As a tour guide I often get asked which month is the best to visit Croatia. If you wish to visit Dubrovnik, Split or the Plitvice Lakes National Park, consider visiting Croatia in…
OCTOBER. October might offer you some great travel benefits when visiting Croatia. What are 5 benefits of visiting Croatia in October?
- Prices of accommodation are lower
- Everything is still working
- The summer heat is gone
- People are expecting their winter break
- Nature is beautiful in Autumn
Of course, Croatia is stunning all year around. And there certainly is a reason why so many people visit Croatia in Summer. However, if you can fit travelling to your schedule in October, consider these benefits:
1. Prices Of Accommodation Are Lower
Even though it can still be crowded in October (Apparently, I am not the only one to advise visiting Croatia in October. Since everybody thinks there will be less people, they all come together!) However, it’s still so much more bearable than in summer.
The Laws of the Free Market can sometimes be relentless. But in this case, they are working to our benefit.
For example, 1 night in a double bedroom, breakfast included, in a five-star-hotel in Dubrovnik costs approximately 260€ in August, 200€ in September and in October… 150€. That’s approximately 40% less than in Summer.
Apart from the accommodation prices, other expenses go down as well. The entrance fees to National Parks go down dramatically, too. This is especially true of two most popular Croatian national parks, The Krka National Park and The Plitvice Lakes National Park.
2. Everything Is Still Working
Croatia is somewhat bipolar. Especially its coastline. Everything’s busy in Summer. Not just busy. Manic. You have to earn enough money to make it through the winter. However, Winter is dramatically different. Total hibernation. Standstill.

October in Croatia could be compared to an almost depleted tube of toothpaste.
You don’t want to throw it away, do you? Not just yet.
It takes time for that mania to slow down and enter hibernation, though. And October is the time to take advantage of that process in Croatia.
All the restaurants are still open. The boat lines operate. Bus lines likewise. Souvenir shops work. You can still find good ice cream (if you buy ice cream in March or April, you can be sure that it has been sitting there from last year, and it’s more ICE than CREAM).
So, basically, you get all the benefits of summer. You can still swim in the Adriatic Sea. Get a tan (make sure you go to the beach at high noon and drop the sunblock). You can still choose among many, if not all restaurants. All day tours still run. Perfect.
3. The Summer Heat Is Gone
Summers in Croatia can be paralysing. Check out my cat, Macan, trying to find some shade!

In October, though, desperately looking for shade would not be the first thing on your mind. And you would certainly welcome the sunshine as you come out of the sea.
Now, these are the AVERAGE temperatures in selected Croatian areas. Afterwards, I will list the absolute minimum temperatures and the absolute maximum temperatures, just to help you keep things in perspective.
Average temperature in July [°C] | Average temperature in October [°C] | |
Dubrovnik | 25.1 (77.18[°F]) | 17.9 (64.22[°F]) |
Split | 26.0 (78.8[°F]) | 17.1 (62.78[°F]) |
The Plitvice Lakes Area | 19.1 (66.38[°F]) | 9.2 (48.56[°F]) |
And here are the EXTREMES! First, the extreme minimums:
Absolute minimum temperature in July [°C] | Absolute minimum temperature in October [°C] | |
Dubrovnik | 14.1 (57.38[°F]) (on 7/2/1962) | 4.5 (40.1[°F]) (on 10/23/1972) |
Split | 13.0 (55.58[°F]) (on 7/9/1979) | 3.8 (38.84[°F]) (on 10/23/1972) |
The Plitvice Lakes Area | 2.4 (36.32[°F]) (on 7/22/1968) | -13.7 (7.34[°F]) (on 10/28/1905) |
And now the extreme maximums!
Absolute maximum temperature in July [°C] | Absolute maximum temperature in October [°C] | |
Dubrovnik | 37.9 (100.22 [°F]) (on 7/13/2017) | 30.5 (86.9[°F]) (on 10/1/2012) |
Split | 38.6 (101.48[°F]) (on 7/5/1950) | 27.9 (82.22[°F]) (on 10/2/2011) |
The Plitvice Lakes Area | 38.7 (101.66[°F]) (on 7/30/1947) | 28.8 (83.84[°F]) (on 10/1/1932) |
When you take all this in mind, you would know what to expect. Nevertheless, these extremes are exactly what the word says: Extreme. Unfortunately, they have become more common in the past couple of years.
On average, it rains more often than in August. However, it’s still not the boring winter rain. Mostly just transitory rain showers. So just ignore rain.
If you visit the Plitvice Lakes National Park, though, keep in mind that it can sometimes be freezing cold there even in summer, especially when it’s raining. The weather can change abruptly since the park is situated in the mountains. Despite the optimistic weather forecast, always bring a jacket or a raincoat with you.
4. People Are Expecting Their Winter Break
What’s your favourite day of the week? Many say it’s Friday. Because they know that Saturday follows.
Similarly, October announces the arrival of the much needed rest. Or hibernation.
Even if they had a chance to earn more money, many of my colleagues would rather choose not to work in wintertime. You need to charge your batteries. Especially after a draining and exhausting tourist season.
In July and August, the winter still seems too far away. Consequently, some people who work in tourism may seem exasperated and weary.

In exasperation, my friend and colleague sat right down on the sidewalk at a border crossing.
For some reason, it took over an hour for 19 passports to be scanned.
Facing such challenges on daily basis can even lead to burnout.
That is why we need our winter break. You want us to keep smiling, right?
They would still be tired in October. But there’s a difference. It will soon be over. So they make an extra mile.
On the other hand, the upside of coming in early Spring is that people are still fresh and enthusiastic. They are eager to start “feeding” again. Like the bears right after the hibernation.
5. Nature Is Beautiful In Autumn
With the Sun being lower in the sky, the colours become mellow and romantic. In some parts of Croatia, leaves turn yellow or red. And start to fall.
Croatia has its own, descriptive names for the months of the year.
In Croatian, October is “listopad”,
meaning “The Month Of The Falling Leaves”
Autumn In Dalmatia
I love Dalmatia in Autumn. The colours, scents and sounds are so calming.
Autumn at the Plitvice Lakes
However, a true explosion, even fireworks of colours, happens in Autumn at the Plitvice Lakes National Park.
I have always been delighted to take groups to the Plitvice Lakes in Autumn. It’ so unbelievably beautiful, even stunning. Awe-inspiring.
And what’s even more appealing, you get to enjoy the park in relative solitude. The summer crowds are gone. The long lines have disappeared.
My camera is full of photos I did there in Autumn. Even total amateurs like myself, can turn into professional photographers.
I’ve got hundreds more. Check them out here.