Best Time To Visit Greece | Good & Bad Seasons With Pros & Cons

Best time to visit Greece: Depending on the sort of vacation you’re planning, there are several reasons to visit Greece. In this article, I analyze the optimal time to go based on the weather, cost, and activities.

There is an ideal season for you, regardless of whether you like sightseeing, beaches, island hopping, or authentic local experiences.

You could believe that any time of the year is ideal for traveling to Greece. And to some degree, that’s accurate. 

But that’s probably because you see Greece as a place with an “endless summer.”

The majority of the images you’ll see in travel books and on Instagram showcase the clear sky and shimmering azure seas surrounding the islands since the nation is renowned for having some of the nicest beaches in the world.

Greece is fortunate to enjoy long, warm summers and a moderate temperature all year round, but there are also many rainy days in spring and chilly winters that bring snow to a few isolated regions of the nation.

You won’t typically notice pronounced changes in the seasons as you do in other parts of the world, and the weather may not be quite as diverse as the 6,000 islands and islets you’ll find in Greece, but you should still pack for a variety of weather depending on the time of year and region you’re visiting.

My Favorite Season To Go To Greece

I know I’m in the minority, but I like summer trips to Greece. Certainly, there may be wild crowds on some islands, but if you mix up your trip with both well-known and less-frequented locations, it can still be a fantastic time to go to the nation.

The sea is ideal for swimming, the beaches are at their most beautiful, and I enjoy the intense heat like a lizard. 

It may become warm when visiting historic sites and engaging in strenuous activities like trekking, but I normally avoid this by going as early in the day as I can to avoid the throng and the heat.

Summer might easily be the finest time of year to visit Greece if you know how to take advantage of it.

But that’s simply what I think. According to where you want to travel, the kind of vacation you want to take, and the experiences you want to have, let’s split it down.

Therefore, if you’re not a lover of really hot weather like I am, the summer is definitely not the greatest season for you to visit Greece.

Recommended: Best Time To See Northern Lights In Alaska | Month, Time & Guide

When To Go To Greece At Its Finest?

There are lots of things to keep you occupied on your Greece holiday with so many possibilities for islands to visit as well as a range of towns and attractions on the mainland.

As a result, I advise deciding what things you’d want to do the most and basing your vacation decisions on your preferred weather and travel style.

But even if you only have time off in the winter and want to go island hopping, you may still plan the vacation of a lifetime to Greece. 

Simply said, you may need to make certain concessions, including putting up with unreliable weather and traveling to the larger islands during the off-season when there is still some vestige of tourism infrastructure.

In December, January, and February, expect a lot of wet days, in March, April, and November, a moderate amount of rainy days, and in May, June, July, August, September, and October, little to no rain.

The spring, summer, and autumn get a fair lot of sun, but the winter is often rather gloomy and chilly. The sunniest months are summer and fall, with few days of cloud cover.

Best Time To Visit Greece Deep Season

June To August

For people seeking the ideal beach climate, who don’t mind hot weather, and who want the broadest selection of tourist attractions, island hopping, and nightlife.

Pros

• The majority of visitor facilities, excursions, and ferry choices

• A wonderful time for swimming and island hopping

• Many celebrations and activities are held around the nation.

• The best events and DJs on the islands of Mykonos and Ios

Cons

really heated conditions. Unless you plan your excursions as early in the morning, it’s not the greatest time to view many of the most well-known attractions in Greece (such as ancient ruins that are outside and have no shade).

1. Most costly season to travel

2. In most areas, you’ll have to contend with crowds.

3. In the more well-known islands, such as Santorini and

4. During the summer, Mykonos sells out months in advance.

5. Given how hot it is, this is not the best time to visit ancient ruins for sightseeing.

Events/Festivals

• Army Week (end of June)

• Greek Festival (June-August)

• Festival of Open-Air Cinema in Athens (June-September)

• Epidaurus-Athens Festival (June-October)

• International Dance Festival in Kalamata (July)

• Festival Rockwave (July)

• Dekapentavgoustos/Theotokos Dormition Festival (August 15th)

• Moon Festival in August (August)

Any of the islands are the best locations to visit in Greece in the summer. The majority of the greatest Greek islands to visit are at their most exciting and beautiful for the beach at this time of year.

1. Avoid Santorini
2. Corfu
3. Rhodes 
4. Ios
5. and Mykonos 

if you wish to avoid crowds. Despite the fact that Crete is such a large island, it is far simpler to escape the throng if you so want. 

The following islands are excellent summertime substitutes for the most well-liked ones: 

• Paros
• Antiparos 
• Naxos
• Milos
• Hydra
• Skyros
• Koufonissia
• Folegandros
• Kos
• And Ikaria

Greece’s cities may become quite hot during the summer, so it’s often advisable to concentrate on the islands.

The ideal time to go is when you want to go island-hopping, enjoy hot weather, parties, regional festivals, beaches, and sailing.

Good tip: Plan to reserve lodging months in advance if you’re visiting Greece during the peak season. 

