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Born & raised in Dubrovnik, I have experienced all the weather seasons Dubrovnik has to offer. From burning hot summer to crazy strong winds and endless rainy days. Being very passionate about travel I know sometimes you cannot avoid bad weather, even in a dreamy location like Dubrovnik. If you are wondering what can you expect from weather in Dubrovnik & what are some things you can do in Dubrovnik when it rains, we got you covered.
Even if you are visiting Dubrovnik during bad weather, don’t let that stop you from exploring & enjoying your holidays. There are many things to do (and see) on a rainy day in Dubrovnik.
Dubrovnik enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate and prides itself to be one of the sunniest locations in Croatia, with more than 250 sunny days per year. But even in our sunny town, sometimes we have rainy days in Dubrovnik.
Depending on the time of the year you visit Dubrovnik, it can rain very shortly, with skies clearing out just after the rain. This is typical of our summer rain. Sometimes it pours for days on end, that is what usually happens in the offseason months when we get a lot of consecutive rainy days.
Best time to visit Dubrovnik is April. May & September, since the weather is not too hot and the tourist season is not at its peak. If you prefer to enjoy some water activities, go swimming and snorkelling September is a better month since the sea is still warm from the hot summer sun. April & May are better if you prefer to do a lot of walking around & sightseeing since its not yet that hot.
July & August are high season months, perfect for swimming and other activities as average sea temperatures is 24.5 C. The average daily maximum is 31 degrees, but can go up to 38 degrees Celsius. Have in mind though, this is usually peak season so expect to have some crowds on the road and in city, and expect it to be hot, very hot.
Since Dubrovnik has a mild climate, the temperatures rarely drop under 10 degrees C, even in the winter. Nevertheless the winter months are usually accompanied by strong gusts of cold wind blowing from the north (bura wind) or rain.
Bura wind is usually intense,with a record of blowing 176 km/h. During monstrous winds like that, there is very little you can do around town except to go hide somewhere indoor 😃
February is on average the windiest month of the year, while November is the rainiest.
You just arrived in Dubrovnik! You cannot wait to unpack and hit the streets for the next few days, enjoy this magnificent city and explore each and every corner of it! And then rain starts pouring down…so…what to do in Dubrovnik on a rainy day?
If you are visiting Dubrovnik during bad weather, worry not! There are plenty of things to do and see in Dubrovnik when it rains!
No.1 fun thing to do in Dubrovnik is to play an escape room, no matter the weather, but it’s the most popular indoor activity in Dubrovnik when bad weather happens. It’s certainly a fun & unique activity to consider if you are looking for an exciting and interactive experience in Dubrovnik.
Inspired by the city’s rich history, as well as the popular TV series, Game of Thrones, escape rooms are a fantastic activity full of thrill & mystery. Since Dubrovnik was a filming location for the hit TV series, playing an escape room inspired by the show would be an absolute dream for any fan.
Dubrovnik Legends room is inspired by the fascinating history of this place. It’s like stepping back in time & experiencing the city’s past in an impressive and immersive way.
GOOD TO KNOW: the escape room is located outside of the Old Town, in Lapad area, which is an urban city centre. It is full of bars, restaurants and beaches. See here for different ideas on what to do in Lapad area.
An absolute dream for any Game of Thrones fan & must do activity in Dubrovnik
Book a gameA fun and interactive way to learn about the city's rich cultural heritage
Book a game
Dubrovnik has a lot of good wines produced locally, with vineyards all across the county. Actually you can find some of the best Croatian wineries in Pelješac peninsula, 60 km north of Dubrovnik.
If you don’t want to go out of the town to enjoy the wine tasting in a winery, try D’Vino or Skar wine bars in the Old Town. Wine tastings are usually paired with prosciutto, cheese and veggie platers. It is a perfect lazy activity to have in Dubrovnik when it rains.
Beer enthusiasts will love the cold craft beer served fresh from the tap in Dubrovnik’s first and only brewery. Besides from making great beer, they also organise events like concerts, workshops, performances and more.
