Poreč in autumn: what is open and what to do

When the summer crowds leave, Poreč changes pace. The light turns golden, the sea stays warm for weeks, and the inland villages get busy with grapes, olives and truffles instead of tourists. If you like long walks, good food and quiet beaches, autumn may be the best time to come.

Weather and sea

September is still summer by most measures, with an average sea temperature of about 23 °C. In October the sea averages around 19 °C, warm enough for a swim on a sunny afternoon, and days are often mild and clear. November is cooler and wetter, with the sea around 16 °C. Pack layers: mornings and evenings can be fresh even after a warm day. Our weather and sea temperature guide has the full month-by-month picture.

What stays open

• The old town is lived in all year. Cafés on the Decumanus and around the harbour stay open, and Sunday morning coffee on the waterfront is as local as it gets.
• The Euphrasian Basilica is open beyond the summer, with shorter hours. See our basilica guide.
• Restaurants: some close from late October, but plenty of town restaurants and inland konobas stay open, especially at weekends. Book ahead on Friday and Saturday evenings.
• Baredine Cave near Nova Vas is open daily until 31 October, then by appointment through the winter.

What tends to close: big resort hotels, many campsites, beach bars and seasonal boat trips. Check before you go, especially in November.

Things to do in autumn

Eat your way through the season

Autumn is harvest time. The grape harvest finishes in September, the olive harvest runs through October and November, and the white truffle season peaks inland. Many restaurants put seasonal menus on, with truffles, game, mushrooms and chestnuts.

Walk and cycle

Cooler days make autumn ideal for exploring on foot or by bike. The seafront path south of the old town, the cycling routes in the hinterland and the Parenzana trail are all much more pleasant without the summer heat.

Visit the hilltop towns

Motovun, Grožnjan and Hum look their best in autumn, with mist in the valleys in the morning and clear views by midday. Our hilltop towns day trip links them in a single loop.

Swim on an empty beach

On a warm October afternoon the beaches north and south of town are almost empty. Water shoes help on the rocky shore.

Staying in a villa in autumn

Outside the summer months our villas have no Saturday changeover rule: you can arrive on any day with a minimum stay of six nights, and autumn falls in our low-season prices. Villa Duga is 1.6 km from the beaches north of Poreč and has a fireplace and home cinema for cooler evenings. Villa Bina in Labinci also has a fireplace, and its upstairs balconies look over the countryside towards the sea.