Last Updated: July 7, 2022
Croatia is one of the most scenic countries we’ve experienced in our years of travel. It’s almost untouched in some areas. And although it is a relatively small county, it has an incredible stretch of coastline and an abundance of islands to explore.
Even though the Croatian War of Independence is considered a fairly recent one by modern European standards, ending in 1995, it certainly hasn’t damaged the beauty and charm of this fine country.
Whilst undetonated landmines form the war are still out there, they are thankfully becoming less and less of a problem. With casualties from them now very rare. But as always take precautions and don’t go too deep off the beaten track and always take note of any warning signs.
Even with that very rare hazard, Croatia is a particularly safe, clean and beautiful country and one that is great for visiting with kids. And if your children enjoy nature, the National Parks will blow them away.
Croatia Itinerary for a Family with Kids
Below is our suggested two week family itinerary for Croatia. We’ve not included any islands on this itinerary, but if you want to slot some in they can easily be added in and a day or two can be sliced off some of the other areas. Or you can just do some day visits to islands from the mainland if preferred.
1. Dubrovnik – 2. Split – 3. Plitvice Lakes – 4. Zagreb
Dubrovnik – 4 Nights
We start in Dubrovnik. And what a start it is. It is one of the most popular holiday destination in Croatia. And for good reason. With winding cobble streets, stunning buildings and a beautiful coast.
The highlight for most (including us) is the Old Town. And a walk around it’s city wall is an essential part of the visit to this magnificent city.
You can also wonder around the coastal area and, although sandy beaches are hard to come by, the pebbly beaches and rock areas are still great to relax on and dive off from into the clear blue of the Adriatic sea.
Split – 4 Nights
Split is another great coastal city. It has a nice balance of tradition and modernisation. With an energy in the evening that competes with any other European coastal area we’ve been to.
With Diocletian’s Palace and Cathedral of St Domnius being two of the incredible Roman structures that take your breath away as you wonder the cobble streets.
From here you can also take an excursion to Krka National Park. Which is a beautiful area with incredible water falls and swimming areas.
Most tours to Krka also stop at Sibenik on the way. An ancient city made almost entirely of stone, with the Cathedral of St James just one of the highlights.
Plitvice Lakes – 2 Nights
Plitvice Lakes is another one of the amazing national parks this country boasts. This one being the biggest in Croatia being over 70,000 acres.
You can do this as an excursion from many of the cities, but due to the sheer size of it and the amount to see there we decided to stay in one of the hotels nearby for a couple of nights and see it over two days. Which we would recommend as it is vast with many areas to explore.
Unlike Krka, there’s no swimming in this one. But instead it has numerous boats that can take you along the waters and some amazing boardwalks, where you can stroll along and get lost in this dreamland.
Zagreb – 3 Nights
The capital, Zagreb is sometimes overlooked and missed off itineraries when hitting Croatia. But we loved it and wish we had put more time aside for it.
Still, even with our short time here, we managed to see a lot of it. We hired bikes whilst in Zagreb, which is a really great way to see the city. And it has some great and safe bike routes for families to enjoy.
There are numerous bike hire shops available. And most offer at one or two bikes with the child seat at the back as well if you have smaller children.
You can cycle around and see some of the great sites such as Cathedral of Zagreb and St Mark’s Church. There are also a few public areas where you can take a swim to cool off after a hard day cycling.
Getting Around Croatia as a Family with Kids
National Transport
The best way to get about Croatia is coaches and ferries, especially if you are hitting the islands. But even if you’re not visiting islands, they can still be used to move around the mainland as well.
We took a 9 hour ferry from Dubrovnik to Split. We could have quite easily got the coach, but we decided we wanted a chill day and whilst a lot longer it would be more pleasant. And we got to sail through a number of the islands so got some great views as we took our journey.
On land, coaches are the main modes of transport. Since Croatia gained it’s independence in 1995 it has now constructed a motor way system. Although you may still sometimes use the single lane roads that twist and turn around the mountains and countryside.
Whilst this can lead to some stomach churning journeys on some routes, it has the bonus of a quite adventurous way of getting from A to B and you will witness some stunning scenery as you travel around
Trains are also available, but they tend to be slower and have limited reach, so rarely outweigh the speed and efficiency of the coach network.
Domestic flights are also an option with many operators. But as the country if fairly small and most stop off’s evenly spread, you’re unlikely to save much time when you take into account all the additional aspects such as getting too/from the airport, security checks etc. but they will cost a lot more. So better to stick on the roads in our opinion.
Local Transport
Walking is definitely the main method for getting about locally. Many of the towns and cities, such as Split and Dubrovnik have pedestrian only areas. And walking means you get to explore and see the winding narrow streets at a slow pace really taking it all in.
When you’re going a little further though, buses and in some cities trams are available. There easy to use and you just pay when you get on and then validate the tickets.
Finally taxis are also available and Uber operates in Croatia if this is a preferred option.
Cycling is also a really pleasant way to get about. Bike hire is available in most towns and cities, many with child seats on the back if you’re transporting a little one. We hired bikes in Zagreb and it made exploring the city really fun and we were able to get out to the outskirts more easily and really see a vast amount of the city.
Croatian Food for a Family with Kids
The Sea Food in Croatia is some of the best we’ve tasted in the world. The size of some of the prawns was just ridiculous and all for a descent price. Sitting by the Adriatic see whilst you indulge is definitely one of the best things to do in Croatia.
If sea food isn’t your thing though, there are many other options. Sharing a maritime boarder with Italy means it has an Italian influence with lots of pasta dishes on offer.
Food is the cheaper end of European pricing, so it shouldn’t hurt your wallet too much when you eat out. And if you want to save some extra pennies you can g for self catering options.
Croatian Accommodation for a Family with Kids
Accommodation of most sorts is available around Croatia. The coastal towns such as Dubrovnik and Split have the most choice of hotels, but you shouldn’t struggle to find accommodation in whatever city you find.
The usual websites such as booking.com and Airbnb can offer up anything you want. From top hotels, to basic B&Bs to home stays. You can easily find whatever suits your budget. And then it’s just a case of getting out there and enjoying this relaxing and beautiful country.