What is the perfect time to visit Croatia? That question is a very hard one to answer if you ask me!
Why? Well, let’s just say that there are so many ways to experience Croatia and it really depends on what you want from your trip.
Are you going solely for the sea and the beach, do you want the weather to be very hot or just warm or maybe you want to stay away from the crowds (or be part of them). We’ll cover all your options in today’s article!
What’s the best time of the year to visit Croatia?
If you ask me, September is the best month to go to Croatia. The Croatia weather conditions are excellent. It is not as hot as in August, but the sea remains warm. Accommodation prices are from 20 to 30 % lower and the crowds will fade away as school begins. This is a months of fruit such as figs and grapes.
But you can honestly visit Croatia anytime during April to September and have a good time as a tourist.
Although you can’t yet enjoy swimming in April, you will certainly find warm and shinny weather specially in Central and South Dalmatia. But you have a lot of summer/warm months to take advantage of!
So given that you are not tied to school holidays, I strongly suggest that you visit Croatia in the Shoulder Season (we’ll talk about these things in detail in a while).
This consists of the months of May and June, as well as September and October. (Split in September is amazing!) This is when you can expect the most pleasant sunny weathers you will ever experience in Croatia.
You can do the works: swimming in the sea as well as sunbathing. What’s amazing about this season is that its tourist facilities are good and functioning but there are no crowds.
Furthermore, the outdoor activities you can enjoy during this season could not be better, I tell you! You can enjoy hiking and mountain biking; and, if you are more of a water person, there is also sea kayaking as well as rafting.
On the other hand, when it comes to the Peak Seaon (that is in the months of July and August), there is a huge difference. This is the time where the resorts are super busy.
In addition, the temperatures are rising at this particular part of the year and then not to mention the surge of the prices of the hotel rooms.
However, there are still advantages as well when you visit the peak season. You will get open-air cultural events and you will definitely enjoy the cosmopolitan nightlife experience. So it’s safe to say there are pros and cons of each season.
So we have three seasons that we need to discuss when talking about visiting Croatia. I’m going to lay it all down to you right now, and of course, you decide which season you think it’s best for you to visit Croatia based on your expectation.
As mentioned, there are pros and cons to each season, and you’ll get to know those below.
Low Season
Croatia’s low season occurs from November – April. This is the time where Croatia actually sees the fewest tourists.
The low season means that it gets really really cold in Croatia those times. However, that doesn’t mean that you won’t be having a splendid time there.
The prices throughout Croatia are at the lowest of the low during this season (well it is called the “low season” for a reason). This means that it is perfect to go for an ultra-luxe holiday for the lowest of budgets.
Refrain from going to the Adriatic coast as you will find nothing but closed beaches there. The highlights of the Low Season are Christmas, the New Year as well as Carnival.
In April, beside the pleasant weather you can benefit of rather low accommodation prices. It is wise to book in advance any kind of accommodation since many Croatia hotels and camping sites are still closed.
It’s a similar situation with November – while from this month on to May, most beaches are off limits due to the weather.
High Season
This is the peak season or the travel season. It’s basically during the month of July and August. At this time of the year, the weather is consistent in being warm and sunny.
It is here that you can locate a place for yourself in Croatia’s beautiful beaches. Just to name a few, we have the Hvar Island, Split, Korčula Island, and Dubrovnik.
In Croatia’s high season, the afternoons are warm (to scorching hot) and the water is absolutely perfect for swimming. If you’re that type of person then this is definitely the season you need to go for.
However, these are not the only features that the high season has to offer. There are a lot of music festivals that you can choose from during this particular season.
You need to make sure that you are at least in one of these festivals to make your visit worthwhile. Below is a list of the music festivals that you can be a part of should you go to Croatia in their high season:
- INmusic Festival (Zagreb)
- International Folklore Festival (Zagreb)
- ULTRA Music Festival (Split)
There are still others, but these three are at the top for sure.
While the high season is definitely great for the beach and music lovers out there, there is a downside. There are a lot of tourists and the prices are at an all-time high during this season. I think it’s worth it, though.
Shoulder Season
We’ve talked about this a little bit above. The shoulder season occurs from May-June, as well as September-October.
Most of the people (including myself) consider the shoulder season as their favorite time to visit Croatia. It is on the two aforementioned time frames where you will find truly the most perfect conditions Croatia has to offer.
There are going to be times where the weather can be quite unexpected compared to it being relatively fair during the peak season, it is at this season where you can still enjoy warm weather.
What’s more is that there are few crowds, and the prices are relatively cheap. You could not ask for a better bargain than this.
May and June are two months specially convenient for outdoors activities like biking, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, climbing, hiking and walking. If you are lover of active vacations, Croatia is the right place to be. Accommodation prices are still reasonable and you can enjoy long, sunny days.
Weather in Croatia
While coastal regions enjoy the typical Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers (average temperature is around 28°C/82°F) and very mild winters (minimum temperatures are around 4°C/39°F), Croatia’s inland (see the map of Croatia) has the continental climate with hot summers and cold winters (with snowfalls).
Weather conditions, air and sea temperature differs along the Croatia Adriatic coast. These differences are more obvious in Northern Adriatic (Istria peninsula and Kvarner coast) when comparing with Central and Southern Dalmatia.
There is another factor which confirms the fact that the swimming period in southern Dalmatia (Dubrovnik, Korcula, Mljet) sometimes lasts up to the beginning of November, as the sea temperature falls more slowly.
The Beauty that Is Croatia
Croatia is definitely one of the most majestic countries in all the Earth. It is a country that is rich in mountainous landscapes as well as deep-blue seascapes. What’s great about it is that it is much much easier to visit Croatia than ever before.
There have been major improvements in Croatia in terms of its infrastructure. For one, they have extended their motorway network which is a big plus.
Another thing would be that many of their hotels have been renovated – in addition to it being given a fresh look with its modern and stylish designs.
Not only that, but Croatia has become much easier to visit. This is because of the many airlines that have opened up direct flights to Croatia. Talk about convenience!
We have Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar. These cities actually offer the likes of Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Austro-Hungarian monuments. To prove this to you, the historic centers that you can find in Dubrovnik and Split are actually world heritage sites of Unesco.
In addition, you also have the basilica found in Porec and then of course the cathedrals in Trogir and Sibenik.
Not only that, but aside from its rich history, these aforementioned cities also hosts a number of events and festivals. What I’m talking about are the summer festivals, the open-air concerts as well as theater after dark.
And let’s talk about the Croatia’s rocky Adriatic coast! It will definitely leave you speechless, I’m sure. Imagine a number of small pebble coves filled with pinewoods with the main attraction being crystal-clear blue seas. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Talk about a perfect combination, it’s no secret as to why man locals and tourists alike come and visit Croatia and all of its wonders.
It is rich with history and culture, and at that same time it has many pure and untouched landscapes and seascapes it has to offer. You definitely want to be here and now you can make a more educated choice on when to visit.
Croatia is beautiful in all seasons and you won’t be wrong, whenever you go.
Now back to you – what is your favorite time of the year to visit Croatia? Do you prefer the peak of the season or you prefer to avoid the crowds and visit in early spring or fall? Or maybe you prefer winter in Croatia? Let us know below!