Split in Spring: April, May and June, Month by Month

The Short Answer

Come in April for the city, not the sea. It is mild, green and quiet, the old town is a pleasure to walk, and the only thing you cannot really do is swim.

Come in May if you can. It is our favourite month of the year for almost everything: warm days, long evenings, a city that is open but not yet full, and a sea that brave swimmers are already in by the end of the month. On the 7th of May the whole city celebrates its patron saint.

Come in early June for summer without the crush. It is warm enough for proper beach days and the evenings are the longest of the year. The second half of June is already high season, with prices and crowds to match.

• April: the city at its best, the sea too cold for most people
• May: warm days, long evenings, our favourite month
• Early June: summer weather before the summer crowds
• Late June is already high season, plan for it

April, When the City Wakes Up

April in Split feels like the first day of the holidays. Afternoons are usually around 17 to 19°C, sometimes warmer, and the evenings are still cool enough for a jacket. There are showery days, and the occasional day of bura, which is cold but brilliantly clear. More often it is simply bright and mild, perfect weather for walking.

This is the month to see the old town properly. The lanes of the palace are quiet, the Peristyle has room to stand in, and you can sit on the Riva with a coffee and hear the sea instead of the crowd. The clocks go forward at the end of March, so the sun sets around half past seven, and the evenings are long enough for dinner outside on a warm day.

Two things to know. The sea is cold, around 15°C, which is too cold for most people. And not everything is open yet. Most of the city runs all year, but some beach bars, island restaurants and seasonal tours only start at Easter or in May. The first cruise ships of the year arrive in April, so on a ship day the palace is busy in the morning and quiet again by the afternoon.

• Afternoons around 17 to 19°C, cool evenings
• The best month for walking the old town without crowds
• The sea is around 15°C, too cold for most swimmers
• Some beach bars and island restaurants open later

Easter in Split

Easter is the biggest holiday of spring in Croatia, and it moves every year. In 2027 it falls on the 28th of March, so check the date for your year. Holy Week brings processions in the old town and the islands, and the cathedral inside the palace is at its most atmospheric.

The most famous of these processions is not in Split but on Hvar. The Za Križen procession, "following the cross", walks through the night from Maundy Thursday to Good Friday between six villages in the middle of the island, and it is on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. It is a serious religious event, not a show, but visitors who watch quietly are welcome.

Easter Monday is a public holiday, so some shops and restaurants close on Easter Sunday and Monday. The bakeries fill up before the weekend with sirnica, a sweet Easter bread, and it is worth buying one.

• Easter moves every year, check the date for yours
• Holy Week processions in the old town and on the islands
• Hvar's Za Križen procession is on the UNESCO list
• Some places close on Easter Sunday and Monday

May, Our Favourite Month

If we could send every visitor to Split in the same month, it would be May. Afternoons are usually in the low to mid twenties, the air is soft, and the light is clear. It rains much less than in April. The sun sets after eight by the end of the month, so there is a whole second day after dinner.

Everything that closes for the winter is open again by May. The beach bars are back, the island restaurants are serving, and the boats to the islands run more often. The city is lively but not crowded, and the prices for rooms are a long way below July.

The sea is the only thing still catching up. It is around 18°C in May, which is refreshing rather than warm. Locals start swimming at the end of the month, and if you are from northern Europe you will probably think it is fine by the second week.

• Afternoons in the low to mid twenties, much drier than April
• Nearly everything is open again
• Lively, not crowded, and cheaper than summer
• The sea is around 18°C, fine for the brave by late May

The Feast of Saint Domnius, 7 May

The 7th of May is Sudamja, the feast of Saint Domnius, the patron saint of Split. It is the city's own holiday, and it is the best day of the year to see Split celebrate itself rather than perform for visitors.

There is a solemn procession with the saint's relics through the old town, and a huge fair along the Riva and in the streets around it. For a few days, craftsmen from all over Dalmatia and the hinterland sell handmade wooden spoons, baskets, barrels, cheese and honey. Families come in from the villages, and the whole city is out.

It is also, to be honest, very busy for one day. If you are in Split on the 7th, join in rather than trying to sightsee around it.

• The 7th of May is Split's own holiday
• A procession through the old town and a big fair on the Riva
• Handmade wooden goods, cheese and honey from the hinterland
• Join in, do not try to sightsee around it

June, Summer Before the Crowds

June is summer. Afternoons are around 27 or 28°C, the sea warms to around 22°C, and the days are the longest of the year, with the sun setting after half past eight. It is proper beach weather, and the evenings are warm enough to stay outside until midnight.

The first half of the month is one of the sweet spots of the year: summer weather, summer boat timetables, and noticeably fewer people than July. The second half is different. Schools finish, the big European holidays begin, and by the last week of June the city is full and priced for high season. If you have a choice, come in the first two weeks.

For the heat, the crowds and how to plan a July or August trip, our guide to Split in July and August takes over from here.

• Afternoons around 27 to 28°C, the sea around 22°C
• The longest evenings of the year
• The first two weeks are quieter and cheaper than the last two
• By late June it is high season

What the Sea Is Really Like

The most common spring question we get is whether you can swim. The honest answer, month by month: in April the sea is around 15°C, and nearly everybody stays out. In May it is around 18°C, cold on the way in and fine once you are moving, and by the end of the month plenty of people swim. In June it reaches around 22°C, and swimming is simply part of the day.

