When is the best time to sail in Croatia?

26 February 2025 5 min

The best time to go to Croatia on a blissful sailing charter is between April-October.

With deep blue waters, incredible rugged coastlines, and over 1,000 islands waiting to be explored, it’s no wonder that Croatia is a favourite destination among sailors. Whether it’s your first time taking the helm on a bareboat charter, or you’ve been uncovering the treasures of the Adriatic Sea for years, you’re sure to fall in love with Croatia’s natural beauty.

To help you decide when to book your dream yacht charter in Croatia, we’ve put together a guide that takes you through everything from the peak sailing season to the worst months to visit.

Best month to sail in Croatia on a yacht charter

While the sailing season runs from April-October, the high season is considered to be June, July and August. This is the most popular time to set sail around the stunning islands of Croatia.

Why are June, July and August the best months to sail in Croatia?

There are tons of reasons why July-August is the perfect time to sail in Croatia, including:

Cuisine. Croatia is renowned for its delicious cuisine all year-around, but the summer brings exquisite specialities that will leave your taste buds dancing, including Oysters, Kvarner Shrimps, Fuži and Soparnik.
A sense of privacy. Despite it being the high season, you can still uncover plenty of quiet, secluded beaches.
Plenty of culture to enjoy. During this time, you’ll experience an abundance of cultural events and festivals that will immerse you into Croatian culture, such as Špancirfest in August and Korčula Sword Dance Festival in June.
Weather. Temperatures soar in June, July and August, averaging between 23-30°C, making it the ideal time to go if you want to feel the sun on your face.The incredible weather conditions in the summer are perfect for water activities such as scuba diving, swimming and snorkelling.
Convenience for families. The high season takes place during the school summer holidays, so you won’t need to take children out of school to visit.This is the most popular time of the year to experience the Mediterranean, so if you’re bringing children with you, there are more exciting opportunities to make friends.

When is the worst time to sail in Croatia?

You might also be wondering about the worst months of the year to visit Croatia, whether you’re booking a power, skippered or crewed charter. The natural beauty of Croatia remains breathtaking all year-around, however the weather and sailing conditions are not ideal in the winter months.

Croatia experiences a typical European winter like our other Mediterranean bases in Greece and Italy, with wet, windy, dark and very cold days. To keep our customers safe, our Croatia base closes each year between mid-November and the end of March, opening up again during the spring when the sun begins to shine and sailing conditions become ideal for exploring secluded islands and hidden beaches. Your safety is our highest priority which is why we have in-depth pre-charter briefings, experienced base staff on hand to help, and plenty of useful information available for Dubrovnik and Agana charters before you set sail.

Want to ring in the New Year on the beach, or simply escape the cold? Treat yourself to a winter getaway in the Caribbean, where you’ll find beautiful sunshine, sizzling temperatures and warm turquoise waters.

When to sail in Croatia out of high season

While the winter months are not ideal for taking the helm on a power charter around Croatia, there are still months outside of the high season that you can visit the picturesque islands on a sailing holiday.

Although June, July and August are the peak months, any time between April-October will offer an exceptional sailing holiday where you can cruise around the Adriatic Sea and make memories for life.

What are the benefits of visiting Croatia outside of the high season?

Your budget is likely to stretch further. Everything from excursion costs to mooring fees can be more expensive during the peak months. Croatia and Italy, in particular, are renowned for costly mooring fees in the summer.
The sensational islands of Croatia tend to be quieter in April-May and September-October. This may provide more opportunities to connect with locals and engage with their vibrant communities, something that will take your sailing charter to the next level.
While not the high season, these months are still considered to be part of the sailing season in Croatia so you can expect impeccable sailing conditions.
Similarly to the sailing conditions, the weather can still be fantastic outside of the high season, with average temperatures in May ranging from 17-24°C.

Whether you visit Croatia during the high or low season, one of the most important things is ensuring you sail as sustainably as possible. At The Moorings, we are taking every step possible to create responsible sailing charters, including updating all our monohulls in the Mediterranean with antifouling protection. Learn more about how to sail sustainably.

Tips for choosing when to visit Croatia

We understand that choosing when to visit Croatia can feel like a difficult decision, particularly if you’ve not set sail around the majestic Adriatic Sea before. Choosing a holiday date is very personal, and you need to take a lot of factors into consideration.

To support you with this, we have put together five questions that might help you to make a decision on the best time to sail in Croatia for you:

Do you want a quieter, more peaceful sailing charter or would you prefer a lively, sociable voyage?
Are there any particular events you want to go to during your charter that only happen at specific times of the year?
Are you travelling with children (or teachers) who cannot travel during school term time?
Does anyone in your party have a preference on when to visit Croatia? Whether you’re setting sail as a family, couple or group of friends, it’s important to decide as a team.
Are you dreaming of hot days with the golden sun on your face or are you happy with shadier, cooler days?

Once you have decided when to visit Croatia, it’s time to build your quote. We can’t wait to welcome you to our base at Marina Agana soon.

If you have any questions about the best time to sail Croatia, our Dubrovnik itineraries and Agana itineraries, or any part of booking your next sailing escape with The Moorings, please get in touch with us today.

Step into paradise on a yacht charter in Croatia. Build a quote and book your dream holiday today.

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