Hvar · Month comparison

January vs May

May ranks #1 overall vs January at #12. The first Goldilocks — 22°C, restaurants all open, no superyacht arrivals.

Empty Hvar Town main square in January

January

#12 of 12 months

Worth considering

The island folds inward to its 11,000 residents — bura wind and shuttered Carpe Diem.

  • ↑Hvar Town hotels under €50/night where July rates start at €280
  • ↑St Stephen's square genuinely empty — the cathedral and arsenal stand alone
Hvar Town and harbour in May with calm clear water

May

#1 of 12 months

Best match

The first Goldilocks — 22°C, restaurants all open, no superyacht arrivals.

  • ↑Pakleni Islands boat trips with you and maybe 6 others — not 60
  • ↑Lavender begins to flower in late May across the southern hillsides
FactorJanuaryMay
Weather score
3
9
Value score
10
7
Crowd score
10
8
Events score
2
5
Atmosphere
4
10
Avg high temp11°C22°C
Monthly rain75mm40mm
Daily sunshine4hrs9hrs

January trade-offs

  • ↓Only one catamaran a day from Split — bura wind cancels it 3-5 times in January
  • ↓Beach clubs (Hula Hula, Carpe Diem, Falko) firmly closed until May

May trade-offs

  • ↓Sea at 18°C — comfortable swim but cooler than July's 24°C
  • ↓Maestral wind picks up around Hvar Town in late May afternoons
See all 12 months for Hvar →January in detail →May in detail →
Scores compare months within Hvar. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →