What is the best month to visit Greece?

September is the best single month for most travelers. Athens averages a high of 84 F (28.9 C) with just 12 mm of rain, the islands are still fully open, and the July and August crowds have gone. Early June comes a close second, before the summer heat sets in.

What is the cheapest time to go to Greece?

November to March costs least on the ground. The climate fee drops to €1.50 a night at a 3-star hotel, against €5 from April to October, and the Acropolis is free on the first and third Sunday of each month. Many island hotels close, so it's best for Athens, Crete and Rhodes.

When is the best time to visit Santorini?

Late May to mid June, or late September, for Santorini. The cruise fee there is €20 per passenger from June to September, and the island averaged 7,000 to 8,000 cruise passengers a day in 2024. Stay at least one night, so you have the island early and late in the day, not only at its busiest.

Is it too hot to visit Greece in July?

July is hot but doable if you plan around it. Athens averages a 91 F (32.6 C) high, and in July 2025 the Acropolis closed from 1 to 5 p.m. during a heat wave. Visit sites at 8 a.m., rest in the afternoon, and spend more of the trip on the islands.

When is Greek Orthodox Easter in 2027?

Greek Orthodox Easter is Sunday 2 May 2027, with Good Friday on 30 April and Easter Monday on 3 May. The Acropolis closes on Easter Sunday. If your trip overlaps, check opening hours for sites and ferries over the long weekend before you plan each day.

Do the Greek islands close in winter?

The bigger islands don't close. Crete, Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros and Corfu keep tavernas, supermarkets and basic transport running for locals. Many hotels, beach clubs and nightlife spots shut until late May, and ferries run less often, so smaller islands are better left for summer.

What is the meltemi wind in Greece?

The meltemi is a strong northerly wind over the Aegean in summer, strongest in July and August. On Tinos it brings about 17 to 19 days a month with gusts of 50 km/h or more. When it blows hard, ferries are canceled, as they were on 14 August 2026.

Best Time to Visit Greece: Month by Month Guide for 2027

Updated Nov 13, 2026 10:59 AM EST · By Emma Jackob

The best time to visit Greece is late May to mid June, or September to early October. Athens averages highs of 74 to 86 F in those weeks, the islands are open, and you skip July and August, when highs pass 90 F and crowds peak. Orthodox Easter falls on 2 May in 2027.

When is the best time to visit Greece?

Late spring and early fall win: warm enough for the beach, cool enough for the Acropolis, and quieter than high summer. Here's each month, using the National Observatory of Athens averages for central Athens.

Greece month by month, with Athens weather averages (National Observatory of Athens, 1961 to 1990), November 2026
Month	Average high in Athens	Rain in Athens	What's happening	Our verdict
January	55 F (12.9 C)	45 mm, 13 days	Quiet; many island hotels closed	Athens only
February	56 F (13.6 C)	48 mm, 13 days	Cool and quiet	Athens only
March	61 F (16.0 C)	43 mm, 11 days	Independence Day on 25 March	Good for Athens
April	69 F (20.3 C)	28 mm, 10 days	Mild; islands still waking up	Good for the mainland
May	78 F (25.3 C)	17 mm, 7 days	Easter on 2 May 2027; island season starts late in the month	Great from the last week
June	86 F (29.8 C)	10 mm, 5 days	Islands open, long days, crowds building	Best, first half
July	91 F (32.6 C)	4 mm, 2 days	Heat waves, meltemi winds, peak crowds	Hot and busy
August	90 F (32.3 C)	5 mm, 2 days	15 August holiday rush; strongest winds	Hardest month to go
September	84 F (28.9 C)	12 mm, 3 days	Hot early on, crowds thin out	Best
October	74 F (23.1 C)	48 mm, 9 days	Mild; island services thin out late in the month	Great to mid month
November	65 F (18.6 C)	51 mm, 11 days	Rain returns; free Acropolis Sundays start	Athens and Crete
December	58 F (14.7 C)	67 mm, 13 days	Wettest month in Athens	Athens only

These are 1961 to 1990 averages, the most recent long-term table the National Observatory of Athens publishes, and recent summers have run hotter. Check the Greek weather service (emy.gr) for forecasts before you book.

Our advice: if you can pick only one window, take the first two weeks of September. The islands are still fully open, Athens still averages 84 F, and the August crowds have gone home.

When should you visit the Greek islands?

Go to the islands between late May and early October. Many island hotels, shops and beach clubs close for winter and reopen in late May, according to To Vima. Ferries run all year on the main routes, but with fewer sailings outside summer.

Open all year: Crete, Rhodes and Kefalonia, plus Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, Corfu and Syros, keep local tavernas, supermarkets, pharmacies and basic transport running in winter.
Better skipped in winter: smaller and more remote islands, where ferries are fewer and more of the island closes.
Late October: a good compromise on the bigger islands, with mild days and fewer people.

One traveler on the Rick Steves forum who has gone to Greece every October since 2010 says shops and tavernas stay open for locals then, and recommends a car on Crete because buses run less often. That's one person's experience, but it matches what we'd expect from the season.

What are the meltemi winds, and do they affect ferries?

The meltemi is a strong northerly summer wind across the Aegean, at its strongest in July and August. The National Observatory of Athens station on Tinos averages 17 days with gusts of 50 km/h or more in July and 19 in August. Summer 2025 had 61 such days from June to August, the most in 17 years.

When it blows hard, ferries stop. On 14 August 2026, a sailing ban kept ships in port at Rafina and Lavrio, and several Cyclades services from Piraeus were canceled, Proto Thema reported.

