Best time to visit Dubrovnik
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart recolours live for your heat & sea limits 27°C · sea 29°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
Default 29 °C is the Beach Climate Index "bathtub" line (Morgan et al.) — where the sea stops being refreshing and starts feeling like a warm bath.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Dubrovnik
30 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Dubrovnik).
- 1
Dubrovnik Private Game of Thrones Walking Tour - 2
Dubrovnik Tuk Tuk Tour: Best Views & Photo Stops - 3
Adults Only Sunset Cruise in Dubrovnik on a 16th-Century Karaka - 4
Dubrovnik Day Tour: Montenegro with Kotor, Perast, Boat Ride - 5
Private Montenegro Day Trip from Dubrovnik - 6
Private Elafiti Islands Luxury Speedboat Tour from Dubrovnik - 7
Small Group Blue Cave and Sunj Beach Boat Tour from Dubrovnik - 8
Dubrovnik: Discover the Old Town Walking Tour - 9
Dubrovnik Old Town History - Small Group Walking Tour - 10
Full-Day Elaphite Islands Cruise from Dubrovnik with Lunch - 11
Blue and Green Caves Boat Tour from Dubrovnik with Šunj Beach - 12Blue Cave and Elafiti Islands Speedboat Tour from Dubrovnik
- 13
Dubrovnik: 2- or 3-Hour Morning Sea Kayaking & Snorkel Tour - 14
Dinner in the Sky Dubrovnik - Dine 50m Above Ground - 15
Private Elaphite Islands Speedboat Tour from Dubrovnik - 16
Full-Day Private Boat Tour of Elafiti Island from Dubrovnik - 17
Private Speedboat Tour: Caves Beaches Islands and more - 18
Private Boat Tour-Elafiti islands,Blue and green cave,Sandy Beach - 19
Private Sightseeing Tour in Dubrovnik with a Classic Old Car - 20
Private Blue Cave & 7 Caves Speedboat Tour + Drinks & Snorkel - 21
Dubrovnik Old City Private Tour - 22
Luxury Private Boat Trip to the Elaphiti Islands from Dubrovnik - 23
Private History Old Town and City Wall Tour in Dubrovnik - 24
Private 3-hour Game of Thrones Tour in Dubrovnik with City Walls - 25
Private Boat Tours Dubrovnik Elaphiti islands & Blue cave - 26
Stronghold Dubrovnik History Tour of Old City - 27
Dubrovnik Game of Thrones Tour + Lokrum & Iron Throne option - 28
Dubrovnik: 7 Caves & Blue Cave Speedboat Tour (4h) - 29
Game of Thrones and Old City Walking Tour in Dubrovnik - 30
E-Tuk Tuk Tour in Dubrovnik
Last refreshed 2026-08-13.
Similar climatesCavtat97% · Salerno96% · Positano95%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Dubrovnik (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Dubrovnik's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4–12 | 9 | 13 | 180 | 13.8 | 64% | 17 | 157 | 1 | Quiet | 5 |
| Feb | 5–13 | 10 | 9 | 138 | 15.3 | 63% | 17 | 172 | 2 | Quiet | 7 |
| Mar | 6–14 | 11 | 12 | 147 | 12.3 | 59% | 17 | 212 | 3 | Quiet | 7 |
| Apr | 9–17 | 15 | 11 | 128 | 11.6 | 59% | 17 | 233 | 5 | Moderate | 7 |
| May | 14–22 | 22 | 12 | 122 | 10.2 | 62% | 15 | 270 | 6 | Moderate | 8 |
| Jun | 19–27 | 28 | 7 | 71 | 10.1 | 61% | 12 | 295 | 8 | Busy | 9 |
| Jul | 22–31 | 32 | 3 | 23 | 7.7 | 49% | 14 | 320 | 8 | Peak | 7 |
| Aug | 22–30 | 32 | 7 | 57 | 8.1 | 52% | 14 | 299 | 7 | Peak | 6 |
| Sep | 18–26 | 26 | 8 | 98 | 12.3 | 57% | 17 | 236 | 5 | Moderate | 9 |
| Oct | 13–22 | 21 | 10 | 134 | 13.4 | 65% | 15 | 210 | 3 | Quiet | 8 |
| Nov | 9–17 | 15 | 13 | 176 | 13.5 | 68% | 17 | 144 | 2 | Quiet | 6 |
| Dec | 7–13 | 11 | 15 | 247 | 16.5 | 72% | 18 | 128 | 1 | Quiet | 4 |
UV Index in Dubrovnik by Month
UV index in Dubrovnik peaks at 8 (very high) in July, dropping to 1 (low) in January. July reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
Best months in detail
June
9/1019–27°C (feels 28°C) · 7 rain days (71h) · 295 sun hours · 61% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 8 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
September
9/1018–26°C · 8 rain days (98h) · 236 sun hours · 57% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
May
