When to Visit Greece: Month By Month

Greece has typically Mediterranean seasonality: grey and damp through the winter, wonderful through late Spring and early Autumn, and scorching hot through the summer. 

There’s so much more to Greece than just beaches, however. We believe Greece to be a year-round destination – particularly for those visiting with interests in hiking, cultural discovery, historic sites, or local festivals. 

We run through Greece month-by-month below.

January

The winter months are not seen as a prime time to visit Greece. However, for culture vultures this can be an advantageous time to visit, taking in the mainland’s ancient ruins and world heritage sites in cool (sometimes cold) weather and with minimal crowds. 

February

The damp, grey weather of the low season continues. The above advice applies: you’ll find fantastic rates and near-deserted archaeological sites, so visit year-round cultural destinations such as Athens, Rhodes, and Crete.

March

The winter begins to fade, temperatures start to creep up, and the shoulder season begins. This is a great time for touring the Peloponnese peninsula, with fresh and balmy spring weather, and a continuation of great rates in hotels and restaurants. 

April

A fantastic time of year to tour Greece, with pleasant temperatures, and local life galore. Orthodox Easter is the biggest festival of the year, so traveling over Good Friday and Easter Sunday will see fireworks, feastings, and festivities galore!

May

Sea temperatures are now (just about) good enough for swimming, so this is a great time to consider an island-hopping trip with a mix of both sightseeing and leisure. This is the best time of year for touring Athens, as well as passing through the Ionian and Aegean Islands. 

June

We find June (and September) to be the best months to visit. With warm weather and calm seas, these are considered summer months, but you’ll still find good shoulder-season rates and the crowds have yet to reach their peak.

July

The peak season of July and August begins. The weather starts to reach its blistering peak, and rates climb to their highest, but equally, it’s a frankly gorgeous time for beach trips with ideal swimming and sunbathing conditions. The most popular – but not necessarily the best – time to travel to Greece. 

August

The high season is now hitting its peak. With school holidays across Europe, this is the busiest month of the year to visit the Greek Islands. This is a perfect time for the younger crowd, with ideal temperatures for sea swimming and the party season of Mykonos and Santorini in full swing.

September 

Along with June, in our opinion, this is the best season in Greece. Temperatures have dipped to a more bearable level, yet the warmth remains in the sea for swimming. The Cyclades islands are particularly lovely at this time of year, while popular islands such as Santorini and Paros are still busy, but not overly packed. 

October 

Play it right, and October can be fabulous. Rates are brilliant, crowds are low, and you may just get some great end-of-season sun too. With cooler temperatures and fewer tourists, this is a great time for intense exploration of ancient sites such as Epidvaros and Delphi.

November

Temperatures continue to drop, as do rates, but we’re not quite in the thick of winter yet. The islands are probably now out, with most resorts beginning to shutter up. It’s an ideal time for hikes though, best on the mainland around Nafplio, Zagori, or Meteora. 

December

We’re now fully in winter, and you’ll barely see another tourist if visiting at this time. December is an authentically Greek time to visit: join city dwellers from Athens or Thessaloniki taking a break in the Saronic Islands, or join in the festivities around the Feast of St Nicholas (6th December), Christmas, or New Year.