When to Travel to the Greek islands.

Updated: 2 October, 2024

If you are wondering when to travel to the Greek islands, I will tell you what is the best time, the climate, how to avoid crowds and save.

Greece is famous for its good Mediterranean climate with clear days and lots of sun, in fact it is the country with the most sun in the entire Mediterranean.

In the photos, the Greek islands look like a tropical paradise, although they are a true paradise, there is nothing tropical about them.

Greece has 4 very different seasons with places where it snows in winter, such as Crete or some Greek islands further north.

What is the best time to travel to the Greek islands?

The best time to go to the Greek islands depends on what your plans are, below you can see the details of the best time to:

• Go to the beach: from the end of May to mid-October. If you prefer the water to be warmer, I warn you that before summer begins it may still be cool.
• Make cultural visits and archaeological sites: April, May and October. During the summer months the heat can be overwhelming for visits, especially to archaeological sites that are usually very exposed to the sun.
• Go out at night and go to beach parties: July and August are the main months with the best atmosphere for everything related to nightlife. Also at the beginning and end of summer you will find many parties. But outside of the summer season there is not much nightlife, except for the most touristy islands (Santorini and Mykonos) which have a good nightlife from May to October.
• Practice windsurfing and kitesurfing: May to September are the months with the most consistent winds, although the rest of the year on the Greek islands there are also many windy days.
• Take a cruise: The second part of May, June, September and the first part of October are the best months, because the weather is good and you can find offers. But almost all year round is a good time to take a cruise around the Greek islands. Perhaps the least recommended time is winter.
• Save money: The cheapest months are in the low season (December to March) when accommodation can cost half or less. Then, in the shoulder season (April, May, October and November) prices can be between 20 and 30% cheaper than during the high season (summer).
• Avoid overcrowding: The most crowded months on some Greek islands are mainly July and August. In June and September there are usually a little less people. But if you want to avoid overcrowding, the best months are May and October. Keep in mind that this also depends on each island, in the most touristy ones such as Santorini, Mykonos, Crete and Corfu the tourist season is longer.

In short, the best months to visit the Greek islands in general are late May to mid-June and then from mid-September to mid-October.

During this time you will have good weather to swim on the beach without crowds, make cultural visits without being overwhelmed by the heat and also the prices of accommodation and cruises are cheaper.

Another advantage of these months is that you will have more time to book visits and excursions, however, in high season Sometimes it is difficult to find a place at the last minute.

Here you can see the options greek island cruises and prices, now there are many offers.

Another option is to make a sailing tour of the Cyclades islands, with stops in Santorini and Mykonos, for a maximum of 8 people.

July and August: are they good months to visit the Greek islands?

Yes, July and August are the peak season and are a excellent time to visit the Greek islands, because they have good weather and the heat is not usually overwhelming as in the continental part.

Occasionally temperatures can exceed 35 degrees, but it is not the most common because the wind from the islands keeps them at a more moderate temperature.

If not, you will always have a beach or pool nearby to take a good dip. 😎

How to avoid overcrowding on the Greek islands? (and high prices)

The biggest drawbacks of going to the Greek islands in July and August are skyrocketing accommodation prices and overcrowding on the most famous islands.

But if you travel at that time because that is when you have vacations, I tell you that in Greece you have to choose between 227 inhabited islands and which of all the most beautiful.

If you want to visit Santorini and Mykonos which are some of the most expensive islands, you can combine the trip with other lesser known islands, so that the total price of your vacation does not skyrocket so much.

I assure you that they will positively surprise you, and they are not usually overcrowded.

Also, some islands like Rhodes and Crete are large and perfect to escape mass tourism.

In some specific places on those islands there will be a lot of people, but you won't have to look hard to find them. paradisiacal corners full of peace.

Are April and November good months to travel to the Greek islands?

In general, both months are cold, especially at night You might even need heated accommodation.

