Best time to visit Greece

2 min summary When to go Map & highlights Athens & Acropolis Families Greek Islands Archaeology Cruising Sailing Walking Tips Responsible Tourism

Best time to visit Greece

From sea-breezy islands to snow-capped peaks and sun-baked plains, Greece offers a panoply of climates to suit everyone.

Ironically, the July/August 'high season' probably isn't the best time to visit Greece – think tourist throngs and unpleasant heat. June and September are nicely hot but with more chance to mix with locals – and visit historic sites with fewer crowds. For hiking, April-June plus September-November are ideal. Spring is wild flowers time, while autumn colour is augmented by harvests - from wine and olives to wild mushrooms. Winter days are often bright – with skiing in the mountains! April to October is sailing season – but note details of prevailing winds, such as the Ionian maistros.

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Crete Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

153

FEB

118

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

122

Our Greece Vacations

Greece, month by month

January and February aren’t terrible times of year to visit Greece and you’ll find much more space in and around the popular ancient ruins and archaeological sites of Athens, Crete and the Peloponnese. Some of the local haunts really come alive in the winter and there’s many a good night out to be had on the mainland or even on the islands, if you’re brave enough to make the often choppy ferry journey. March and April promise more of the same with some excellent conditions for walking across country tracks or heading to the sites and temples famed the world over. However, be aware that Easter in Greece is big business and a great many towns and villages will either shut up shop or hike up prices in readiness for the religious hordes descending for family festivities. May has been coined the best time to go to Greece thanks to the abundance of wildflowers to be found in the countryside and the warmth of the sun making it simply stunning for hikers and cyclists, although sea swimmers may want to wait just one more month before taking the plunge. June, July and especially August can be really oppressive temperature wise and the searing heat makes walking and cycling pretty much off limits as do some of the Brits, Russians and Germans flocking to the well-publicised Greek party islands. September and October are both the best time to go to Greece with warm conditions both at land and at sea promising a much more authentic representation of a Mediterranean island paradise as well as every chance of watching whales or sailing competitions. November and December return the people of Greece to something resembling normality with the traditions of Christmas much less about materialism and much more about spiritualism than certain other European countries that we’ll leave unmentioned.

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What happens when in Greece

Chantel Kyriakopoulou-Beuvink from our supplier Natural Greece explains why she believes Easter is the best time to visit Greece – especially Crete: “The celebration of Orthodox Easter (Pascha) in Crete lets you participate in magnificent festivities unchanged for centuries! Hear hymns while the scent of incense accompanies the Good Friday procession. Next day feel the eerie atmosphere at midnight when everyone holds candles, waiting for church bells announcing Christ’s resurrection. Next comes fireworks in the church square, followed by Easter eggs and eating “Margaritsa” soup! Celebrate like you have never done before, with traditional dance, music - and roasted lamb on the spit!”

Festivals & events in Greece

Did you know about...?

Athens and Epidaurus Festival (June-August)

Every summer, Greece celebrates its role as birthplace of Western theatre with performances at historic venues – most famously, the magnificent ancient theatre at Epidaurus but also the Odeon of Herodes Atticus on the Acropolis. It's a unique chance to see plays by Sophocles, Aeschylus, Aristophanes and Euripides staged where they were first performed 2,500 years ago.

More about Greece

Greece travel guide

Our Greece travel guide is as smooth as olive oil, as appealing as a deserted Cycadean island in May, and, dare we say it, as interesting as a tour around the classical sites of the Peloponnese.

Greece Map & highlights

Learn where to go and make the most of your time as you pore over our Greece map & itineraries which will take you from Thessaloniki & Mt Olympus in the north to the Peloponnese, the Cyclades and Crete, further south.

Traveling in Greece with kids

Find out what Responsible Travel recommend for traveling in Greece with kids, including Minotaurs, the Med and magic mountains that should never be far from any family-friendly itinerary.

Things to do in Greece

Discover our recommended things to do in Greece ranging from sublime sailing sites and Byzantine island churches to walking in the sandal steps of Ulysses, or paddling the pristine coastlines of Mediterranean island idylls.

Archaeology Vacations in Greece

If you’re interested in the myths and legends of the ancient world, the Greek mainland, including the Peloponnese, is certain to sate your curiosity.

Greece walking vacations

Greece walking vacations take you along mountain trails and coastal paths with plenty of ancient sites and natural wonders to keep an eye out for along the way.

Self drive vacations in Greece

Greece self drive vacations put you in full control of how your vacation unfolds, whether you want to hike mountains or visit little out-of-the-way beaches for an authentic take on Greek life.

Sailing in Greece

Discover the benefits of a Greece sailing vacation as you contemplate life in the Cyclades, and beyond, from an on board perspective that’s bound to be as relaxing as it will be exhilarating.

Small ship cruising in Greece

Small ship cruising in Greece is about experiencing island life at a relaxed pace, not about being bombarded by entertainment on a floating hotel.

Yoga vacations in Greece

Take yourself off for a week in Greece as you discover the delights of yoga vacations where the sun always shines and the food is just as fresh as the breeze skimming off the Aegean.

Greek Island vacations

With between 1,200 and 6,000 islands, from tiny uninhabited specks to large rocky land masses, Greece is without parallel when it comes to island variety.

Things to see & do in the Cyclades

Rightfully popular and wildly beautiful, the Cyclades archipelago holds over 200 islands, which are largely mountainous and mostly uninhabited.

Things to see & do in the Peloponnese

At just an hour and a half from Athens, the charms of the Peloponnese are well known to locals, but for international travelers, this peninsula lags far behind the Greek Islands in popularity.

Athens and the Acropolis

While many people concentrate on the Greek islands, it’s well worth spending some time in the capital.

Wellness vacations in Greece

Wellness vacations in Greece connect you with the therapeutic powers of Mediterranean sea and sunshine – and its healing herbs and plants, which have sustained and revived since the time of the Gods.

Volunteering vacations in Greece

Volunteering vacations in Greece give you the chance to work with animal charities that, thanks to the economic crisis, need all hands on deck.

Multi activity vacations in Greece

Multi activity vacations in Greece are like an epic: you’ll sail the Aegean, battle your way through white water rapids, hike Olympic mountains, and swim in seas with ancient sea creatures.

Greece travel advice

Greece travel advice should always start with those who know it best which is why we’ve asked our suppliers to give us their recommendations alongside a few pearls of wisdom related to health & safety in Greece.

Responsible tourism in Greece

Everyone should want to find out how to travel right in Greece, which is why our responsible tourism in Greece page is devoted to helping you preserve the wildlife & environment of this gorgeous part of southern Europe.

All our Greece guides

From idyllic island-hopping to hiking between fascinating archaeological sites and sublime cycling, find your perfect vacation, and stacks of information on what to see and do, with all our Greece guides in one place.

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Written by Norman Miller

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Photo credits: [Page banner: Alex Antoniadis] [Intro: Tom Grimbert] [Chantel Kyriakopoulou-Beuvink Quote: Klearchos Kapoutsis] [Athens and Epidaurus Festival: stefg74]

Best time to visit Greece