Visiting Dubrovnik with kids can be a magical experience. But if you’re travelling with a toddler, baby, or young children, you might be wondering: is Dubrovnik really family-friendly?
The good news is that while Dubrovnik’s cobbled streets and steep steps can be a challenge with a stroller, there are still plenty of things to do with kids in Dubrovnik. In this guide, I’ll share the best kid-friendly activities and tips for navigating the city with little ones that I wish I’d known before visiting Dubrovnik with a toddler.
In full honesty, we had an amazing two days in Dubrovnik. We visited there on our way home from Montenegro. While Dubrovnik is extremely beautiful and well worth a visit, I believe that Montenegro is the new Croatia, and you should definitely consider visiting there instead! I’ll explain why in more detail below.
DUBROVNIK WITH KIDS QUICK PLANNING:
Best Time to Visit:
Late spring or early autumn, when the crowds are smaller than in peak summer.
Ideal Trip Length:
You can see most of Dubrovnik with our one-day itinerary. However, plan 2–3 days to explore fully.
Getting Around With Kids:
The Old Town is easy to explore on foot. It is not very stroller-friendly; try to use a carrier instead.
Where to Stay:
South Wind Apartments
(where we stayed, budget-friendly and free parking)
Apartment Gabriela
(inside the Old Town walls)
Top Things to do with Kids:
Walk the City Walls
Maritime Museum
Lokrum Island
Dubrovnik Cable Car
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Where to Stay in Dubrovnik with Kids
The Old Town of Dubrovnik is very small and easy to get around on foot. If you’re visiting Dubrovnik with kids, I would advise you to stay in or as close to the Old Town as possible.
As we came to Dubrovnik as part of a road trip, we needed a parking space. We stayed just outside the old town. (Cars are not allowed in the old town). We stayed at South Wind Apartments, which was lovely but up a big hill. Although it was easy to get to the Old Town by bus, if we return to Dubrovnik, I would make sure to stay in the Old Town. Apartment Gabriela would be my pick.
Also, if you’re visiting Dubrovnik with a toddler or baby, it is not very pushchair/ stroller-friendly. Staying in the Old Town will allow you to explore on foot, possibly using a baby carrier depending on your toddler’s age. Secondly, it will allow you to get out early and explore when the city is quieter. It’s more peaceful early in the morning, and children have more room to run about.
Getting To Dubrovnik
We decided to add a quick stop in Dubrovnik at the end of our Montenegro Road trip. So, we drove into Dubrovnik via Bosnia and Herzegovina. This was a very scenic drive.
If you’re visiting Dubrovnik as a city break, you’ll likely come into Dubrovnik’s main airport. From the airoprt, you can take a Platanus shuttle bus, which takes around 30-40 mins and costs €10 for adults, or a taxi is slightly quicker and should cost around €45.
The Best Things to Do in Dubrovnik with Kids or Toddlers
Walk the Dubrovnik City Walls
With or without kids, the main thing to do in Dubrovnik is to walk the historic city walls. The views of the old City on one side and the Adriatic Sea on the other are just incredible, but it does get crowded. We got there at 8:40, and there were already quite a few people before us. I would highly recommend getting there early to walk the Walls with fewer crowds.
It took us around 2.5 hours to walk the walls, including snack breaks. Surprisingly, this was a really toddler-friendly activity.
Make sure to pack food and plenty of water. There is a stall selling water and a cafe along the route, but they are both overpriced and the cafe was very crowded.
Walking the Dubrovnik City Walls
Our kids did so well walking the walls. It’s only about a 1.2-mile loop, but it includes over 1000 steep stair steps. There is a space to level pushchairs/ strollers at the bottom, but you can’t take them on the walls, so you’ll definitely want some sort of baby carrier.
Tickets to walk the Dubrovnik walls cost a large €40 for adults, €15 for children aged 7-18, with those under 7 going free. This is extremely overpriced, but I still think it is a European activity to check off your bucket list.
TIP: It’s worth buying the Dubrovnik City Pass. It’s the same price as the entrance to the walls, but also includes some of Dubrovnik’s other museums and public transport if you want to use it.
WE HAVE A FULL GUIDE ON TIPS FOR WALKING THE WALLS WITH LITTLE KIDS. READ IT HERE!
Enjoying Dubrovnik’s City Walls
Visit Dubrovnik’s Maritime Museum
The Dubrovnik Maritime Museum is one of the museums in the Dubrovnik City Pass that I just mentioned. It is conveniently located along the City Walls walk. While it is very small compared to our Maritime Museum in London, it was interesting, and a nice way to break up walking the walls for the kids.
Dubrovnik Maritime Museum
Upstairs, there is a kids’ area with a model boat and other maritime-themed activities that the boys enjoyed playing with. This is a really fun activity if you’re visiting Dubrovnik with a toddler.
