwhelming. Cruise ships bring thousands of day visitors and the old town is small. Come in May, June, September, or early October and it is a completely different experience. Warm enough to swim, calm enough to enjoy.
Can you swim in Dubrovnik?
Yes. Banje Beach is right outside the Ploče Gate. Lapad Beach has more sand and is better for younger kids. Lokrum Island has rock swimming and the saltwater Dead Sea lake. The water is clear and warm from June through October.
How much does a family trip to Dubrovnik cost?
Dubrovnik is one of the pricier destinations in Croatia. A week for a family of four staying in a good apartment inside the walls or a mid range hotel at Lapad, with meals out, wall walk tickets, cable car, and a day trip, runs roughly €3,500 to €6,000 not counting flights. Flights from the US to Dubrovnik usually connect through a European hub.
Plan Your Dubrovnik Trip
I help families plan trips to Croatia every year. Let me handle the hotels, the transfers, the timing, and the parts that are hard to figure out from a search engine.
