Climate Overview

Santorini is located in the southern Aegean, on the same latitude as North Africa. The climate is semi-arid Mediterranean — the island receives extremely little rain (under 350 mm/year) and has over 300 sunny days. Summers are hot and dry, winters mild and short.

Month	Temperature	Water Temp.	Rainy Days	Rating
April	16–20°C	16°C	3	Quiet, floral splendor, cool for swimming
May	20–25°C	19°C	2	Ideal! Warm, empty, affordable
June	24–29°C	22°C	0	Perfect: warm, not yet crowded
July	26–32°C	24°C	0	High season, hot, Meltemi wind
August	26–33°C	25°C	0	Hottest time, very crowded, expensive
September	23–29°C	24°C	1	Top! Warm sea, less hustle
October	19–24°C	22°C	3	Golden: mild, quiet, grape harvest
November	15–19°C	19°C	5	Off-season begins, much closes

Meltemi: The notorious north wind of the Aegean blows particularly strong on Santorini in July and August, sometimes with gusts up to 80 km/h. It cools pleasantly in the heat but can disrupt ferry connections and be uncomfortable on unprotected beaches. The caldera side (west) is usually wind-protected, the east beaches (Perissa, Kamari) experience less wind than the northern tip.

Water Temperatures: The sea warms slowly on Santorini — only from mid-June does it reach 22°C. The warmest phase is August/September with 24–25°C. On the black volcanic beaches (Perissa, Perivolos), the sand heats up so much that you need bathing shoes!