Dubrovnik weather - The Best time to visit Dubrovnik Croatia

We recently visited the Old Town of Dubrovnik and crammed a lot into our 3 day itinerary. Find out what the weather was like. What to pack for your trip to Dubrovnik. And whether it gets chilly at night in May.

So when is the best time to go Dubrovnik?

Dubrovnik comes alive in the Springtime onwards. Springtime from April, May, June, this is the most bare-able time weather wise in a bustling city. So would work out well as the best time to visit Croatia city. I love the heat anyway but 32 degrees in a city is no fun especially with kids. Personally I think Dubrovnik may weather is actual perfection. May is the best time to visit Dubrovnik. Not too hot, but you're still going to get some beach action. But always check your weather guide before you go because mother nature can have other ideas.

Dubrovnik May weather - Dubrovnik weather in May: averages of 21 degrees Celsius by day, with lots of sunshine. Chilly evenings take a jacket/cardi.

Dubrovnik June weather - Dubrovnik weather in June: getting very hot by this time and the tours can be a bind - read about the Game of Thrones filming fiasco below.

When Planning a city break to Dubrovnik it's best if you plan the days itinerary around the weather, because not all months are guaranteed in Dubrovnik. For you to be able to get the most out of your travel planning / ideal trips and things to do.

The best time to go Dubrovnik? The sun comes up early and hot in Dubrovnik in May.

I’m happy to admit I’m a bit of a weather geek, no scratch that, I'm a massive geek when it comes to the weather. I get seriously into it, reading pressure charts, checking long range forecasts and satellite images etc. It probably comes from growing up in Manchester, where it rains and you have to grab any hint of sun by the proverbials and make the most out of it.

When planning a trip to somewhere new, this is when checking the weather really comes into its own. I think it is a very undervalued tool when it comes to planning your trip away, specifically with when to go, checking the yearly averages before booking for temperature, rainfall and hours of sun are invaluable, then when you are getting ready to go, Checking a few specific weather forecasts and noting day and night temperatures, chance of rain etc will really help you with what to pack.

I do this religiously before I go anywhere, for a 3 week trip island hopping around Thailand, or a day out in York. It has served me well, I’ve been on trips where friends were sweating in jeans, squinting in the sun and I was chilling in my shorts, Havianas and sunglasses, all because of an unexpected April heatwave that I knew was coming.

This was no different for my recent trip to Dubrovnik, I like to check in advance the Dubrovnik weather Croatia and pack accordingly.

First off, I take a bit of a broad look, what is the year round climate like ? This is key for deciding when to go. So, when is the best time to go Dubrovnik ? After my recent visit, I can confidently say that Dubrovnik May weather is great - actually pretty ideal for all the walking trips around the city. The days were nice and warm, we had averages of 21 degrees Celsius by day, with lots of sunshine. To put this is terms that are easy to understand. This was plenty warm enough for shorts and T-shirts by day, or if you are like me, a nice floaty shirt. Looks smart, but still casual and lets a bit of air waft around the armpits. Walking around was what I would class as hot to sweaty. When it came to hitting the beach, I was hot, but not too hot in just my short shorts and a smile. Sun cream was definitely needed and without it you could really feel the heat of the sun, even from early on in the morning.

Bright blue skies baking the old town walls

One point to bear in mind when thinking what to pack for Dubrovnik, is that at this time of year, so think Dubrovnik May weather/Dubrovnik April weather, is that the evenings can get cold. Now luckily, because I had set off from the UK late at night, I had chosen to wear my leather jacket, this came in handy in the evenings and I was glad of this, as I love to sit outside as much as possible. I always go for layers, it allows you to strip off and add layers as required. I can’t recommend enough taking a cardigan on a trip like this. Some might say that cardigans are a bit old fashioned, but I honestly think that real men wear cardigans and the right one can make you look much sexier. Fasten them up, wear them open, tie them round your waist the choice is yours, wear it your way. Be cool, be warm, be right for all conditions.

One thing to note with Dubrovnik May weather, is that the evenings feel a little bit chilly, the main reason for this, is the wind. It’s a bit gusty at night. As it is coastal the Dubrovnik wind certainly picks up, particularly around the old town. It seemed to absolutely blast down the main street of Stradun. Dubrovnik weather is so affected by wind, because it is open to the Strait of Otranto, which allows the Southern winds of Levant, Siloko and Ostro to whip in. We regularly saw restaurant and bar staff chasing menus down the street that had blown off tables and were setting off for Italy.

When heading to a beach resort, you probably want to think about swimming, or at least having a cheeky dip. The seas around Dubrovnik were still very cold. On one of my days there, I headed to one of the local islands, Lopud. This has a beach, called Sunj Beach that is nestled in an enclosed bay with nice shallow water, this means that it heats up quicker than choppier, more exposed seas, like those around Dubrovnik itself. The beach was in hot sun, so after a little time baking, I did venture in the sea here, but it was freezing. I went in up to waist high and then took the plunge, once the water goes over your waistband it’s do or die. I only lasted a few minutes and had to head back to shore. It certainly woke me up, but my nips could have cut glass afterwards.

So what about the rest of the year, when summer really kicks in. What is Dubrovnik June weather like ? How hot is Dubrovnik July weather ? I had a good chat with our guide on the Game of Thrones tour that we took and she was explaining that in the height of summer, it gets hot. Very hot, she told us about one of the years when they were filming Game of Thrones, the city was super busy, the old town in particular was packed. The walking tours include a lot of steps, climbing high up the top of the fort and city walls can really take it out of some people. She told us how people were collapsing due to heat exhaustion and because of the crowds in the narrow streets, ambulances couldn’t get through and so volunteers were having to help stranded people out. She said that the temperature was hitting 40 degrees some days and combined with high humidity it was stifling. So bear this in mind if you are thinking of travelling in the summer, especially in the height of summer. Dubrovnik August weather is hot, hot, hot. If you are planning on having a busy, city break style visit, including lots of activities and tours etc, then it’s probably best to avoid the main summer months. If you are thinking of something a little more relaxing and/or you love the heat, then go for it. After August it all starts to cool down. Dubrovnik September weather has an average of between 26 and 19 and degrees, with 14 hours of daylight, Dubrovnik October weather sees temperatures in the range of 22 and 15, which is pretty similar to Dubrovnik May weather. There is still a chance of rain, more so out of the main summer months, but this is to be expected from a coastal area.

Dubrovnik weather Croatia: Daylight hours / Sunrise sunset in Croatia.

Dubrovnik average sunlight hours

Dubrovnik average rainfall

So, the best advice I can give you is to check the weather before you go, find out what the temperatures mean in real terms, can you wear shorts and T shirts, can you swim, do you need a jacket, is there a chance of rain. Do this and pack accordingly. I do spend a lot of time on the weather apps, so I consider myself clued up on the best ones.

My favourites to check Dubrovnik weather Croatia are;

• BBC weather for ease of use

• MET office, for more detailed charts and cloud coverage satellites etc

• Accuweather, for detailed long range and by hour forecasting

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