Children’s Area in the Maritime Museum
Spot Game of Thrones Filming Locations
Dubrovnik is known for being a filming location for the iconic Game of Thrones series. If you’re visiting with teens, or even parents who are Game of Thrones fans, they may be interested in spotting some of the filming locations.
Our children are young, so they are oblivious to the series (as am I), but my husband is a fan. He started exploinging it to our curious son, which led to many questions. This kept him entertained for quite a while, but some of the questions were tricky to answer!
Escape Showers at the Cultural History Museum
We mainly went in here as it was also included in the City Pass. Again, it is very small compared to other history museums, but it also has a children’s area, which was perfect for little kids. It was a nice way to spend an hour, especially if you happen to visit Dubrovnik on a rainy day (like our second day there was!)
Cultural History Museum
Have fun in a Playground
There are two playgrounds in Dubrovnik’s Old Town. One is at the top of a lot of stairs. It’s as if my kids could sense it as they insisted on walking up that path! It’s a very small playground and we were laughing that someone had their laundry hanging up in there!
The other is where the old moat would have been. This one is slightly bigger and more easily accessible. It’s a traditional-style playground with swings and slides. Go through the little door on the main entrance ramp to avoid the steps.
Get A Tasty, Family-Friendly Meal
There are plenty of great places to eat in Dubrovnik. One we really loved was Gradska Kavana Arsenal, located right on the harbour. We had a delicious brunch here. It has a really luxurious vibe but is also very child-friendly. I always like to eat outside, where possible, as it allows kids to have a bit more freedom. This place is spacious and has beautiful views. It also has a great baby-changing area in the bathrooms.
Brunch at Gradska Kavana Arsenal
Stop for Ice Cream
Kids and parents alike will love an ice cream stop, especially after walking the city walls. We grabbed an ice cream from Poklisar Ice Cream, which is close to the harbour and then sat by the waterfront to eat it.
They weren’t the cheapest ice creams, especially after being in Montenegro, but they did taste delicious!
Take a Ferry to Lokrum Island
We only had one sunny day in Dubrovnik, so we prioritised walking the walls and exploring the old town. If you have longer, a boat trip to Lokrum Island looks like a fun family activity.
A round-trip ticket from Dubrovnik to Lokrum Island is €27 per person, children from 5 to 15 cost 5€ and those under 5 are free.
Family Photo in Dubrovnik
Enjoy Dubrovnik’s Cable Car Ride
This is another popular activity in Dubrovnik, we sadly didn’t have time for. If you do, you’ll be treated to great views over Dubrovnik.
Again, the Dubrovnik Cable Car costs €27 for an adult round-trip ticket or €15 for a one-way ticket. Children aged 4-12 have a reduced fare of €7 for a round-trip and €4 for a one-way ticket. Children under 4 ride for free.
It is easy to spend a lot of money on family activities in Dubrovnik. One of the benefits of visiting with a baby or toddler is that they go free in most places!
Other Tips & Things to Know About Dubrovnik with Kids or Toddlers
I believe it’s always best to be completely honest about things. We genuinely had a fantastic time in Dubrovnik, but here are a few things to know before you go.
- It’s not pushchair/ stroller friendly. While you can get into the Old Town (via the main entrance) with a pushchair, some of the other entrances have a lot of stairs. It isn’t easy to explore properly with a pushchair. There are a lot of steps throughout the city, and to explore properly, you need to climb them. We used our Joolz Aer+ (which I highly recommend). I often carried our 14-month-old baby, and my husband carried the pushchair. Consider wearing a baby carrier or definitely use a lightweight pushchair.
- It’s extremely busy. Even more so on weekends. (See the photo below of Dubrovnik’s main street at around 11 am) It was difficult to manoeuvre two kids through the crowds, and our 4-year-old couldn’t run about freely as he could in Kotor and other places in Montenegro.
- It’s expensive. As it’s becoming so popular with tourists, prices are rapidly rising. Walking the walls for €35 each is ridiculously overpriced, but we’re all still lining up to pay it. It’s not crazily expensive compared to some places for food and accommodation, but noticeably more than Montenegro.
Navigating Streets and Crowds in Dubrovnik
FAQ’s On Visiting Dubrovnik with Kids or Toddlers
Dubrovnik’s cobbled streets and many steps don’t make it the most toddler-friendly destination. However, there are plenty of attractions that young children can enjoy.
Honestly, no. It is not a great place for a pushchair or stroller. There are lots of steps, and you can not take a stroller along the city walls. If you can avoid using one and have a baby carrier instead, that would be best.
Yes, Dubrovnik gets very crowded. I would advise exploring the Old Town early in the morning to avoid some of the cruise ship tourists.
Thank you so much for reading our guide to Dubrovnik with kids. I hope we’ve helped you plan your next adventure.
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TIPS ON WALKING THE DUBROVNIK CITY WALLS WITH KIDS
Happy Exploring,
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