Our advice: in July and August, don't plan a ferry for the day before your flight home. Leave a free day, or take the last island hop by plane.

How hot does Greece get in summer?

Athens averages a high of 91 F (32.6 C) in July and 90 F (32.3 C) in August, and heat waves push well past that. On 8 and 9 July 2025, the Ministry of Culture closed the Acropolis from 1 to 5 p.m. as temperatures neared 104 F (40 C), iefimerida reported.

In summer the Acropolis opens at 8 a.m. Book the first timed slot, carry water, and save the afternoon for a museum or the beach.

When are crowds and prices highest in Greece?

July and August are the peak. Greece had 7.47 million foreign arrivals in August 2025 alone, out of nearly 26 million from January to August, according to Bank of Greece data reported by GTP. Two Greek fees also rise in the busy months.

Greek tourist fees by season, as of November 2026
Fee	Busy season	Quieter season	Off season
Cruise fee, Santorini and Mykonos, per passenger	€20, June to September	€12, April, May and October	€4, November to March
Climate fee, 3-star hotel, per room per night	€5, April to October	€5, April to October	€1.50, November to March
Climate fee, 5-star hotel, per room per night	€15, April to October	€15, April to October	€4, November to March

The climate resilience fee is set by Greek law and paid at your hotel; the cruise fee is charged per passenger at each port. Fees change, so confirm with your hotel or cruise line before you travel.

Santorini feels the cruise crowds most. It averaged 7,000 to 8,000 cruise passengers a day, and up to 15,000, on an island of about 25,000 people, Afar reported in 2024. If Santorini is on your list, go in late May or late September and stay at least one night, so you have the island early and late in the day.

Which dates should you plan around in 2027?

A few holidays change what's open and how busy ferries get. Build your dates around them.

Orthodox Easter, 2 May 2027. Good Friday is 30 April and Easter Monday is 3 May. The Acropolis is closed on Easter Sunday, so plan Athens sightseeing around it.
Independence Day, 25 March. A national holiday; the Acropolis is closed.
Dormition, 15 August. One of the biggest holidays of the Greek Orthodox year, when tens of thousands of travelers head for the islands, To Vima reported in 2026. Book ferries early.
Ochi Day, 28 October. A national holiday, and one of the Acropolis's free-entry days.

Is winter a good time to visit Greece?

Winter suits Athens, not the islands. Athens averages highs of 55 to 58 F (12.9 to 14.7 C) from December to February, with December the wettest month at 67 mm. From November to March the Acropolis closes at 5 p.m., and it's free on the first and third Sunday of each month.

Hotels cost you less in fees too: the climate fee drops to €1.50 a night at a 3-star hotel. Crete and Rhodes are the best island picks for a winter trip, with year-round services.

What do US citizens need to visit Greece?

US citizens don't need a visa for stays under 90 days, according to the US State Department, which recommends six months of passport validity remaining. Greece is in the Schengen area, so your first arrival in Europe now includes the Entry/Exit System's fingerprint and photo check, running since April 2026.

Check your passport's expiry date before you book, not after. The State Department and the Greek embassy update entry rules, so look again a few weeks before you fly. Flights from the US land at Athens International Airport (ATH), and schedules change by season, so check flight times on the airline's website or app for your dates.

Common questions

What is the best month to visit Greece?: September is the best single month for most travelers. Athens averages a high of 84 F (28.9 C) with just 12 mm of rain, the islands are still fully open, and the July and August crowds have gone. Early June comes a close second, before the summer heat sets in.
What is the cheapest time to go to Greece?: November to March costs least on the ground. The climate fee drops to €1.50 a night at a 3-star hotel, against €5 from April to October, and the Acropolis is free on the first and third Sunday of each month. Many island hotels close, so it's best for Athens, Crete and Rhodes.
When is the best time to visit Santorini?: Late May to mid June, or late September, for Santorini. The cruise fee there is €20 per passenger from June to September, and the island averaged 7,000 to 8,000 cruise passengers a day in 2024. Stay at least one night, so you have the island early and late in the day, not only at its busiest.
Is it too hot to visit Greece in July?: July is hot but doable if you plan around it. Athens averages a 91 F (32.6 C) high, and in July 2025 the Acropolis closed from 1 to 5 p.m. during a heat wave. Visit sites at 8 a.m., rest in the afternoon, and spend more of the trip on the islands.
When is Greek Orthodox Easter in 2027?: Greek Orthodox Easter is Sunday 2 May 2027, with Good Friday on 30 April and Easter Monday on 3 May. The Acropolis closes on Easter Sunday. If your trip overlaps, check opening hours for sites and ferries over the long weekend before you plan each day.
Do the Greek islands close in winter?: The bigger islands don't close. Crete, Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros and Corfu keep tavernas, supermarkets and basic transport running for locals. Many hotels, beach clubs and nightlife spots shut until late May, and ferries run less often, so smaller islands are better left for summer.
What is the meltemi wind in Greece?: The meltemi is a strong northerly wind over the Aegean in summer, strongest in July and August. On Tinos it brings about 17 to 19 days a month with gusts of 50 km/h or more. When it blows hard, ferries are canceled, as they were on 14 August 2026.

About this page

Written and fact-checked by the Flyingscanner team, last updated 13 November 2026. The facts in this post were checked on 13 November 2026. Airline fees and rules change, so confirm the details for your own trip with the airline before you pay. About Flyingscanner

Mark Flyingscanner as a preferred source and our travel guides are more likely to show up in your Google results.