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Dubrovnik doesn’t immediately spring to mind when looking for family friendly city breaks, however we recently spent a wonderful week here with our toddler and a great time (mostly) was had by all. This beautiful part of Croatia had the perfect balance of good weather, nearby places to explore and something to keep little ones happy. Here’s my round up of some of the best things to do in Dubrovnik with kids.

Best Things to do in Dubrovnik with Kids

Maro World – The Best Thing to do in Dubrovnik with Kids

Maro World is a large family entertainment complex and if you are staying at the nearby Valamar Hotels, then it is completely FREE to visit. We stayed at the Valamar Tirena hotel, mere steps away from Maro World. We found it was the perfect place to keep our two year old entertained in between doing grown up, sightseeing and sunbathing type things.

I wrote a post about where to stay in Dubrovnik for the perfect family holiday because honestly, Maro World was the perfect addition to our holiday. Here you will find soft play, slides, a ball pit, trampolines, Lego and Duplo tables, digital interactive games and creative problem solving activities such as construction games. There’s also a small area suitable for babies and a games lounge decked out with PlayStations and Nintendos. Additionally, there is a theatre here too where they host movie nights and discos.

If you want some adults only time, then Maro World also offer kids clubs for children aged 3 to 7 and 7 to 12 years old.

• Info: Maro World is open 9am until 9pm from April 1st until October 31st.

Beaches in Dubrovnik

Kids love the beach and although Dubrovnik isn’t known for its sandy beaches, an hour or two spent sea side is worth doing. Copacabana beach is a pebble beach on the Babin Kuk peninsula, a short walk from the Valamar Hotels. We spent some time relaxing here on a couple of occasions whilst our toddler enjoyed playing with the pebbles and her bucket and spade.

There is a beach bar here and you can hire sun loungers. Both are quite expensive (2 basic ice creams and 2 soft drinks set us back 23 euro!) so I would bring towels to sit on and your own drinks and snacks.

If you’re looking for something a little more upmarket, then Coral Beach Club is close by. Although children are welcome, we felt it wasn’t particularly suitable for an energetic toddler.

• Top Tip: If you are planning a dip in the sea, consider bringing water shoes as the pebbles are quite painful on the feet. I bought my toddler some to wear on the beach but it wasn’t really an issue for me as I kept my shoes on and didn’t go in the sea.

Lapad Promenade

Do not miss a stroll along Lapad Promenade. Lapad Promenade is a scenic walkway and is mostly stroller friendly. If you’re staying in the Babin Kuk region, then begin your walk by turning left at the Royal Hotel Neptun and follow the path from there. You’ll pass the Royal Dubrovnik swing for a great photo spot. If you’re travelling with a stroller, don’t do what we did on the way down to the promenade and cut down by the side of the Levanat restaurant – there are far too many steps!

The promenade is clean, offers stunning views across the sea and is dotted with benches, restaurants and bars along the way. We ended our walk at Uvala Lapad beach but as there was no shade here, we chose to walk back along the semi-shady promenade and pause for refreshment along the way.

• Recommendation: Stop for a drink at Cave Bar More. This quirky bar was already on my Best things to do in Dubrovnik list before I travelled. It is quite literally a bar located in a natural limestone cave. You can sit inside the cool cave for some respite from the sun. Or alternatively, sip a beverage outside and admire the views across the Adriatic. We visited during the day and children are welcome. Yes 11 euro for a mocktail is stupidly pricey but you’re paying for the experience.

Lokrum Island

Located just a 15 minute boat ride from the port in Dubrovnik Old Town is Lokrum Island. Lokrum is a car-free UNESCO protected nature reserve known for its free range peacocks, salt lake and monastery. Boat tickets cost 30 euro which covers your entry fee to the island.

If you fancy a dip in the salt lake or a splash in the sea, then remember to bring towels, swimwear and water shoes. If not, then wander the island and admire the monastery and the botanical gardens. There are a couple of spots to buy food and drink but we chose to bring a picnic as I imagine they would be quite pricey.

For kids, there is a playground for them to burn off some energy. And my daughter enjoyed spotting all the peafowl walking around. During our visit at the end of September there were many mothers and babies to spot.

Top Tip: Bring a first aid kit! My two year old was unfortunately stung by a wasp here. The visitor info centre at the port could only offer us a plaster by means of first aid.

Dubrovnik Old Town

Of course no best things to do in Dubrovnik with kids list would be complete without including the Old Town. Wander down Stradun and explore the narrow side streets. Grab an ice cream or sip something cool at a pavement cafe and watch the world go by. I recommend stopping by Nest Cats (Dubrovnik Cats) which is a small gift shop full of handmade souvenirs where each purchase goes to support the city’s street cats.

If you’re a first time visitor then you are also likely to want to walk the city walls. We did in fact manage to do this with our toddler and I will write a further blog post about my experience.

Top Tip: Leave the stroller at the hotel. Some parts of the Old Town are stroller friendly, but if you want to fully explore then many of the side streets have a lot of steps. You are also unable to take strollers onto the city walls, so something to bear in mind.

Where to stay in Dubrovnik

If you’re travelling with children then I highly recommend staying in the Babin Kuk area of Dubrovnik. It is just a 15 minute bus or taxi ride to the Old Town but still close to the beach and Lapad promenade.

• We stayed at the Valamar Tirena Hotel – just a stone’s throw from Maro World which was absolutely perfect for us. This hotel has a shallow children’s pool, cot hire, highchairs in the restaurant and even a dedicated baby food corner including a microwave, jars of baby food and warm milk.

If you found this post helpful and would like more family travel inspiration, then you might like these posts:

• Where to stay in Dubrovnik for the Perfect Family Holiday
• Binibeca in Menorca: A Family Friendly Guide
• Best Things to do in Menorca, Spain
• Best place to holiday with a toddler: Menorca
• 3 Days In Seville Spain – A Family Friendly Guide