The sea temperature at Split today is 18.8 °C (66 °F) – cold to refreshing water, better for a short swim. The usual October average is 19.8 °C. The forecast for the next 3 days is 18.4 to 18.7 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea has cooled from 21.9 °C to 18.8 °C. Swimmable from June to October, when the sea averages 18 °C or more. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13.2°C / 55.8°F | 13.6°C / 56.4°F | 13.9°C / 57.1°F |
| February | 11.8°C / 53.2°F | 12.3°C / 54.1°F | 12.6°C / 54.6°F |
| March | 11.6°C / 52.9°F | 12.4°C / 54.4°F | 13.1°C / 55.6°F |
| April | 13.1°C / 55.6°F | 13.9°C / 56.9°F | 15.1°C / 59.1°F |
| May | 16.6°C / 61.9°F | 17.4°C / 63.3°F | 18.0°C / 64.4°F |
| June | 21.3°C / 70.3°F | 21.9°C / 71.4°F | 22.3°C / 72.1°F |
| July | 24.0°C / 75.2°F | 24.5°C / 76.0°F | 25.1°C / 77.2°F |
| August | 23.5°C / 74.3°F | 24.5°C / 76.2°F | 25.4°C / 77.7°F |
| September | 22.0°C / 71.5°F | 22.6°C / 72.7°F | 23.2°C / 73.7°F |
| October | 18.7°C / 65.7°F | 19.8°C / 67.6°F | 20.9°C / 69.7°F |
| November | 16.7°C / 62.1°F | 17.8°C / 64.0°F | 18.6°C / 65.5°F |
| December | 14.4°C / 58.0°F | 15.0°C / 59.1°F | 15.5°C / 59.8°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.3°C / 45.1°F | 8.3°C / 46.9°F | 9.8°C / 49.6°F |
| February | 7.6°C / 45.7°F | 9.0°C / 48.3°F | 10.9°C / 51.6°F |
| March | 8.6°C / 47.5°F | 10.3°C / 50.6°F | 12.2°C / 53.9°F |
| April | 11.0°C / 51.9°F | 12.8°C / 55.0°F | 14.4°C / 58.0°F |
| May | 15.6°C / 60.1°F | 17.4°C / 63.3°F | 18.8°C / 65.9°F |
| June | 20.5°C / 69.0°F | 22.6°C / 72.8°F | 24.3°C / 75.8°F |
| July | 23.0°C / 73.4°F | 25.1°C / 77.2°F | 26.7°C / 80.1°F |
| August | 22.6°C / 72.6°F | 24.6°C / 76.2°F | 26.2°C / 79.2°F |
| September | 19.2°C / 66.6°F | 21.0°C / 69.7°F | 22.7°C / 72.8°F |
| October | 15.7°C / 60.2°F | 17.2°C / 62.9°F | 18.8°C / 65.8°F |
| November | 11.9°C / 53.5°F | 12.9°C / 55.3°F | 14.2°C / 57.5°F |
| December | 9.1°C / 48.4°F | 10.0°C / 50.0°F | 11.2°C / 52.2°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
Split holidays
Split is Croatia's second-largest city and the main port of Dalmatia, built in and around the palace that the Roman emperor Diocletian had erected here at the start of the 4th century. The palace and the old town that grew inside its walls are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and ferries leave from the harbour below them for the islands of Hvar, Brač and Vis.
Beaches
Bačvice, a sandy bay a ten-minute walk east of the old town, is the city's best-known beach and the home of picigin, a local game of keeping a small ball in the air in ankle-deep water; its shallow entry suits children. Further east lie the small sandy bay of Firule and the longer beachfront at Žnjan. On the wooded Marjan peninsula west of the centre, Kašjuni is a pebble beach below the pines, and the water off Marjan is usually clearer than in the city bays.
Things to do
Inside Diocletian's Palace, the Peristyle square leads to the Cathedral of Saint Domnius, whose bell tower can be climbed for a view over the rooftops, and to the cellars below the emperor's former apartments. The Riva, a palm-lined promenade, runs along the southern walls. Marjan hill is a forest park with steps and paths to viewpoints, and the Meštrović Gallery below it shows the work of Croatia's best-known sculptor. Day trips reach the waterfalls of Krka National Park in about an hour, the old town of Trogir, and by boat the Blue Cave on Biševo or the islands of Hvar and Brač.
Weather and best time to visit
From May to June the sea at Split gains about 5 °C (8 °F), its biggest monthly rise of the year.
Summers in Split are hot and dry, and July and August bring cruise ships, ferry queues and full beaches. June and September are calmer and still warm enough for the sea. Winters are mild, but the cold bura wind can blow hard from the mountains.
Hotels and where to stay
Rooms inside the palace walls put the sights on the doorstep but can be noisy at night. Bačvice and Firule keep the beach close, the Meje area under Marjan is quieter, and larger resort hotels line the coast at Podstrana to the south.
Signature hotels: Le Méridien Lav Split (Podstrana) · Cornaro Hotel
Airport and getting there
Split Airport (SPU) lies about 20 km west of the city near Trogir; a shuttle bus runs to the ferry port in about half an hour. The A1 motorway links Split with Zagreb in roughly four hours. Jadrolinija ferries and catamarans connect the port with the Dalmatian islands, and overnight ferries cross to Ancona in Italy.