Better to travel in Croata: end of Sept. or early October?

Posted by Heidi (Seattle, Washington) on 03/25/24 01:30 AM

My husband and I are planning a trip to Croatia this autumn. We will spend several days in Germany around the Oct. 3 holiday visiting family. We can stop in Germany before or after our 10-day trip to Croatia.

I would love advice about this. October would probably not be as crowded, but maybe not as many buses and ferries. (We do not plan to rent a car.) Our Croatia dream-trip is to fly into Zagreb, then bus to Rovinj, then to Split, ferries to Hvar and Korcula and Dubrovnik, and fly out of Dubrovnik.

So which do you think is better in Croatia: the last two weeks of September, or October 5 - 15ish?

Posted by valadelphia

03/25/24 03:52 PM

4384 posts

For me the only factor would be weather (if you have any interest in swimming, outdoor activities, etc.). You can see typical temps and precip on a site like Wunderground. There may not be a huge difference, but I would look at several recent stats to see.
The places you are going will all have ample transport year-round, but I would reconsider not using a car in Istria. Not only because the transport is not as convenient in that area (and the hill towns are appealing) but because it's a long slog from Rovinj to Split.
See the catamaran schedules on the Krilo and Jadrolinija websites. You can usually pinpoint bus schedules by googling "place name + bus station."

Posted by Kenko

Citizen of the World

03/25/24 09:45 PM

1429 posts

While visiting Dubrovnik, Korcula, Hvar and Split the last ten days of September a couple years ago, we noticed that some restaurants on Korcula and Hvar were already closed. From our apartment near Hvar Town, we heard unusually loud music and saw exploding fireworks coming from the restaurant and bar at the nearby beach clubhouse during the last evening of September. It turned out to be the employees party celebrating the end of the tourist season on September 30 and the seasonal closure of their facilities.

The Krilo Catamaran schedules also reflect this transition with changes in their sailing schedules occurring on September 30 each year.

In Dubrovnik and Split, there will be little change in the services available between September and October, although some restaurants will be closed. On Hvar and sleepy Korcula— it is noticeable
and it could affect the availability of excursions and tours you might want to take.

Posted by acraven

Washington DC

03/25/24 10:28 PM

27120 posts

At some point summer will turn to fall. When I was in Montenegro and Croatia in late September and early October of 2015, the change was already showing up at the end of September, in the form of rain, including some downpours. By around October 10 in Zagreb there came an absolute gully-washer of a day with temperatures that were unpleasantly cool once I got soaked. 2015 may have been an unusual year, but I'd opt for as early in September as I could manage. However, I am a lot more bothered by non-optimal weather than by crowding.