The year at a glance
Three gauges, month by month. They show the sea, the air and the crowds, so you can pick the part of the year that suits you. Swipe the tables sideways to see every month. Wayfa doesn’t rate places as “best”. That depends on what you like.
Sea temperature, °C
Yellow means 20 °C or more. That is Wayfa’s own cut-off for comfortable swimming, not an official one. The source has sea figures for these four places only.
| Place | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Split | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 13 |
| Hvar | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 17 | 15 |
| Rijeka | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 17 | 14 | 12 |
| Rab | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 17 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 21 | 17 | 15 | 12 |
Months at 20 °C or more:
- Split: Jun to Sep
- Hvar: Jun to Oct
- Rijeka: Jun to Sep
- Rab: Jun to Sep
Air temperature, °C
Daily averages. A darker blue means warmer.
| Place | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Split | 6 | 9 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 23 | 27 | 26 | 22 | 19 | 13 | 11 |
| Dubrovnik | 8 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 17 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 20 | 14 | 12 |
| Zadar | 6 | 8 | 9 | 14 | 17 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 21 | 18 | 12 | 10 |
| Rijeka | 5 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 16 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 16 | 11 | 8 |
| Hvar | 8 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 17 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 20 | 14 | 12 |
| Vis (Komiža) | 9 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 17 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 20 | 15 | 13 |
| Rab | 7 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 17 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 18 | 13 | 9 |
| Mali Lošinj | 7 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 17 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 18 | 13 | 10 |
Crowds along the coast
Yellow is the peak. This row is the same for every coastal place. It follows the Rough Guides description of the seasons: July and August are peak, late May and June are quieter, September has fewer crowds, and October is very quiet.
| Place | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crowds | Off | Off | Before | Before | Before | Quieter | Peak | Peak | Fewer | Quiet | Off | Off |
Sources: the Croatia Charter temperature tables (monthly averages; the page doesn’t say which years they cover, so treat them as approximate) and Rough Guides, when to go. Checked 12 November 2026.
Summer: June to August
- Zadar and the Kornati Islands (June). Walk the Riva to the Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun and watch the sunset. Take day trips to the Kornati archipelago.
- Vis (July). Explore by bike or scooter, visit Stiniva Bay and the Blue Cave near Biševo, and eat seafood in the konobas.
- Hvar (August). Hvar Town’s harbour, promenade and Venetian fortress, plus lavender fields and vineyards inland.
- Plan for the crowds. Rough Guides says July and August are peak season, rooms fill up, and ferries are busy, so arrive at the port early. Late May and June have less crowded beaches.
- Check your boat. Some lines change by season. The Split to Hvar catamaran has a summer timetable, and Split to Brač has different times from 1 June to 30 September.
Autumn: September to November
- Split and the islands (September). See Diocletian’s Palace, then go island hopping to Šolta, Brač, Vis and Hvar. A one-way route to Dubrovnik can include Korčula, Mljet, Šipan and Lopud.
- Swimming. Rough Guides says September is warm enough for beaches and swimming, with fewer crowds, and the sea in October is still warm enough for watersports.
- Things close. Towards the end of September many islands close their bars and restaurants for the winter, and in October coastal towns are very quiet and it is rainier and cooler.
- November. Rough Guides calls November good for city sightseeing, with coastal hotel prices that can be more than 50 percent lower than in peak season. The Opatija Riviera has spas and the Lungomare promenade.
Winter: December to February
- Dubrovnik Winter Festival. Last year’s festival ran from 29 November 2025 to 3 January 2026, with festive lights, Advent stalls, an ice rink, an Advent train and open-air concerts on the Stradun. Check the Dubrovnik Tourist Board page for this year’s dates.
- Rijeka Carnival (February). The International Carnival Parade is held on the Sunday before Shrove Tuesday.
- Mild coast. Rough Guides says coastal winters are mild. Inland, snow is common in January and highland transport is often disrupted.
Spring: March to May
- Dubrovnik in March. Walk the Old Town and the city walls in the quieter off-season. In late March the Festival of Oysters takes place in Ston, on the Pelješac Peninsula.
- Korčula in April. The island’s three religious brotherhoods hold Easter processions during Holy Week.
- Plitvice Lakes in May. The Lower Lakes take 3 to 4 hours. Zagreb or Zadar work as bases for day trips.
- Weather. Rough Guides calls March to mid-May warm and dry, before the tourist season. By mid to late May southern Dalmatia can be warm enough to swim.
Sources: the visitcroatia.com month-by-month guide (places and events), Rough Guides (seasons and crowds) and the Dubrovnik Tourist Board. Checked 12 November 2026. Event dates change each year, so confirm them before you book.