4-6 months are advised for renowned destinations like Santorini and Mykonos. A smart place to start when organizing your vacation to the most well-known locations in Greece is with this 7-day itinerary.

Spring Is Shoulder Season

April Through May

For visitors seeking a combination of less crowded, active sightseeing, wildflower viewing, and sailing activities.

Pros

• Somewhat lower lodging costs compared to the summer

• Excellent time to hike and observe wildflowers

• Fewer crowds

• Mild weather (although expect some rainy days)

• The optimum period for sailing

Cons

1. Unpredictable weather

2. Swimming in the water is still rather chilly.

3. Greek Easter may be both a pro and a con, a positive if you want to experience one of the most significant festivals in Greece, and a con if you don’t enjoy enormous crowds. 

Nonetheless, prices for everything linked to tourism should be high throughout Holy Week and Greek Easter, and most attractions should be closed.

4. On the islands, not all hotels will be operational yet.

Events

• Passover and Greek Easter (April)

• Holiday of Saint. George (late April)

• International Film Festival of Athens (April)

• Jazz Festival in Athens (usually in May)

Greek islands Santorini, Corfu, Rhodes, Chios, Patmos, Athens, Crete, Peloponnese, Delphi, and Milos are among the best to visit in the spring.

For the most active areas in early spring, it’s often still preferred to stay on the mainland or nearby islands (Greek Easter aside). 

The exceptions are: 

1. Chios
2. Patmos
3. And Rhodes

which may be lovely in the spring, as well as Crete and Santorini, which enjoy year-round tourism (and to a lesser degree Corfu). Also beautiful is Milos, particularly around May. 

Spring is a wonderful choice if you’re thinking about taking a long vacation to Europe since it’s the greatest season to visit Europe overall.

Great time to travel if you want to go hiking, go sailing, see wildflowers, have warm weather, or enjoy the beach without too many people (although expect some rainy days).

Pro tip: April and May may be rather chilly months for swimming even when the weather is beautiful.

Recommended: Best Time To Visit Costa Rica | 5 Reasons, Seasons & Budget Guide

Autumn Is A Good Time

October Through September

For those who wish to enjoy fresh wine and olive tasting together with less crowded, active touring, some of the greatest beach weather (after summer).

Pros

• The ideal time to visit Greece is when there are fewer visitors, beautiful weather, and a developed tourism industry

• Excellent opportunity to avoid the throng and go island hopping.

• There are several options for wine and olive sampling as it is harvest time.

• Compared to the summer, lodging costs are lower.

• Even though it’s still hot outside, it’s typically not as hot as it is in August.

Cons

• The only drawbacks to traveling to Greece in the autumn are that there are fewer parties on certain islands than there are in the summer and that there are a few fewer tour and quick ferry choices available to visitors.

Events

1. Festival of Armata (September)

2. Beer Festival in Corfu (September)

3. International Music Festival in Santorini (September)

4. Wine Festival in Anhiolos (September)

The greatest spots to go in Greece in the fall include: 

• Santorini
• Peloponnese
• Create
• Hydra
• Kefalonia
• Corfu
• Rhodes 
• Milos
• Athens
• Thessaloniki
• Karpathos 
• Symi 
• and Kos.

If you want to experience the nicest weather at this time of year, concentrate on visiting a few major cities or the southernmost islands.

The best time to travel is in September if you’re interested in hiking, pleasant weather, wine, and olive sampling, somewhat lower costs, fewer tourists, and a fair mix of residents and visitors.

Dead Season

February – March

For individuals who don’t mind cooler temperatures, seek the most reasonable rates, and wish to engage with locals more.

Pros

1. The most cost-effective time of year to go to Greece

2. Hardly any crowds

3. The opportunity to engage with locals more

4. Cool-weather and fewer tourists make this a great time to see well-known ancient sites. Please be careful to verify the hours of operation.

5. since they are often lower throughout the winter.

Cons

• Expect chilly temperatures, a cloudy sky, and a fair quantity of precipitation.

• In the winter, several smaller islands totally close.

• fewer boat services and transportation choices

• Island hopping is not recommended at this time of year, with the exception of a few bigger islands like Santorini and Crete.

Events

1. International Film Festival in Thessaloniki (November)

2. Apocalypse/Festival Season (February)

Greek islands Crete, Santorini, Corfu, Rhodes, Athens, Thessaloniki, Meteora, Delphi, and Kea are among the best to visit in the winter.

In order to find additional tourist possibilities in the winter, it is often advisable to concentrate on the more well-known islands and cities.

When to go if you want: calm cities, fewer tourists, colder weather, and affordable lodging

Greece is a fantastic place to visit at any time of the year, as you can see from this article. Yet, depending on what you’re searching for and when you’ll be visiting the nation, it’s necessary to moderate your expectations.

In order to really appreciate Greece and everything that this Mediterranean nation has to offer, you should be able to visit it many times throughout various seasons.

Enjoy one of my favorite nations while you’re on the road!