Greece is one of those countries that has something for everyone. Home to the ruins of multiple ancient people and historical sites, history buffs will be thrilled but you can also go hiking, enjoy water sports, taste incredible food and explore the many islands. Given everything there is to do here, knowing the best time to visit Greece is essential, so keep reading to discover all the details you need to plan your ideal itinerary.

The weather in Greece

Greece stretches from Thessaloniki in the north, all the way down to the islands of Crete and Rhodes (near Turkey), but the average temperatures are fairly consistent wherever you go.

Greece has mild weather compared to other places in Europe during the winter months, with the average temperature rarely going down below freezing. There will be rainy days but if you’re planning a city break the cooler weather means far fewer crowds to deal with.

As the year moves into early spring the weather starts to warm up quickly. By late spring the average temperatures are well into the 70’s and you can expect reliably good weather wherever you visit Greece, without it being excessively hot.

The heat comes into full force in the summer, with July and August being the hottest months. The sea temperatures are also at their warmest so coastal areas are full of holiday makers. The intense heat also comes with high humidity (particularly in mainland Greece and cities) so this may not be the best time to visit Greece if you struggle in these types of weather conditions.

The sunny weather continues into early fall, but the intensity and humidity lessens. The warm weather makes it a great time to explore this beautiful country, as you can enjoy both the beaches and cities without it being too hot or too cold.

What to expect from Greece’s seasons

Greece has four fairly distinct seasons, and all of them make for a great time to visit. There are some pros and cons to each season however, so it’s important to think about these before making a decision about your vacation plans.

Summer in Greece

The summer season is peak tourist season, there’s no way around this. The tourist crowds at popular destinations like Mykonos, Santorini and Crete are inescapable and hotel prices are at their highest.

The Greek islands are also popular with the Greeks themselves, especially in August, so you can expect anywhere near the sea to be extremely crowded.

Even with the crowds, the summer months are not a bad time to go to Greece. If your dream vacation is all about hot weather, swimming in the Aegean Sea and enjoying a cocktail at one of the many beach bars before indulging in excellent food at Greek restaurants, then summer is for you. Just be prepared for pre-booking activities and restaurants in advance to avoid being disappointed.

Fall in Greece

Summer technically continues until mid September, but the beautiful weather continues long past that. If you want to combine sightseeing with relaxing on beaches, fall is the season for you. The warm weather is very pleasant, but not so hot that walking around all day will exhaust you.

This ideal combination does make fall, especially in early September through October, peak season for visiting Greece’s cities. Athens in particular is very busy in the fall.

If you want to avoid the worst of the fall crowds and aren’t so interested in relaxing on beaches, then the best time to visit Greece is late October and November when there are smaller crowds of people around.

Winter in Greece

Winter in Greece means fewer tourists and lower prices for a hotel room and flights. There can be some days with bad weather and some rain, but this doesn’t last long and is very rarely severe enough to impact your trip.

Winter is the ideal time to go to Greece if you want to see the sights without many tourists around, plus you can fully indulge in the hearty Greek dishes that sometimes are a bit too much in the heat of the summer season.

Be aware that many ferry routes to the different Greek islands, especially the smaller islands, do not run in the winter.

Spring in Greece

Spring is a unique time to visit Greece, in part because of the many Greek holidays that take place in this shoulder season.

Celebrations start in February with Greek Carnival, which traditionally starts 10 weeks before Greek Orthodox Easter. The festivities lead up to Clean Monday which is a public holiday in Greece, and marks the start of Lent.

Greek Easter is the principle religious festival of the year, so there are lots of events that take place in the spring around Holy week in particular.

Possibly the most important holiday also takes place in the spring, Greek Independence Day on March 25. Almost all sites, shops and museums are closed on this day.

High season vs low season

Peak season in Greece is from June through July and August and then into September. Between other travelers, Greeks and people on cruises, you will find everywhere busy.

The shoulder season runs from October to November before low season runs through to April. Expect lower prices and fewer crowds during the low season, this is definitely the cheapest time to visit Greece.

From late April visitor numbers start to climb again. Athens is much busier in the spring if you’re thinking about a city break.

How much time to spend in Greece

When you’re deciding what the best time to visit Greece is, you also need to think about how much time to spend here.

Athens deserves at least 2 days, although it would be easy to spend longer exploring the city. If you want to visit some of Greece’s other sites like Delphi, ruins of the ancient city of Mycenae or the temple of Poseidon, then you will need to factor in travel time as well as sightseeing time.

If you also want to spend some time at the beach then think about how long you want to do that for.

Adding in exploring some of the islands will significantly up your visit time, both getting between them and spending time on the islands is not something you want to rush.

What about the Greek islands?

The information above largely applies to both the Greek islands and the mainland, but there are a few key differences to be aware of.

The most popular Greek islands of Mykonos and Santorini are ridiculously busy in July and August. We suggest that you avoid visiting these islands during the summer season as the combination of hot weather and intense crowds make it difficult to fully enjoy yourself.

There can also be strong winds in the summer around the islands, particularly the Cyclades cluster, which can impact activities and ferries. These winds are hard to predict but can be disruptive. For us, the best time to visit the islands is early June or later in September when the weather is still lovely but the crowds have eased a bit.

Finally, while the large islands like Crete, Corfu and Rhodes are accessible year-round, a lot of the connections between the smaller islands are reduced or stopped altogether out of season. Most beach bars, restaurants and even some hotels also close during the winter.

Helping you decide the best time to visit Greece

You can visit Greece at any point during the year and have an amazing trip, but in our opinion the best time of year is either June or late September/October. You can fully enjoy everything Greece has to offer without dealing with the huge crowds and extremely high temperatures of the summer.