Climate
Greece has a Mediterranean climate — hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. However, the differences between regions are significant:
| Region | Summer (July) | Winter (January) | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens | 33-35°C | 10-12°C | Heat island, unbearable in August |
| Cyclades | 27-30°C | 12-14°C | Meltemi wind cools in summer (but ferries!) |
| Crete (coast) | 28-32°C | 12-15°C | Longest season, warm enough for swimming until November |
| Crete (mountains) | 20-25°C | 0-5°C | Snow on Psiloritis until May! |
| Northern Greece | 30-34°C | 3-8°C | Continental, colder winters |
| Ionian Islands | 28-32°C | 10-13°C | Rainier, greener |
| Dodecanese (Rhodes) | 30-33°C | 12-15°C | 300+ sunny days/year |
The Meltemi is the notorious north wind of the Aegean, blowing from June to September — sometimes at 7-8 Beaufort. It pleasantly cools the Cyclades (Mykonos, Paros, Naxos) but can halt ferries and ruin beach days. Surfers and kite surfers love it (Naxos, Paros, Karpathos are hotspots). Bathing on the leeward side of an island is the trick — the north coast has waves, the south coast is calm.
Best travel time: May-June and September-October. Warm enough for swimming, but without the extreme heat, crowds, and prices of high summer. April is ideal for hikers and culture enthusiasts, November for brave solo travelers.
💡 Tipp
In July/August, Athens can become unbearably hot (40°C+ in the heat island). Plan Athens sightseeing in the morning (8-11 am) or evening and escape to museums or the sea during the day (Athenian Riviera from Glyfada, 30 minutes by tram).