How to spend the Easter Holidays in Croatia
The Easter break is fast approaching, with less than a couple of weeks left of the school Spring term! (Sorry to surprise you if you weren’t already aware.) Whilst I’m sure many of you will have already booked your holidays, some travellers may be seeking alternative arrangements to planned breaks or perhaps booking last-minute deals. And be thinking…is Croatia suitable for an Easter holiday? Well, you’re on the right page to find out! Here’s how you can spend the Easter Holidays in Croatia.
Wait a minute, when’s Easter again?
Easter Sunday is fairly early this year, on 5th April. Do be aware that Easter Monday is also a public holiday in Croatia, but the Friday before is not – but will still be commemorated as part of the Easter weekend. As a Catholic country, Easter is understandably a rather religious affair for many here. In fact, Easter is probably the most religious of all the holidays during the year. Mass on Easter Sunday is a very well-attended affair at churches all over Croatia.
Because of its status as a religious holiday, most establishments will be shut on both the Sunday and Monday. That includes shops, cafes, restaurants, many attractions (but not all) and similar, so do be aware of this.
If you would like to witness a traditional religious Easter procession, you may like to head to the island of Hvar. The 500-year-old Easter tradition, Za Krizen, sees six parishes follow a cross on an overnight journey all around the island. This journey begins on the Thursday before Easter (Maundy Thursday) into Good Friday.
Of course, the Easter Holidays – as far as schools and similar institutions go – are always a two-week-long holiday. If you are concerned that spending Easter in Croatia will disrupt your enjoyment (I mean, it shouldn’t, but for some it might), consider holidaying in the second week.
But what about the weather?
Okay, this is bound to be a big consideration for many travellers if you’re thinking about spending the Easter Holidays in Croatia. It’s too early in the year to have summer weather, that’s for sure – you definitely won’t get temperatures in the high 20s Celsius (high 70s/low 80s Fahrenheit) and endless stretches of very hot sun. Sunbathing on a beach is unlikely and swimming in the Adriatic is a no-go…unless you’re very brave.
Having said that, it is too early to be looking at weather forecasts to see what the weather will actually be like for the first two weeks of April. Generally, however, you can expect coastal areas to be sunny and hopefully reaching around 20ºC (or perhaps a few degrees higher). The further south along the coast you are, understandably, the better/warmer the weather should be. So opt for Dubrovnik and the surrounding area to try and get the best of the weather if you really, really need to have the best weather possible.
Once we get closer to April, take a look at the forecasts on the Croatian Meteorological Service, or a weather app of your choosing to find out what will actually be forecast.
Flights to Croatia for the Easter Holidays
The end of March is a time when many airlines start their “seasonal” services, and that’s certainly the case for flights to Croatia. Whilst not every single route starts operating at this time of year, you can certainly make use of an incredibly high number of flights from the UK and Ireland to Croatia during the Easter Holidays. Such as:
- British Airways from London Heathrow to Zagreb
- British Airways from London Gatwick to Dubrovnik
- Croatia Airlines
from London Heathrow to Zagreb year-round
- Croatia Airlines
- Easyjet from London Gatwick to Split daily
- Easyjet from London Gatwick to Dubrovnik daily
- Easyjet from London Luton to Split
- Easyjet from Bristol to Pula
- Easyjet from Bristol to Split
- Easyjet from Bristol to Dubrovnik
- Easyjet from Manchester to Dubrovnik
- Easyjet from Edinburgh to Dubrovnik
- Ryanair from London Stansted to Zagreb year-round
- Ryanair from London Stansted to Zadar
- Ryanair from London Stansted to Dubrovnik year-round
- Ryanair from Manchester to Zagreb
- Ryanair from Manchester to Dubrovnik
- Ryanair from Dublin to Zagreb year-round
- Ryanair from Dublin to Zadar
- Ryanair from Dublin to Split
- Ryanair from Dublin to Dubrovnik
- Jet2 from London Stansted to Dubrovnik
- Jet2 from Birmingham to Dubrovnik
- Jet2 from Manchester to Dubrovnik
- Jet2 from Newcastle to Dubrovnik
- Jet2 from Leeds Bradford to Dubrovnik
- Jet2 from Edinburgh to Dubrovnik
- Aer Lingus from Dublin to Dubrovnik
I’ll be honest with you, before I started writing out this list, I didn’t expect it to be quite so long! That’s 28 (28!) routes you can make use of if you’re heading to Croatia during the Easter Holidays.
As ever, head to Visit Croatia’s guide to Flights to Croatia from the UK & Ireland 2026 to see days of operation and actual start dates.
