Croatia Family Vacation: Split, Hvar & Dubrovnik - 7 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Split, Explore the City & Famed Diocletian's Palace

Welcome to Croatia! From the airport, it's a short (45-minute) drive to the center of Split. Check into your hotel and settle in before taking the rest of the afternoon to explore as your family chooses. A dynamic ancient coastal city, Split was founded 1,700 years ago by Roman Emperor Diocletian, and today its UNESCO-protected Old Town includes many impressive sites, including Diocletian's Palace, one of the best-preserved Roman buildings in the world.

Start in Peristyle Square, pointing out the 3,500-year-old sphinxes Diocletian brought back from Egypt to the kids before exploring the fourth-century Diocletian's Palace. Keeping an eye on the younger family members, wander the palace's exciting labyrinth of alleys and passageways that open up onto bustling squares and lead you to centuries-old buildings where hotels, shops, and restaurants are still in business to this day. It's the ideal place to take intrepid kids to explore, learn, and burn off that excess energy.

For stunning views over the city and Adriatic, you might like to climb the Romanesque bell tower of the Cathedral of St. Dominus (St. Duje)—considered the oldest Catholic cathedral still in use. Another option for great views and fresh air is to hike or bike to the top of Marjan Hill, just outside the city center. The "lungs of the city," the entire Marjan Peninsula is dotted with tiny centuries-old churches, large cypress and black pine trees, and Mediterranean plants and herbs. Here the kids can enjoy the great outdoors, run freely, tumble on the grass, and clamber on the playgrounds if climbing to the high point is too taxing.

Day 2: ATV Quad Family Tour (Split Day Trip)

Today is reserved for an exciting half-day (and kid-friendly) ATV tour of the Dalmatian hinterland beyond Split. You'll meet your guide for a brief introductory lesson before setting off to traverse over 25 miles (40 km) of gravel roads and seemingly endless fields along the River Cetina and the zagora. Take in the stunning scenery from the vantage of your personal ATV, stopping for a refreshing swim in the river as the mood strikes. The region is rich with archaeological finds from antiquity up to the Middle Ages, providing insight into Croatia's fascinating past.

If there's interest, you can also opt for a traditional barbecue lunch set along the river to further add to a pretty perfect day.

Day 3: Drive to Krka National Park with the Family (Split Day Trip)

Prepare for an unforgettable day trip to nearby Krka National Park, one of Croatia's top-rated parks. You'll make the drive this morning to Skradin at the entrance to the park. With seven waterfalls—the largest and most impressive being Skradinski Buk—Krka National Park is home to a network of striking waterfalls. The Krka River, another highlight of the park, carves through the limestone and creates a spectacular canyon on its 44-mile journey (70 km) from the foothills of the Dinaric Alps to Šibenik.

You can request to have a local private guide take you throughout the park or opt to discover Krka on your own, following the well-marked winding wooden paths. You'll traverse emerald pools and river islands to prime lookout spots in which to view the falls, where you'll even have the opportunity to take a dip in one of the lagoons as Krka is the only national park in Croatia where swimming is allowed. You can also visit the Krka Monastery on a boat tour of the Krka River, Visovac Island (home to the centuries-old Franciscan monastery), and Ključica, a huge fortress ruin, all of which will have the imaginations of your children running wild.

Skradinski Buk is the final of the seven waterfalls, and Mother Nature saved the best for last. Cascading 78 feet (24 m) down into an emerald lagoon wider than the falls are tall, you'll find restaurants, snack stands, and ice cream shops at the base of this postcard locale to satisfy any food-related cravings, perfect for lunch. Afterward, you'll return to your accommodation in Split.

Driving time (Split to Krka): 1.5 hours

Day 4: Ferry to Hvar, Sea Kayaking the Pakleni Islands Archipelago with the Kids

Catch an early morning ferry to the island of Hvar and check into your accommodation. A Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, Hvar is a popular destination with tourists due to its natural setting, mild climate, and historic port town of the same name. Highlights of Hvar Town include its 13th-century walls, a hilltop fortress, and the main square anchored by the Renaissance-era Cathedral.