If you want to find out more about the process of making beer and meet the brewers, join the brewery tour. Tours start daily at 18:00 & 19:00 hours and take around 45 minutes. For 55 euro, you get 4 tap beers straight from the source, a selection of burgers and learn what it takes to create one of the most popular alcoholic drinks of all times.
Croatians love to drink coffee, so much it became a sacred ritual (see here). Who wouldn’t love sitting in a cozy place and sipping from a cup for hours, just enjoying time, with no worries in mind?
Actually, Croatian coffee culture is so remarkable, no deals (whether private or business) can be arranged without sitting down for coffee. Order “bijela kava” – for cafee latte, or simple “kava” for an espresso.
Our favourite indoor places to drink coffee in Dubrovnik when it rains are: Cave Bar More that has an incredible location in an actual cave (Lapad Area), or newly opened Hard Rock Cafe Dubrovnik in a 14th century monastery.
What better way to get your zen on than to indulge all senses and retreat to a spa center? It is a a perfect Dubrovnik rainy day activity where the grey skies will surely not get you. Many hotels in Dubrovnik have wellness centers that offer a plentiful of spa, massage, pool, sauna, workout or beauty options.
Try Rixos Libertas (Croatia’s Best Hotel Spa for 2019) with its traditional turkish bath and hammam treatmants, an ice room, various saunas and tropical shower. What we love about their exclusive massage is they use organic, completely natural and handmade oils made by a 700-year-old recipe from the pharmacy of the Franciscan monastery in Dubrovnik.
If you are into something more exotic, go for a Touch of Thai Massage and Spa. Even when it rains in Dubrovnik, you can still pamper yourself & enjoy your holidays.
Get a taste of delicious food, history, culture and local life in Old Town by joining one of the guided food tours. In 3 hours you get to taste 3 course meals (appetizer, entree and dessert) plus wine. Enjoy the fresh and locally sourced food and learn about the history of the cuisine and culture of this fascinating city.
For a more hands-on experience, try a cooking class. Learn how to prepare traditional Croatian dishes & get to taste delicious authentic food, all in the welcoming atmosphere of a Dubrovnik home. Classes are offered in different location throughout Dubrovnik country, and take place in farmhouse kitchens, wineries and private villas.
Dubrovnik has a rich history, and visiting the museums in town offers you a glimpse into the past of the small but powerful Ragusan Republic. All the museums are indoors so you are safe on a rainy day in Dubrovnik.
Museums that are included in the price of the Dubrovnik pass are: Rector’s Palace, Ethnographical museum, Maritime museum, Museum of modern art, Dubrovnik Natural history museum and Franciscan Monastery museum.
Some of our favourite picks for Old Town museums are:
Rector’s Palace (included in the Dubrovnik pass)– Centre of government and seat of the Rector of the Republic of Ragusa between the 14th century and 1808. It also housed an armoury, the powder magazine, the watch house and a prison. It is a stunning Gothic-Renaissance building housing 20,000 objects from city’s history and culture from the 1300s to the early 20th century.
Ethnographical Museum Rupe (included in the Dubrovnik pass)– located in an old granary dating to the 16th century, here you can see traditional costumes, jewellry and farming/household equipment. Get a glimpse into Dubrovnik lifestyle and culture years ago.
Pharmacy & Franciscan Monastery (included in the Dubrovnik pass) – This is the third oldest pharmacy in Europe, which has been active uninterruptedly since 1317. It’s library stores many recipes, from secret potions and elixirs of youth, to ordinary medicine.
Sponza Palace – its just one of the remaining buildings from the Old Town that have survived the Great Earthquake in 1667. It’s a beautiful palace that now houses Dubrovnik Archives, considered to be among the richest in Europe.
Cathedral & Treasury – The legend says King Richard Lion-Heart shipwrecked on the island of Lokrum when returning from the Third Crusade. Happy for surviving, he donated money for the completion of Cathedral. The Treasury inside the cathedral houses more than 130 relics of saints from 11-19th century.
Dominican Monastery – a small museum containing historical roman catholic artefacts.
