Family Traveler

20DOLCEVITAInacitylitteredwithice-creamemporiums,DolceVita–locatedonashadystreetjustofftheStradun–isoneofthebest.Graboneoftheoutdoortablesandpickfromfreshlymadepancakestoppedwithgelato,heapedsundaesandhomemadecoffeeandcake.It’sagreatspotforpeople-watching,althoughtheyalsodoconestogo.Nalješkovićeva1a``````VALAMARDUBROVNIKPRESIDENTSituatedontheleafyBabinKukpeninsula,afewminutes’drivefromtheoldtown,thePresidenthasanidyllicbeachfrontlocation,withseaviewsfromeverybedroom.TheMarokids’cluboffersadailyentertainmentprogramme,sportsfacilitiesandplayarea,witheverywatersportimaginableavailableonthebeach.Doubles(sleepinguptothree)from£1 06 b&b,familysuite(uptosix)from£21 3 b&b.valamar.comWHERETOSLEEPBESTPLACESTOEATTABASCOLocalsswearthebestpizzainthecityistobefoundatthissimpletrattoria,handilylocatedatthefootofthecablecaruptoMountSrđ.Andforfansoffusionfood,there’sevenapizzabolognese.CavtatskaUlica 11``````VILLARUŽA,KOLOČEPAnymealthatcomeswithaboattripincludedwillkeepthekidshappy,andlunchatgorgeousVillaRuza–aformerprivatevillaonthesleepyislandofKoločep- requiresa 25 -minuteboattaxiride(around£1.50ppeachway).Oncethere,there’sawonderfulalfrescoloungearea,andtablessetrightalongsidethewater.villa-ruza.comSEAKAYAKINGYoucantakeahalf-daykayaktourstraightfromDubrovnik’scitywalls,visitingnearbycoveswithanEnglish-speakingguide.Youngerchildrencansharewithaparent.Three-hourtour£24pp,minimumage 4 years.adventuredalmatia.com``````HEADTOTHEBEACHTheseawaterqualityaroundDubrovnikisexcellent.BestforfamiliesisCopacabanaBeachontheBabinKukpeninsula;thewaterisshallowandgentlyshelving,andtherearewatersportsandawaterparkwithslides,jumpsandfloats,plusloungerstohire.SHOPANDPLAYSUNGARDENSChoosefromahotelsuiteoraprivateresidencewithkitchenetteatSunGardens,whichcatersspecificallyforfamilies,withtwokids’clubs:Explorers,for 4 months-11 years;andCrew,for 11 +.Therearefourrestaurants,offeringeverythingfromItaliantoclassicCroatian,withchildren’smenusavailable.Thehotelis 11 kmfromthecitycentre.Fromaround£3,2 00 forafamilyoffoursharingatwo-bedsuite,includingflightsandtransfers,onaroom-onlybasis.radissonblu.com DOCIfyou’relookingforaseriousshoppingspreeratherthanbrowsingforsouvenirs,DOCisthecity’sbiggestmall.Familiarnames,suchasNikeandBenetton,sharethespacewithCroatianboutiques.UlMataVodopića``````GUNDULIĆEVAPOLJANAMARKETEvenkidswhohateshoppingtendtoloveamarket,andthisarrayofstallsbeneathparasolsisagreatplacetopickuppicnicsuppliesorsouvenirs.Manyofthestallssellfreshfruitandveg,butlocallavenderproducts,honeyandhomemadeliqueursarealsoonoffer.Opendaily.GundulicSquare``````SPECTACULARSUNDOWNDuskattheValamarDubrovnikPresident’simmaculatebeacht``````FIVEADAYFreshproduceatGundulićevaPoljana``````PADDLETIMEKayakingonBabinKukpeninsula``````ISCREAM,YOUSCREAM...GelatoispracticallyawayoflifeinDubrovnik``````HOPEYOU’REHUNGRYPizzasareservedextralargeatTabasco``````MAKINGASPLASH`PlayingintheSunGardensshallows``````HOWTOGETTHERE:Easyjet(easyjet.com)fliesfromGatwick,Stansted,Bristol,EdinburghandLutonfrom£36.49eachway.Jet2(jet2.com)fliesfromNewcastle,Manchester,LeedsBradford,EdinburghandEastMidlandsfrom£64.60eachway.``````HOLIDAYOPTION:ClassicCollectionoffersfournightsatRadissonBluResort&Spa,DubrovnikSunGardensfrom£3,5 58 B&Bforafamilyoffour,includingflightsandprivatetransfers.classic-collection.co.uk``````WHENTOGO:Cruisecrowdsfloodthecityinhighseason.Therearefarfewershipsintheshoulderseasons(May/June,Sept/Oct),butifyoudowanttovisitinJulyorAugust,trytoavoidThursdaysandSaturdays,whenmostcruisetraffichitstown.``````BESTFOR:Apartfromthebeachesthere’snotahugeamountforverysmallchildren.Butolderkidswilllovethewalls,themazeofskinnystreetsand,ofcourse,theendlessicecream.``````AnnabelleThorpe’sdebutnovel,ThePeopleWeWereBefore,setinCroatia,isoutnow.Quercus,£14.99DUBROVNIK:THELOWDOWN