Our 2-Days Family Holiday in Dubrovnik, Croatia

Croatia is a small country in the eastern part of Europe. It lies on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea. On the western shore is Italy. A large part of west Croatia lies along the sea. Apart from the lovely pebbled beaches and emerald green waters, the country is blessed with lovely rivers, waterfalls and many lovely historical sites which tourists can enjoy.

During one of the Easter vacations, we took a 9-day holiday in Croatia, Europe, in which we covered the Dalmatia region and visited the following places:

1. Dubrovnik
2. Ston
3. Mljet
4. Split
5. KRKA National Park
6. Zadar

In this article, I share our experience during the first leg of our holiday, two days in Dubrovnik. This includes information about travel, accommodation, the places we visited, restaurant reviews, and some tips based on my experience. I hope my readers find this article helpful when planning their holiday in Dubrovnik.

Look at the map below to better understand the locations and the plan. The areas marked in grey, blue, purple, and orange comprise the Dalmatian region, which includes all the places mentioned in the list above.

First, let’s look at the itinerary we followed in Croatia:

9 Days Holiday Itinerary in Croatia:

Day 1: Morning-Fly from Frankfurt to Dubrovnik; Explore Dubrovnik (Stay at Dubrovnik)

Day 2: Explore Dubrovnik (Stay at Dubrovnik)

Day 3: Drive to Mali Ston and Ston; Explore Ston Walls; Use ferry and car to reach Mljet island. (Stay at Mljet)

Day 4: Explore Mljet (Stay at Mljet)

Day 5: Use a ferry and car to reach Split (Stay at Split)

Day 6: Explore Split (Stay at Split)

Day 7: Drive to KRKA National Park; Spend a day; Drive to Zadar (Stay at Zadar)

Day 8: Explore Zadar (Stay at Zadar)

Day 9: Explore Zadar; Evening flight to Frankfurt

Looking at the map above, you will understand that Dubrovnik, where we landed, lies in the southern part of Croatia. We picked up a rental car from Dubrovnik Airport. We broke our journey into parts, drove towards the north for over eight days, and reached Zadar, which lies north of Dubrovnik. We returned the rental car at Zadar Airport and took a flight back home (to Frankfurt, Germany).

If I write about the entire holiday in one article, it will become too long, so I shall have split the itinerary into four parts:

Leg 1: It includes arrival at Dubrovnik, Exploring Dubrovnik and leaving for Ston
Leg 2: Exploring Ston, Mali Ston and Mljet Island
Leg 3: Exploring Split
Leg 4: KRKA National Park and Zadar

This article is about the first leg of our holiday.

About Dubrovnik:

Historically known as Ragusa, this small town in the south of Croatia, along the Adriatic Sea, has a history like no other. Around the 7th century, Dubrovnik was under the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire) and later under the Republic of Venice. Between the 14th and 18th centuries, it was a free state. During this period, a devastating earthquake in the 17th century severely damaged this city.

During the Napoleonic Wars in the 1800s, French forces occupied Dubrovnik. Later, in the 19th and 20th centuries, it became part of the kingdom of Dalmatia under the Austrian Empire. In 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence, shelling caused significant damage to Dubrovnik.

After undergoing repair and restoration in the 1990s and early 2000s, it stands as we see it today.

Today, when you visit the old town, you can see glimpses of its past in the various structures, market squares, historical monuments, churches, palaces, and towers.

Dubrovnik is also a popular destination for Game of Thrones fans, as this is where the show was largely shot.

Arrival at Dubrovnik:

Since we live in Germany and the nearest big airport in Germany is Frankfurt, we took our flight from there and reached Dubrovnik Airport in about 1.5 hours. This gave us enough time to explore the city even on the day of our arrival.

You can check your flight options here.

Depending on your location, you can also arrive in Dubrovnik by train or car.

Accommodation at Dubrovnik:

Since we are a family with kids already in their teens, having enough space for each of us is essential. Hotel rooms are not spacious and restrict everyone to a small room. So, off late, we have started booking apartments/homestays. We usually reserve a flat or house, preferably with an equipped kitchen and a minimum of two bedrooms, so that each of us has our own space and there is always an option of cooking something.