Red History Museum is the newest addition to the museum selection, and it is remarkable. It is located outside of the city walls so it is a very cool thing to do if you want to escape the Old Town Crowds. Head to Gruž area to discover the origins of the communist idea and how it spread around the globe and to the area of today’s Croatia.
Dubrovnik enjoys a rich cultural life, especially in the summer time. Treat yourself to a unique experience and see a show in remarkable locations during the Dubrovnik Summer Festival (mid july to end of August).
Also, enjoy the Folklore ensemble Linđo performance with traditional dances and folks songs from various parts of the country. Show starts every Tuesday and Friday from May 2nd, always at the same time and place, 21:30 in Lazareti.
As a last resort, go see a movie. Movies at the cinema are played in original language (mainly English) with subtitles. Try Cinestar (super comfortable seats) in Lapad, Sloboda or 3d Visia theater in the Old Town.
Instead of hiding from the bad weather while it rains in Dubrovnik, get out and enjoy the scenery. Catch dramatic photos of waves breaking at Porporela, Lazareti or Lovrijenac during windy/rainy days. These will for sure be one of a kind photos from your holiday, nothing like your standard Dubrovnik picture postcards.
Follow Storm Chasers Dubrovnik for some amazing inspiration on weather photography.
Experience the idyllic rural life in Konavle region. Visit some of the rural households and enjoy local food made in traditional way, paired with local wines. We recommend visiting agrotourist site Mlin and Konavoski Dvori.
Be sure to visit Cavtat, a small fishing town voted top european Destination for 2021. This small pictoresque town is full of cute cafes, excellent restaurants, surrounded by palm trees and the beautiful Adriatic. Visit Vlaho Bukovac House (Art museum) & take an icecream in the house of icecream.
Drive to Pelješac (1 hr north of Dubrovnik), a peninsula recognizable for top quality wines where you can experience some of the best wines Croatia has to offer. Enjoy wine tasting in these wineries that produce premium products enjoyed both locally and internationally:
Grgić Winery – established by the legendary Napa Valley winemaker Mike Grgić, this place is not to be missed. Committed to crafting Croatia’s very best varieties: Plavac Mali (red wine) and Pošip (white wine), all his wines are recognised as top premium wines.
Edivo Winery – unique underwater wine cellar where wines are aged in an amphora (old bottle). After 1-2 years at the bottom of the sea, amphoras are covered with corals and seashells and make a memorable souvenir.
Madirazza Winery – has one of the most perfect locations for planting vineyards in the world. Their vineyards start after the Dingač tunnel, with a unique micro-location and beautiful views of the sea.
Saint Hills Winery – boutique family winery with an on-site restaurant offering traditional Dalmatian dishes made with fresh, local vegetables and herbs grown in the family garden. Their dingač wine has recently been 97/100 points by the prestigious Wine Enthusiast magazine.
Miloš Winery – is one of the oldest family wineries in region and is specialized in producing high quality wines from Plavac Mali. The traditional vineyard, manually farmed, on the steep rocky slopes is something to admire. Sample their extra virgin olive oil and domestic products.
Matuško Winery – developed from a small winery into one of the greatest and most famous destination of wine-lovers from all
over the world. It is one of the most known Croatian wineries, whose premium wine Dingač has long been recognised in the world.
Escape Dubrovnik when it rains – not far away from Dubrovnik (couple of hours driving), you have 2 interesting places to visit.
Mostar (Bosnia & Herzegovina), a town famous for it’s old stone bridge, that also has a beautiful old town, and Kotor (Montenegro), fortified medieval town located in the beautiful Kotor Bay, a natural fjord near the coast of the Adriatic Sea.
We hope these ideas of things to do in Dubrovnik when it rains it will make you a bit happier about a bad weather day while visiting the city!
If you tried one of these, please leave a comment bellow and tell us how it was. Or tell us what other cool and interesting activities you would recommend other travellers to do when rainy days are upon Dubrovnik.
Born and raised in Dubrovnik, but lucky enough to travel and experience different cultures (quite frequently unfortunately for my budget:))). I’m very passionate about travel, and love meeting new people. Being a true Croat means I am super proud and excited about my country, so I would love to show you a different experience and a new side of my hometown.