During the day the weather is usually good, with pleasant temperatures, but It's not hot enough to go to the beach, much less to swim. because the water will be cold.

Is it a good idea to travel to the Greek islands from December to March?

If you are preparing your trip and you don't decide when to travel to the Greek islands, I can tell you that December to March is not a good time.

The only big advantages of traveling in low season to the Greek islands are low prices and there will be no tourists, the people you are going to meet are those who live on the island all year round.

The islands have a Mediterranean climate with fairly mild winters.

However, The intense winds so typical of the Greek islands make it feel much colder.

In the southernmost islands, temperatures do not usually drop below 5 degrees and in the northern ones it is unusual for them to reach 0 degrees.

In addition, all small or not very touristy islands are almost deserted in winter, many hotels, restaurants are closed.

The only islands that maintain some activity during the winter are Crete, Rhodes and Corfu.

Tips if you are going to go to the Greek islands in low season

These tips that I am going to tell you are based on my experience living on two greek islands very different (Santorini and Rhodes) so you know what you can find.

Air conditioning and heating

Most accommodations on the Greek islands They are not winterized or heated.

Shower and hot water

As Greece has many hours of sunshine, on the islands the The main way to heat water is with solar panels.

In winter, early spring and late fall, when there are more cloudy days, you will sometimes find yourself unable to take a hot shower.

My experience of arriving in Greece in April

I came from living in a cold country where it snows, but it had heating, thick walls and good enclosures.

When I saw the temperatures of the Greek islands I thought it was going to be very good in Greece in April, but to my surprise I have never been so cold. You see, April is not even the low season, nor is it winter.

My advice

If you are traveling during the low season, make sure the hotel, Airbnb, or wherever you are staying have enough heat and blankets.

In case they have water heater for shower, much better, although it is a minor problem because it is not that frequent.

Finally, take plenty of coat because the wind gives a greater sensation of cold. On the Greek islands there is a lot of wind and even more so on the Cyclades islands (Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, Milos, etc.).

Annual temperature in the Greek islands

To give you a better idea of the temperatures you will encounter, I leave you this table of different islands, they are the average maximum and minimum annual temperatures in degrees Celsius.

* If you are reading from your mobile, you will see the table better with your mobile horizontally.

Island		jan	feb	sea	apr	may	jun	jul	aug	set	oct	nov	dec
Heraklion, Crete	Maximum	15	15	17	20	23	27	29	29	27	23	20	16
	Minimum	9	9	10	12	16	20	22	22	20	17	14	11
Santorini	Maximum	15	15	16	19	23	27	29	29	26	23	19	16
	Minimum	10	10	11	13	17	21	23	23	21	17	14	11
Rhodes	Maximum	15	15	17	20	23	27	29	30	28	24	20	16
	Minimum	10	10	12	14	18	21	24	24	22	19	15	12
Corfu	Maximum	14	14	16	19	24	28	32	32	28	23	18	15
	Minimum	5	6	7	10	14	18	20	20	17	14	10	7
Samos	Maximum	13	13	16	19	24	29	32	32	28	23	18	15
	Minimum	7	7	9	11	15	20	23	23	19	15	12	9
Zakynthos	Maximum	14	14	16	20	24	29	32	32	28	24	19	15
	Minimum	6	6	7	10	13	17	20	20	17	14	11	8

Fountain: weatherspark.com

Final Thoughts

I hope this article helps you decide when to travel to the Greek islands.

Whatever it is, you will surely have a great time.

Below I leave you a video of Santorini filmed with a drone.

If you have any questions, leave me a comment below and I'll help you as much as I can. If you found the article useful, share it with other travelers. Have a good trip! 😘

More about the Greek islands and Greece

• What to see in Rhodes: 27 essentials
• Free Museum Entry Days in Athens and Greece
• How to Get from Athens to Santorini: ferry or plane
• 6 Best Places to Rent a Boat in Greece