The dataset comprises a 45-year-long directional wave time series recorded at the Acqua Alta Oceanographic research Tower (AAOT) since 1979. The AAOT is located in the Northern Adriatic Sea and it is managed by the Institute of Marine Sciences of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISMAR). The extent of the time series enables the description of the wave climate in the North Adriatic region and the identification of trends and links with large-scale climate patterns from a single and permanent observational source.Different wave gauges have been used since the start of the measurements, progressively upgraded and repositioned during maintenance operations. The recent addition of more precise instruments and the availability of the related raw dataset allowed for a re-evaluation of the previously published data, while extending the timeseries in time. This has enabled the creation of a substantially improved, yet homogeneous, measured dataset, thereby enhancing the reliability of the related long-term scenario analysis.