The beaches change with the season too. Sunbeds and umbrellas appear on the popular beaches from May, and the lifeguards and beach bars follow. Bačvice, the sandy beach a short walk from the old town, is where you will see the first games of picigin, the local sport of keeping a small ball in the air while splashing about in the shallows. Our guide to the best beaches in Split has the full list.

• April around 15°C, May around 18°C, June around 22°C
• Late May is when most people start swimming
• Sunbeds and beach bars return from May
• Water shoes help on the pebbles in any month

Marjan at Its Best

Spring is the season for Marjan, the wooded hill that rises straight out of the old town. In summer the steps are hot and the paths are dusty, and we tell people to go early or late. In spring the whole hill is green and full of flowers, the pine woods smell of resin, and the temperature is perfect for walking.

If you can walk, this is the season to do it. Climb the steps from Veli Varoš to the Vidilica café terrace for the view over the old town and the harbour, then carry on along the forest paths to the top or round to the small chapels and the western lookouts. Our Marjan Hill guide has the routes and how long each one takes.

• Spring is the best season of the year to walk Marjan
• Green, full of flowers, and cool enough for the steps
• Vidilica first, then the forest paths
• Allow half a day to see the hill properly on foot

Islands and Ferries in Spring

The islands are beautiful in spring and much quieter than in summer, but you need to plan more carefully. Ferries and catamarans run on a reduced timetable until the summer schedule starts, usually around June, so there are fewer sailings, and the last boat back can be earlier than you expect. Always check the return sailing before you go, not after.

Brač, with the car ferry to Supetar running all day, is the easiest island in any season. Hvar is lovely in May, green and calm, but some of its restaurants and beach bars only open in May or June. A day of strong bura can still cancel catamarans in April and May, so give yourself a spare day if an island is the main reason for your trip. Our day trips guide has the details for each island.

• Fewer sailings before the summer timetable, check the last boat back
• Brač is the easiest island trip in any season
• Some island restaurants only open in May or June
• Keep a spare day in case wind cancels a catamaran

Eating in Spring

Dalmatian cooking follows the season closely, and spring is one of its best. Wild asparagus is picked on the hillsides in April and ends up in omelettes and fritaja. Young lamb is on every menu around Easter. Artichokes, often cooked slowly with peas and broad beans, are a spring dish you will not find in summer.

By May, Pazar, the green market outside the palace, is full of strawberries, and the first cherries arrive towards the end of the month. Spring is also a lovely time for a long lunch outside, in the sun rather than hiding from it. Our Split food guide has the konobas and the dishes to look for.

• Wild asparagus in April, often in an omelette
• Lamb around Easter, artichokes with peas and broad beans
• Strawberries at Pazar in May, cherries by the end of the month
• Spring is the season for long lunches in the sun

What to Pack

Spring in Split is a season for layers. In April and early May you will want a light jacket or a jumper for the evenings and for bura days, and a waterproof for the odd shower. By June it is summer clothes.

Do not be fooled by the mild air: the sun is already strong in May, and people burn more easily in spring because it does not feel hot. Bring sunscreen and sunglasses from April. Shoes with a good grip are worth having in any season, because the marble in the old town is slippery, and even more so after a spring shower.

• Layers and a light jacket for April and early May evenings
• A waterproof for showers in April
• Sunscreen from April, the sun is stronger than it feels
• Shoes with grip for the polished marble

Crowds, Prices and Cruise Ships

Spring is cheaper than summer, and the difference is big. A room that costs a certain price in April can cost twice that or more in the second half of June, and the good central apartments are much easier to find. Flights are usually cheaper too, except around Easter.

Crowds build slowly through the season. April is quiet, May is lively, and June gets busier every week. The big exception is cruise ships, which arrive from April. On a day with two or three ships in port, the palace is crowded from mid morning to early afternoon, and quiet again by the evening. If you want the old town to yourself, go early, or go after the ships have left. Our cruise port guide explains how those days work.

• Spring rooms can cost half of what late June does
• April quiet, May lively, June busier every week
• Cruise ships arrive from April and crowd the palace in the middle of the day
• See the old town early or late on ship days

Seeing Split With Us in Spring

We run tuk tuk tours, so read this knowing that. Our season starts in spring, and spring is one of our favourite times to drive, because the city is green and the viewpoints are quiet.

But here is the honest advice first: if you can walk, and you have the time, walk up Marjan in spring. It is the best season for it, and the view from Vidilica is the same view whether you arrive on foot or with us. We make most sense in spring for people who have a short time in Split, for anybody who cannot manage the steps and the hills, and for those who want to see the whole peninsula, the western lookouts, Kašjuni and Sustipan, in one go rather than over a day of walking.

The Romantic Night Ride is timed around sunset, which in May is after eight, so it fits neatly after an early dinner. Every tour includes an ice cold drink, and the tuk tuks have a roof for the first properly warm days of June. If an April shower is in the forecast on the day you booked, message us and we will tell you honestly what the sky is doing.

• Can you walk and have time? Walk Marjan in spring, it is the best season for it
• We suit short stays, limited mobility and seeing the whole peninsula at once
• Sunset rides in May start after an early dinner
• An ice cold drink on every tour

What We Would Tell a Friend

Come in May, and if you can, be here on the 7th. Walk up Marjan while it is green. Eat the wild asparagus and the lamb, and buy strawberries at Pazar. Swim at the end of the month if you are brave, and in June if you are not.

If you can only come in April, come anyway, and come for the city rather than the beach. And if you are choosing between late June and early September, read our guide to Split in autumn first, because the answer might surprise you.