When to visit Greece
Introduction
Greece has a mild climate except in the mountainous northern interior where the winters are harsh and summers are brief. Winter temperatures average around 13° to 16°C in Athens and the south. Summers are hot and dry, with daytime temperatures rising to 30° to 38°C or more at the height of July, but the islands in particular cool appreciably in the evenings, as northerly winds (meltemi) sweep in from the sea.
The best times to avoid the tourist hordes and enjoy comfortable weather are from late April to mid-June and September to mid-October. In July and August crowds from all over Europe overwhelm all but the most remote resorts and islands.
The weather generally remains balmy well into October. By late October, ferry and flight services are cut back and facilities on the islands begin to close for the winter, but the cooler conditions make Athens and the mainland far more pleasant.
Many hotels and tavernas stay open through winter (November to March), when prices are lower, and the southern mainland and Crete remain inviting. Alternatively you could drop all your preconceptions of the country and join the locals on the ski slopes.