For some of the best views of the island, Hvar Town, and the nearby Pakleni Islands, take a short walk up to the 16th-century Španjola Fortress. To cover some ground and appreciate the variation in the island landscape: from lavender plantations and olive groves to vineyards and pine woods, you may like to join a (wine-tasting) cycling or hiking tour. Though the less active might opt to rent a scooter for faster coverage of the local scenery. And not far from your hotel along the southern coast are a number of pebble beaches the children are safe to explore, including Velo Zaraće, Dubovica, and Sveta Nedilja.

In the afternoon, you'll switch gears to spend time enjoying the sun and sea from the vantage point of your kayak on a guided tour of the Pakleni Islands archipelago. A collection of 14 wooded and rocky islets, the Pakleni Islands are the most beautiful part of the Hvar Riviera and are a favorite retreat for locals and the rich and famous seeking to escape the summer heat.

Slip into your swimwear, grab your towel, and head out to meet your guide at Križna Luka beach, a short walk from Hvar Town's city center, to select your kayak (single or double) and lifejackets. Here you'll also listen to a brief safety talk as well as learn about the sea kayaking basics before paddling out to the islands. You'll get to experience the open sea and unending views of the horizon, relax on pebble beaches, and swim and snorkel the crystal clear waters, where the kids may even be able to spot the fish they saw at one of Croatia's many aquariums.

Ferry time: 1.5-2 hours

Day 5: Ferry to Dubrovnik: A Child's Stone Kingdom

Start the day early and board a morning ferry to Dubrovnik, the "Pearl of the Adriatic," where you'll have the day to explore one of the most ancient fortress cities in Europe. And while there's evidence of settlements as far back as the Byzantine era, this area only came into its own as an important power in the 13th century due in part to its strategic coastal position. Dubrovnik's long and storied history is told in its beautiful Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces, and fountains, all found within its towering fortress walls.

After checking into your accommodation, you'll want to get out and explore Old Town—a children's golden fantasy land. Head to the pedestrian-only gleaming Stradun, the city's main street flanked by secretive stairways and elusive alleys that kids can explore, ice cream in hand, past flower-bedecked windows, and under old-timey laundry lines hanging overhead. There are also the imposing 15th- and 16th-century city walls that encircle Dubrovnik and lead to several round forts; kids will love looking down over the city, harbor, and people below. You can buy your tickets near Pile Gate.

And for more of a thrill, ride the cable car up to Srđ Mountain to take in the sunset over the nearby Elafiti Islands. Here you can also explore the 19th-century Fort Imperijal before stretching your legs to enjoy unobstructed views of the city as you walk back down the hill.

Ferry time (Hvar to Dubrovnik): 3.5 hours

Day 6: Horseback Ride & Pet Animals at Honey Valley

Reserve a few hours today and escape the bustle of Dubrovnik's crowds to Medena Dolina ("Honey Valley"), a farm and petting zoo where kids meet horses, donkeys, and sheep. Once at the top of Srđ Mountain, it's a short walk away from the cable car ride to this mini animal paradise. Enjoy the fresh air and country scene as your children interact with the animals. You might like to pack a lunch to savor a picnic in the shade of the cherry orchard trees as your kids roam about freely.

Meanwhile, the more active might like to take up the reins and ride a pony or horse for an exciting riding session under the supervision of a professional trainer.

Day 7: Depart Dubrovnik

It's time to say goodbye to Croatia. Savor one more local morning and make sure to visit any corner of the city you may have missed. Keep intrepid kids entertained with a visit to the Maritime Museum, where they can learn about sea exploration through old maps, model ships, steering wheels, and navigators tours, or at the small aquarium inside St. John's Fortress (part of the wall!), home to eels, octopi, seahorses, and starfish.

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