Get a deal on a package holiday to Croatia during Easter
If I’ve managed to persuade you to spend your Easter holidays in Croatia, why not consider a package break? At this time of year, you’ll very likely enjoy some very good deals indeed because it’s quite early in the season. Seeing as Jet2 have commenced their flights to Dubrovnik, let’s take a look at some of Jet2Holidays‘ packages to this city.
For example, you can take advantage of 7 nights (departing Sunday 5th April) at the very comfortable 4-star Grand Hotel Park for £1,380 for two people. Close to restaurants and a bus journey away from the Old Town, this hotel has an indoor pool, so you can enjoy some swim time whatever the weather.
For luxury at a relative steal, 7 nights at the 5-star Royal Blue Lapad for the same dates costs £1,744 for two people. Or you could opt for 7 nights at the 5-star Hotel Croatia in genteel Cavtat for £1,408 for two people.
For something super upscale, you could enjoy 7 nights at the 5-star Hotel Excelsior – one of Dubrovnik’s most famous hotels – departing London Stansted on Sunday 5th April for £2,660 for two people. Pricey, yes, but I found the same package offered for over £5,000 for two people for dates in June.
Other types of holidays in Croatia
City breaks galore
Okay, so given it’s not exactly beach weather in Croatia during early April, how about considering another type of holiday? A city break to Zagreb would really be ideal for this time of year. Springtime in Croatia’s capital city is wonderful, with the pleasant weather providing a cheerful air and the perfect setting for days spent in cafes (although, really, the Zagrepčani have no problem doing that all year round) with gentle strolls through the Upper and Lower Towns, taking in many of the museums and sights.
Or, what about a coastal city for a city break? Glorious springtime offers much for visitors in cities such as Pula, Zadar or Split.
Who doesn’t love a road trip?
April may be the perfect month to undertake a road trip in Croatia. The roads won’t be busy with summer “commuters”, and you won’t have to suffer through sweltering temperatures as you slog down the coastal road. (Scratch that – the coastal road is anything but a slog, whatever the outside temperature.)
That very coastal road, with its spectacular views, would be the top choice for a road trip. Get the full experience of Dalmatia by starting in Zadar (to where you can fly) and then making the drive all the way down to Dubrovnik. Or, if you have more time, start in Pula in Istria! And of course, doing the reverse of either of these is possible.
For a mix of inland treasures and coastal delights, start in Zagreb and then head down to the Plitvice Lakes to enjoy a couple of days here in the spring sunshine. Then head down in the direction of Zadar and further down the coast, as above.
Island life
Croatia’s islands are waking up in springtime, but are still relatively quiet locations when it comes to holidaying at this time of year. But that’s what you might be looking for! Even the larger and most popular of Croatia’s islands – Hvar and Brac, for example – still have low numbers. Not all accommodation may be fully available to you, but for a peaceful and relaxing stay, consider some time on an island during the Easter Holidays.
What’s on in Croatia during the Easter Holidays?
Look out for Easter-related events wherever you are, often involving child-focused happenings. (Such as Easter egg hunts, for example.) One of the best Easter-related events is the display of giant Easter eggs in the northern Croatian town of Koprivnica. These eggs – labelled Easter Eggs from the Heart – are hand-painted in naive art style, typical for the region.
Non-Easter events
Around 3,000 competitors are expected for the Istria 100 (9th – 12th April), which actually covers five different race distances, the longest being 100 miles in length…hence the name. The competition is sold out, but you can certainly watch the racers whizz by in Central Istria.
If you’re more into cars and less into…er, people…the Croatia Rally takes place on the exact same dates (9th – 12th April). This official FIA World Championship event is held on roads in Istria, Gorski Kotar, Lika and Karlovac counties this year.
The first concert of Dubrovnik Musical Spring, a wonderful classical music event featuring the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, will take place at Revelin Fortress on 10th April.
April is asparagus month, and if you’re a fan of this woody vegetable, you must head to Lovran in Istria! The whole month celebrates the Asparagus Festival, with local restaurants offering special menus. The highlight of the festival takes place on 11th April when a giant fritaja (similar to an omelette) is made with 1,000 eggs and 30 kilograms of asparagus and bacon. That’ll be quite some party!
The UCI Gran Fondo cycling race will be taking to the roads in and around Umag on 11th April.
On the evening of 11th April, the Zadar Night Run will see competitors race on routes (5km, 10km or 21km) at night. Most of the routes run right by the sea. A super sweet kids’ night run takes place the day before at 6pm, with kids running down Siroka ulica in the centre of the Old Town.
On Fridays in April (10th, 17th and 24th), head to Kvaternik Square from 6pm to enjoy the street food event Place. With good vibes and great music too, you can enjoy a tasty dish from a street food stall.
All in all, there’s lots to enjoy if you’re spending the Easter Holidays in Croatia!