As a family, we like having a good breakfast and starting our day, and homestays allow us to make simple meals at home. Also, we like exploring the local supermarkets, finding what’s new, and trying out foods and drinks that are locally available. An apartment is an excellent option for all the people who want to add this to their holiday experience.

My tips for choosing accommodation in Dubrovnik:

1. It is best to stay near the old town as that is where you will spend most of the time. Apart from some beaches, there is little to see in other parts of Dubrovnik.

2. Check with your accommodation provider regarding car parking. If possible, book accommodation that provides a parking spot. It is challenging to find car parking in Dubrovnik. Public parking near the old town is expensive. So, if you are there with your car, ensure you have a permanent parking spot. If you stay near the old town, you can leave your car parked and walk down to the old town (which you have to explore on foot anyway).

We booked an apartment, which was very close to the old town. Here is a view of the old town from our apartment.

Check out similar apartment accommodations in Dubrovnik here.

Travelling in Dubrovnik ( and also reaching other destinations in Croatia)

For the entire trip, we booked a car through SIXT. SIXT is a car rental company which operates in many countries. After doing our research, we found that they had many cars from which we could choose and their prices were similar to those of their competition.

If you book a rental car from SIXT, here is what you must do. At Dubrovnik Airport, walk straight towards the bus parking area after exiting the airport. Near that, you will find booths of many car rental services. SIXT is also located there. Show them your online booking, passport and driving licence at their office. They will do a quick verification, understand your travel plans in Croatia, and suggest insurance. The whole process will take about 15 minutes. Then, you will be handed over the car along with the car documents and the key ( all of which must be returned after the trip).

Here is what our 2 days in Dubrovnik looked like:

Day 1:

After our arrival in Dubrovnik, we took the rental car from the airport and drove to a restaurant called Domestico. It was quite close to the airport and on the way to the old city, where we had booked our accommodation. My review of the restaurant is posted here.

Then we headed to our accommodation in the old town. We booked an apartment, which was very close to the old town.

We parked our car just outside our apartment and reached the old town on foot. After exploring the old town for an hour, we took a walking tour of the old town.

Walking Tour of the Old Town Dubrovnik:

We took a walking tour of the old town, which helped us understand the landmarks, such as market squares, churches, and towers. The local tour guide showed us all the important landmarks and narrated interesting stories of how Dubrovnik became one of the world’s most prosperous and advanced republics. The tour lasted about 1.5 hours.

If you like history and getting a better understanding of the place you are visiting rather than casually seeing places, a walking tour with a local guide is for you! A walking tour helps you understand the place better and, if done on the first day of your stay, makes you familiar with the place and helps you understand and appreciate it even more. Tour guides are usually history enthusiasts who keep the narration simple and fun while giving you a glimpse into the past and present of the place. The walking tour in Dubrovnik can be booked here.

After the tour, we walked and explored the old town on our own, had dinner at a nearby restaurant and returned to our apartment.

Day 2:

On this day, we drove up to Mount SRD and spent some time there. Then, we returned and explored the walls of Dubrovnik. We also visited a few museums. By evening, we visited Bellevue Beach.

We started the second day of the tour by driving up to Mount SRD.

A drive to Mount Srd:

Srđ is a low mountain (part of the Dinarik Alps) behind the walled city of Dubrovnik. At its top is a large white stone cross, a defensive structure built by the French during the Napoleonic Wars, an amphitheatre, and a restaurant.

Mount Srd can be reached by car, hike, or cable car. Cable car tickets can be booked at Dubrovnik Old Town. You can buy it on the spot or online on their official website.

Also, many tours, like the Buggy Safari and Panorama Zipline tours, start from here.

We drove to the mountain. Plenty of parking space is available at the top. It can be reached in about 20 minutes from the old town (approx. 7 km). After reaching the top, one can get lovely views of the old town, the island of Lokrum, and the Adriatic Sea. There is a restaurant called Panorama, where one can sit comfortably and enjoy the views. My review of the restaurant is posted here.