8/1014–22°C · 12 rain days (122h) · 270 sun hours · 62% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 6 (high)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
5/104–12°C (feels 9°C) · 13 rain days (180h) · 157 sun hours · 64% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
February
7/105–13°C (feels 10°C) · 9 rain days (138h) · 172 sun hours · 63% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 3 (moderate)
March
7/106–14°C (feels 11°C) · 12 rain days (147h) · 212 sun hours · 59% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (moderate)
April
7/109–17°C (feels 15°C) · 11 rain days (128h) · 233 sun hours · 59% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
July
7/1022–31°C (feels 32°C) · 3 rain days (23h) · 320 sun hours · 49% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 8 (very high)
August
6/1022–30°C (feels 32°C) · 7 rain days (57h) · 299 sun hours · 52% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
October
8/1013–22°C · 10 rain days (134h) · 210 sun hours · 65% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (moderate)
November
6/109–17°C (feels 15°C) · 13 rain days (176h) · 144 sun hours · 68% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low)
December
4/107–13°C (feels 11°C) · 15 rain days (247h) · 128 sun hours · 72% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
The cap is on people, not ships — and they stay longer now
Dubrovnik's Old Town used to take ten or more cruise calls in a single day, landing upwards of ten thousand people inside walls that enclose a few hundred metres of street, and UNESCO warned the city risked its World Heritage listing. The rule that answers that is widely misquoted as a limit of two ships a day. The port authority's published berthing policy contains no ship count at all.
What it sets is a ceiling on simultaneity: the number of cruise passengers inside the inner city at any one moment cannot exceed an expected 4,000. Alongside it sits a berth-booking arrangement the port calls the 2+1 principle — two large ships at the port and one in front of the Old City — and a separate planning target of 8,000 passengers a day drawn from a sustainability study, which the authority acknowledges is exceeded on 18 of 243 cruise days.
The same policy pushes in the opposite direction on timing. Eight hours is the minimum stay, twelve for vessels carrying 4,000 or more, the hours between midnight and 8am do not count toward it, and afternoon and evening calls are explicitly provided for. Ships below 500 passengers are outside the rules entirely.
Sources: Dubrovnik Port Authority — Cruise Ship Berthing Policy for 2027 (14 August 2025) , Dubrovnik Port Authority — Dubrovnik cruise destination, joint booking and the 2+1 principle
What is the best time of year to go to Dubrovnik?
May, June and September. All three give warm, swimmable sea and lighter cruise traffic than the midsummer peak. July and August combine the strongest heat, near 29C, with the heaviest port calls, and walking the city walls at midday in August is genuinely punishing — there is almost no shade on the circuit. September holds the warmest sea of the year.
Is Dubrovnik very expensive?
In July and August, yes — it is among the priciest spots on the Adriatic, and the walled Old Town has limited accommodation to spread demand across. Rates fall sharply either side of that, and in May or October you can pay close to half the August figure while getting better walking weather. Eating a few streets back from the Stradun also cuts costs noticeably.
What is the best month to visit Dubrovnik?
May, June or September. July and August bring the strongest heat, the highest prices and the heaviest cruise-ship traffic through the Old Town gates. September keeps the Adriatic warm for swimming while the crowds ease, and May offers the best value with comfortable walking weather on the city walls.
