Dubrovnik · Month comparison

May vs July

May ranks #1 overall vs July at #10. Near-perfect: warm enough for everything, not yet overwhelmed.

Dubrovnik May — the old city in spring morning light

May

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Near-perfect: warm enough for everything, not yet overwhelmed.

  • 21°C and sea reaching 20°C: beaches actually viable from mid-May
  • Dubrovnik Summer Festival preparations adding atmosphere to the old city
Dubrovnik July — peak summer crowds on the Stradun

July

#10 of 12 months

Strong option

Technically perfect. Practically the most crowded 2km² in the Mediterranean.

  • Virtually zero rain (21mm): sun-guaranteed Adriatic days
  • Sea at 25°C: the most beautiful swimming of the year
FactorMayJuly
Weather score
8
8
Value score
6
2
Crowd score
5
2
Events score
6
7
Atmosphere
9
5
Avg high temp20.9°C28.3°C
Monthly rain123mm21mm
Daily sunshine9.5hrs12hrs

May trade-offs

  • Still 123mm: May is surprisingly rainy — afternoon thunderstorms common
  • Prices climbing: accommodation 25–35% above low season
  • Cruise ships beginning their Dubrovnik season — early morning descents into the old town

July trade-offs

  • The most expensive and most crowded month of the year: the old town walls are not safely walkable at midday
  • Up to 8,000 cruise passengers per day flood the Stradun — a 700m street built for a city of 10,000
  • Some residents have petitioned to ban tourists entirely in July: the strain on infrastructure is real
Scores compare months within Dubrovnik. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →