Is April a good time to visit Dubrovnik? Well, it certainly has its advantages. The Spring weather arrives, meaning that you’ll get days of showers and days of glorious sunshine. Generally, the temperature is around 15 to 20 degrees, and if you are here for a week there is a good chance that you’ll have two days of grey skies and rain inside the seven days.

April is still pre-season, and there is an advantage. It is far from being as busy as the summer months when the hustle and bustle of the Old City is too much for many. Yes, there are tourists but they are relatively few and far between. You’ll be able to sightsee the numerous attractions without the crowds; you’ll have time for an al fresco espresso, you’ll have space to explore and room to roll out your towels on the beaches.

Have the walls to yourself in April - Photo Canva 

Yes, the beaches are empty, but for a reason. The Adriatic Sea is still far too cold for the locals to dive in. You’ll get a handful of brave souls, the Wim Hof brigade, who will swim all year round whatever the weather, but these are the exception to the norm. The average sea temperature in April is around 16 to 17 degrees. Of course if you are coming from Northern Europe then this is like a bath for you. Horses for courses.

April is also the time that many airlines start their flight schedule to Dubrovnik. You’re going to find that flights are considerably cheaper than in the height of summer. And it isn’t only the flights that are cheaper, so is accommodation. It’s pretty much two nights for the price of one at this time of the year compared to July and August. Your budget will stretch that much further.

So here is a list of our top 5 things to do in Dubrovnik in April. It isn’t in any order of importance, but might give you a few ideas.

5 things to do in Dubrovnik in April

1. Dubrovnik Half Marathon

Time to get physical. The Dubrovnik Half Marathon, held at the end of April, from the 29th to the 30th of April, is probably the highlight of the sporting scene in Dubrovnik. You might have run a half marathon before, but you’ve never run one with the historic UNESCO Old City of Dubrovnik as your start and finish line. The events include a Run the Walls race around the iconic Old City Walls, a 5K Charity Race and a Kid’s Race.

Dubrovnik Half Marathon start - Photo - Du Motion 

And if you don’t want to strap of the running shoes and enter you can always give your support from the side-lines and cheer on the runners. The whole party atmosphere when this Du Motion events is on is intoxicating.

2. Easter experience

Easter this year falls on Sunday the 9th of April, so you’ll have to get your skates on a little to experience Easter in Dubrovnik. It’s a time of the year, along with Christmas, that Dubrovnik respects and follows its religious traditions.

Little works of art 

If you were hoping for chocolate Easter eggs, think again. Here eggs are hand-painted, it’s a whole art form, and they are real eggs not chocolate ones. Special menus that have been served for centuries are prepared. Palm leaves are weaved and mass is held in the numerous churches. It is really a time of rebirth of the city.

3. Dubrovnik Musical Spring

Although Dubrovnik is filled with cultural events throughout the year, most of the programs take place in the summer, during the high season. However, Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra recognized the need for a quality music program, so in 2017 it introduced a music festival called the Dubrovnik Music Spring.

This year this festival kicks off on the 27th of April. So if you time it right you could take in a concert or two and then soak up the atmosphere of the Dubrovnik Half Marathon.

4. Sightseeing with time on your side

We have probably already covered this in the intro, but it’s well worth another mention. April is still off-season, just, and as such the city isn’t as crowded as it will be in a months’ time. It is probably the best month of the year, along with October, to actually do your sightseeing, and if you’re coming to Dubrovnik then soaking up the attractions is probably high on your list of priorities. Whether you want to take a Game of Thrones tour, history walk or museum hop, this is a great month to get it all done without feeling like a sardine in a can. And if you are feeling a little brave why not jump in the Adriatic. One thing is for sure you’ll probably have the beach to yourself.

5. Day-tripping on a budget

As the main summer season still hasn’t arrived the price of renting a car is considerably lower in April. And not only will your wallet thank you but you’ll also find that the roads, and indeed the parking spaces, are freer and with less tailbacks than during the height of summer.

The island of Korcula - Photo - Canva 

This year Croatia entered the Schengen zone, basically meaning open borders with other Schengen members. This doesn’t really much for the south of Croatia as we are surrounded by non-EU countries, however tourists will take advantage of this and drive from neighbouring northern countries down to Dubrovnik. And with the completion of the Peljesac Bridge you can now drive border-free from Dubrovnik to most of Europe. Popular day-trips from Dubrovnik include Mostar, Montenegro and the Peljesac peninsular and the island of Korcula.