Istria has no bad season, but it has very different ones. What you are after decides when to come: warm water, quiet, or the interior at its best.
April and May
The green is at its sharpest and the inland smells of blossom. The sea is still too cold to stay in for long, but for walking and cycling these are the best weeks of the year. The towns are open and empty, a combination you will not find anywhere in August.
June
The sea becomes swimmable and it is not yet full. For anyone travelling with children but not tied to school holidays, this is often the best compromise: warm enough to swim, quiet enough to park.
July and August
Warm water, long evenings, everything open — and the busiest weeks of the year. The beaches fill in the morning, the terraces in the evening, and the coast road jams on Saturdays. With a pool of your own that is easy enough to live with; you simply plan your days around it.
September
The month regulars recommend. The water is at its warmest — the sea has spent all summer heating up — while the crowds thin out after the first week. If you can choose, choose this.
October and November
Olive harvest and truffle season. The coast goes quiet and some terraces close, but this is exactly when the interior is at its best: mist in the valleys, the hill towns above the cloud, and restaurants cooking for the neighbourhood again rather than for the coach.
Where to stay
Apartment Gordana
Where to stay
Villa Karla
Winter
Mild but not warm, and much is shut. Those who come, come for the quiet and for the food.