Is it warm enough to swim in the sea in Dubrovnik in May?
For most people, marginally. The Adriatic warms slowly and May water is still cool — swimmable for the hardy, brisk for everyone else. June is the first month most visitors swim comfortably, and September is the warmest sea of the year, well after the air has started to cool.
When to avoid Dubrovnik?
July and August, and any day with heavy cruise calls — check the port's published schedule. Do not count on the afternoon clearing: the minimum stay in port is eight hours, twelve for ships carrying 4,000 or more, and evening calls are permitted. Early morning on the walls is the more reliable escape than late afternoon.
What is prettier, Split or Dubrovnik?
Dubrovnik is the more dramatic set piece — intact walls above the Adriatic, and a single unforgettable view from the ramparts. Split is larger and more lived-in, built around Diocletian's Palace, with better transport links and lower prices. Dubrovnik for spectacle, Split for atmosphere and value.
How many days do you need in Dubrovnik?
Two full days. One for the Old Town and the city walls — walked early or late, not at midday — and one for Lokrum island, the cable car to Mount Srđ, or a boat to the Elaphiti islands. A third day allows a trip to Montenegro or the Pelješac wine region.
What not to miss in Dubrovnik?
The circuit of the city walls, ideally at opening time or in the last hours before closing — it is roughly 2 km, largely unshaded and punishing at midday. Then the cable car to Mount Srđ for the view down onto the Old Town, and a boat to Lokrum island, which is fifteen minutes away and far quieter.
Is Dubrovnik worth visiting?
Yes — the walled Old Town is among the best preserved in the Mediterranean and the wall circuit is genuinely unusual. The honest caveat is congestion: it is small, walled and receives heavy cruise traffic, so the experience depends greatly on when you arrive. Shoulder season or a light port day transforms it.
How many cruise ships can dock in Dubrovnik in a day?
There is no limit on the number of ships. The port authority's berthing policy caps the cruise passengers inside the inner city at an expected 4,000 at any one time, and books berths on a 2+1 principle — two large ships at the port, one in front of the Old City. The widely repeated two-ships-a-day rule is not what the current published policy says.
Frequently asked questions about visiting Dubrovnik
When is the best time to visit Dubrovnik?
June is the highest-scoring month (9/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 19–27°C (7 rainy days). The top three months by score are June, September, May.
What is the worst time to visit Dubrovnik?
December is the lowest-scoring month (4/10). Typical conditions: 7–13°C (15 rainy days).
Is Dubrovnik too hot in summer?
2 months (July, August) trip the heat deal-breaker in our scoring: apparent temperature crosses the comfort cap, so even with clear skies and low rain the score is held down. Plan around it if heat tolerance is low.
When are crowds lowest in Dubrovnik?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in December and peaks in July. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Dubrovnik have good weather but fewer tourists?
October (climate 8/10, crowd index 25) and February (climate 7/10, crowd index 10) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Dubrovnik by month?
UV peaks at 8 (very high) in July and is lowest in January at 1 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan 1, Feb 2, Mar 3, Apr 5, May 6, Jun 8, Jul 8, Aug 7, Sep 5, Oct 3, Nov 2, Dec 1. July reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
What is the UV index in Dubrovnik in July?
July is the peak UV month in Dubrovnik, with a daily-peak UV index of 8 (very high). At this level, sunburn can occur in under 20 minutes on unprotected fair skin. Apply SPF 50+, wear protective clothing and a hat, and avoid direct midday sun (11:00–17:00).
How high can UV get in Dubrovnik on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. June is the worst case: typical days average UV 8 (high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 9 (very high) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: February, April, June, August, September. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.
Is air quality in Dubrovnik bad for travelers?
PM2.5 (fine-particle pollution) exceeds the WHO sensitive-group guideline (15 µg/m³) in 3 months: February, March, August. The worst month is March with a typical-day mean of 10 µg/m³ (moderate); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 16 µg/m³ (unhealthy for sensitive) and higher. People with asthma, heart conditions, or sensitive children may want to avoid these months or limit outdoor activity. Source: CAMS via Open-Meteo.