Advice wanted - Mostar and Dubrovnik with kids?

[Moo2019]

Hi, I’m looking for a holiday next year for my family (including two four year olds). I love the sound of Mostar and have planned a little itinerary. Does anyone who knows this area have any input? Also would love recs of where to stay

Day 1
Fly to Dubrovnik
Transfer to Mostar

Day 2
Explore Mostar

Day 3
Day Trip to Blagaj and Počitelj

Day 4
Kravice Waterfalls

Day 5
Transfer to Dubrovnik

Day 6
Explore Dubrovnik

Day 7
Day Trip to Lokrum Island

Day 8
Fly home

We did this exact trip this summer. It was spectacular. You will absolutely love it with kids. So much to see and learn and Bosnia is beautiful and so untouched. The colour of the water there is something else.

I would also say you're trying to do too much. I wouldn't bother with Blagaj, I'd do two days Dubrovnik, two days Mostar, two days Kravice and an extra day in Dubrovnik at the end.

You could Mostar in a day, it's so cheap though, definitely have a three course meal. We stayed in Cavtat, Croatia and did a coach trip to Mostar and the waterfalls. It felt enough. Kids were 6 and 7

Loved the islands around Dubrovnik too

@Beula82 that makes me so excited! Is there anything I should cut out? And where did you stay?

@Beula82 sorry seen your second comment now. Is Blagaj not worth it?

Stayed in blagaj over summer and it's nice, with some lovely restaurants. Mostar gorgeous too, Dubrovnik was nice, careful with where you're staying as it's challenging with stairs. Dubrovnik is about twice as expensive as Mostar/anywhere in Bosnia in case that's a consideration too

We quite liked Blagaj, you can do it in half a day though. Bosnia is very pretty. We drove Mostar - Kotor - Dubrovnik and it was very doable.

I'm assuming that you are hiring a car? You will probably want to look for somewhere outside of Dubrovnik old town with parking and then either take a bus or Uber to the walled town. The taxis which sit just outside the walls are a lot more expensive. There is quite a lot of accommodation in the Lapad area (some places may be walkable - we stayed further out so used Uber)

@ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea I think we want to avoid hiring a car if possible. We will arrange a transfer to Mostar and then spend a few days there, maybe some trips with taxis and then come to Dubrovnik for the last few days. I’m looking at accommodation now in Dubrovnik and it’s extortion though!

I took my kids to Croatia this year - we stayed in Dubrovnik two nights but much preferred our stays in Cavtat and Kolocep island.

Dubrovnik is beautiful but it was very crowded, and hotter and more expensive than anywhere else. Are you going in summer?

I’d consider staying in Cavtat or Kolocep and doing a day trip to Dubrovnik. Cavtat has regular ferry boats to the old town, it’s a nice place to stay. Kolocep is a little trickier to/from Dubrovnik as the ferries go from the new port rather than the old town, but doable.

Stay in Cavtat, just a cheap bus ride or short ferry trip to Dubrovnik. Much cheaper and really pretty.

@stepfordwifey great advice thank you - it looks lovely there!

@stepfordwifey ok we will def stay in Cavtat, it looks gorgeous. Do you have any recs of where to stay?

If I had my pick I would stay as close to the old town as possible, although not on the main harbourfront road which is quite hectic in summer. There are some air bnbs in the back streets of the old town itself (the street called Prijeko and streets off it) - if they are available I think they’d be great as are walking distance to everything. We were late to book and had an airbnb quite far out of the centre but Ubers were cheap and readily available.

Beach Rat is a nice cove/rocky area to swim at and the restaurant there is good too. The next beach over is larger and has an inflatable obstacle course if you have kids with you, but we preferred Rat.

Just wanted to pop on to say we went to Dubrovnik in August and it was boiling and very, very crowded.
Beautiful, but my advice would be to go out of peak season if possible.

I wouldn’t go to Dubrovnik in high summer w small children. It’s very hot and madly busy. Gorgeous place though!

@NancyJoan thanks, we’re going end of June

We stayed in Hotel Croatia Cavtat. Look it up on Trip Advisor. Breakfast included and we got an upgrade to a fabulous sea view although most rooms look as though they face that way. Not expensive in June when we went and lovely pools. Gorgeous waterfront restaurants within strolling distance.
Be careful to take the bus that stops in Dubrovnik old town and not the one that goes straight to the port! We had to jump on another to get back! Kids might enjoy the little ferry though.
Loved Croatia. Cavtat very close to airport for return.

To be honest, I'd give Mostar a miss and stick to trips up the coast. Stunning!

Another vote for hotel Croatia. We only stayed locally round Dubrovnik and did a trip to Montenegro when we went a few years ago. Hoping to go back when DS is a bit older as there's so much more to see and do

@ringmybe11 I think prices have just got mental. Four nights at Hotel Croatia is nearly £1k !!

Lucky you, OP - I've been meaning to visit Dubrovnik for years, based on reading and loving this 1930's novel, where the heroine visits Dubrovnik (plus Ombla and Split) and rediscovers herself in a remarkably contemporary way. Superb descriptions of the architecture, landscape and botany. Just fab. dauntbookspublishing.co.uk/book/illyrian-spring/

The only thing that puts me off is hearing of the crowds of Game of Thrones tourists - can any folk who've visited off-season say how much of a nuisance they found them?

We’re just back from a brilliant half-term trip to Sarajevo - Mostar - Kotor - Dubrovnik.

We loved Bosnia & Herzegovina - Sarajevo was great, Mostar’s stunning and we were lucky to visit Počitelj when it was really quiet and just magical. We stayed at the Hotel Bristol in Mostar which I’d recommend. Our room (a family suite on the top floor) was a bit dated in terms of decor but was huge with separate rooms for us and the kids, and amazing views of the river. The location was close to the old town and there was a great play park a few minutes away.

We preferred Kotor to Dubrovnik, although the kids loved the Valamar hotel we stayed at Babin Kuk on the Lapad peninsula Dubrovnik (it included free entry to an amazing kids play area called Maro World which was great fun on a drizzly afternoon).

You don’t mention time of year you’re thinking of visiting but as others have said, summer will be very busy and incredibly hot. Our guide in Mostar described temps reaching well over 40c in summer - so definitely worth considering late spring / early autumn.

Dubrovnik was lovely but very busy in the daytime with tours - in the evening it was still lively but the big cruise groups had all disappeared and we felt we could enjoy it more. Preferred Split, Mostar, Perast & Kotor, we went to Budva for a morning and were really glad we had picked Kotor to stay in, I’d avoid that resort! September was a good time to go as it was still beautifully warm but not too much for sightseeing.

Just jumping on as I'm looking for a mummy - son adventure and wondered if anyone had any comments about travelling solo.

Son would be 4yrs old. Possibly looking and day trips from Dubrovnik, although worried the time on the road might be a bit much.

Would private transfers be safe?
I have travelled solo and with my son before, but usually stick to public transport.