After coming down, we decided to visit the old city walls and a few museums after brunch at Gradska Kavana Arsenal, a popular restaurant in the old town. My review of the restaurant is posted here.

Climb the Walls and Walk around the Old Town; Visit Important Landmarks:

Dubrovnik is a walled city. Exploring the city at the ground level is free, but if you wish to climb the wall and experience the city’s beauty and its surroundings from the top, you need to buy a ticket.

The wall access costs around 25 Euros per person, so we bought the Dubrovnik Day Pass instead of just the wall access ticket. The Dubrovnik day pass costs close to 35 Euros per person and includes access to the wall, free entry to nine museums and public transport in Dubrovnik. Since we also planned to visit a few museums, we bought the Dubrovnik Pass. It can be bought online on their official website.

If you wish to include a guided tour of the wall with the day pass. The ticket costs more than the one mentioned above. You can check out more details here.

Here are some of the lovely views of the city and harbour from the walls of Dubrovnik.

We also visited the Maritime Museum, which gave us a glimpse into Dubrovnik’s maritime history and the engineering and diplomatic achievements of its people.

After walking along the walls, we came down and visited the Rector’s Palace, a Gothic palace that was the seat of the Rector between the 14th and 19th centuries when Dubrovnik was a free state.

We walked around and explored some more landmarks.

Bellevue Beach

Dubrovnik has plenty of beaches too. In the evening, we drove down to Bellevue Beach and spent some time there. Since we visited in early April, the water was still cold and unsuitable for swimming. However, it was just right to enjoy the cold breeze and a peaceful atmosphere.

We called it a day after dinner at the restaurant Mezzanave in the city. My review of the restaurant is posted here.

Day 3: Drive to Ston; Explore Ston; Head to Mljet

After having a quick breakfast in the old town at Cafe Festival, we left Dubrovnik and headed for our next destination – Ston. My review of the restaurant is posted here.

Read about the second leg of our holiday here.

Some note for my readers:

Multiple tours depart from Dubrovnik to nearby islands. If you have more days in Dubrovnik, you can include them in your itinerary.

The most popular trip from Dubrovnik is the Lokrum Island and Betina Cave Boat Tour. We did not do this tour because we already had an island tour on our itinerary (to Mljet). However, if you wish, you could explore it. Tickets for the tour can be bought online in the old town near the harbour.
Another popular tour is the Blue Cave & Sunj Beach Boat Tour. This boat trip takes you around the Elaphiti archipelago. You can visit Sunj Beach, swim through the Blue Cave and Three Green Caves on Kolocep, and enjoy drinks onboard.
Take the Sea Kayaking Tour. In this guided kayaking tour, you can explore the caves of Lokrum Island, swim at Betina Cave, watch the sunset, and enjoy some local wine.

Experiences in Dubrovnik for Game of Thrones Fans:

The Ultimate Game of Thrones Tour: Through this 2-hour English Tour, you can visit the sites where important scenes were shot and understand how they looked in Game of Thrones.
Shop for Game of Thrones Merchandise: Plenty of shops in the old town sell Game of Thrones Merchandise. You can explore them and shop there if you like.

This brought us to the end of our two beautiful days in Dubrovnik.

Here are some tips for planning your holiday in Dubrovnik:

If you plan to arrive in Dubrovnik by car, look for accommodation close to the old town and one that offers a parking space. If you stay close to the old town, you can leave your car parked and reach the old town area on foot. Public Car parking near the old town is expensive and hard to find in Dubrovnik.
The old town area is big and is completely a pedestrian zone. So, it is best to wear sturdy, comfortable shoes; otherwise, you will get tired pretty soon.
Do your homework about island trips well in advance and carry the required stuff to be well prepared. For example, if you take a swimming tour, you can pack your swimming gear, etc. Although on-the-spot bookings are possible and provide you with the required gear, you will still have to arrange for some personal stuff.

Check out many more lovely pictures from Dubrovnik here.

You can read about other holiday destinations that we have visited here.