Dubrovnik is one of the most beautiful places in the world to start a sailing holiday, and one of the busiest. Between the airport transfer, the marina check-in and the first swim stop, small children can run out of patience long before the anchor goes down. A good nanny on board changes the whole week.
This guide covers how families find a yacht nanny in Dubrovnik, what the nanny actually does on board, and which routes from the city work best with children.
Where Dubrovnik charters begin
Most family charters in southern Croatia leave from one of three places:
ACI Marina Dubrovnik in Komolac, up the Rijeka Dubrovačka inlet. This is the main charter base in the south.
Gruž, Dubrovnik's main port, where many crewed and larger yachts embark.
Cavtat, a small harbour town south of the city and close to the airport.
Your nanny can meet you at the marina before the lines come off, so the children have a familiar face from the first hour.
What a yacht nanny does on board
A yacht nanny looks after your children for the length of the charter, following your routines rather than imposing new ones. On a typical day that means breakfast and sun cream, supervising swims off the platform, keeping toddlers safe on a moving deck, naps in a cool cabin, beach landings in quiet bays and an early bedtime so the adults can go ashore for dinner.
If the yacht has a free cabin, many nannies live aboard for the week. If not, they stay ashore and meet the boat each morning wherever it is moored.
Family-friendly routes from Dubrovnik
The Elaphiti Islands
Koločep, Lopud and Šipan are a short sail from the city and largely car-free. Lopud's sandy Šunj beach has shallow water that small children love.
Mljet National Park
Mljet's two saltwater lakes are calm and warm, ideal for nervous swimmers and long afternoons in the water.
Korčula
The walled old town makes a good overnight stop, with plenty to explore on foot once the sun goes down.
Cavtat and Ston
Cavtat is an easy first or last night close to the airport. Ston, with its long medieval walls and oyster farms, is a fun half day for older children.
When to book
July and August are the busiest months on the coast and experienced nannies book up early. If you are sailing in peak season, start looking as soon as your charter dates are confirmed.
For more detail on the marinas we cover, see our page on yacht nannies in Dubrovnik.
Plan childcare for your charter
Mediterranean Yacht Nannies is a referral service. We match families with experienced, English-speaking nannies for yacht charters and superyachts in Croatia, Monaco and the French Riviera, Italy and Spain. Families hire and pay their nanny directly, and we handle the search, the video interviews, the reference checks and the introductions.
Email us or message us on WhatsApp with your dates, marina and the ages of your children.
