Greece Weather and Climate
Geographical location
According to COUNTRYAAH, Greece is located in south-east Europe and borders the countries of Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Turkey. The Mediterranean Sea forms a natural border from the southwest to the northeast. The country is a member of the EU and part of the euro zone.
Greece is known, among other things, for its 3,054 picturesque islands. Just 87 of them are permanently inhabited. About 10.8 million people live in an area of 137,957 square kilometers. This results in a population density of 82 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Crete is the largest Greek island, it is located quite far south and, like the Peloponnese and the mainland region of Chalkidiki around Thessaloniki, is a popular tourist destination. Other travel hotspots in the country include the islands of Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini, Corfu and Kos.
The capital Athens is world-famous for its old town and historical buildings such as the Acropolis. Athens is not only the political and economic center of Greece, but also very popular as a travel destination. The capital can be reached in around three hours by plane from Düsseldorf.
- Abbreviation Finder: Check to see national geography, brief history, society description, domestic politics, economy overview, and a list of widely used acronyms about Greece.
Climate in Greece
As one of countries with G according to COUNTRYAAH, Greece has a temperate Mediterranean climate. The temperatures rise to over 20 ° C early in the year. In both Thessaloniki and Athens, values of around 30 ° C are found in June. These high temperatures only diminish minimally by October and the rainfall is very low. These long dry periods repeatedly lead to forest fires, primarily in the southern areas.
In the north of the country, summer shows a slightly different side. A light wind ensures more pleasant temperatures here. In winter, precipitation increases somewhat and showers also occur regularly in the coastal areas. In Athens, temperatures drop to less than 10 degrees. In the mountainous inland and even on the southern island of Crete, it can occasionally even snow in winter.
When to go to Greece
The warm climate in summer offers ideal conditions for a vacation and is therefore unreservedly recommended by us from June to September as the best time to travel to Greece. The excellent water temperatures in the Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea complement the high number of hours of sunshine daily and ensure excellent weather conditions.
Truly divine temperatures on the Greek islands and on the south coast also offer ideal conditions for sailing trips or round trips. Athens in particular, but also Thessaloniki in the northeast of the country, are worth a trip. A classic beach holiday is possible at the best travel time in all coastal and island regions of Greece. The season usually runs from mid- May to mid-October.
Optimal travel time for the regions
In the following overview you can see the best travel time depending on the region (Greece).
| Place | Best travel time |
| Athens | June, July, August and September |
| Thessaloniki | June, July, August and September |
| Heraklion | June, July, August, September and October |
| Rhodes | June, July, August and September |
| Corfu | June, July, August and September |
| Santorini | June, July, August, September and October |
| Mykonos | June, July, August and September |
| Kos | June, July, August, September and October |
| Paros | June, July, August and September |
| Gerakini | June, July, August and September |
| Kefalonia | June, July, August and September |
| Zakynthos | May, June, July, August and September |
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Athens (Greece)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 13 ° C | 14 ° C | 16 ° C | 20 ° C | 25 ° C | 30 ° C | 33 ° C | 32 ° C | 29 ° C | 23 ° C | 19 ° C | 15 ° C |
| Night temperature | 7 ° C | 7 ° C | 8 ° C | 12 ° C | 15 ° C | 20 ° C | 23 ° C | 22 ° C | 19 ° C | 15 ° C | 11 ° C | 8 ° C |
| Water temperature | 14 ° C | 14 ° C | 14 ° C | 15 ° C | 18 ° C | 22 ° C | 24 ° C | 24 ° C | 23 ° C | 21 ° C | 19 ° C | 16 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 45 | 48 | 43 | 28 | 17 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 48 | 51 | 67 |
| Rainy days | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 7 |
| Hours of sunshine | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 4 |
| Sunrise | 7:40 | 7:15 | 6:35 | 6:50 | 6:15 | 6:00 | 6:15 | 6:40 | 7:05 | 7:35 | 7:05 | 7:35 |
| Sunset | 17:30 | 18:05 | 18:30 | 20:00 | 20:30 | 20:50 | 20:50 | 20:20 | 19:35 | 18:50 | 17:15 | 17:05 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Athens is 17.7 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is July (27 ° C), coldest month of January with mean values of 9.3 ° C. The maximum water temperature in Athens is 24 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. The months of May, June, July, August, September, October and November have a water temperature of at least 17 ° C. Bathing is then possible to a limited extent. The months of June, July, August, September and October have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 378 mm on 45 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. There is no rainy season, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. You cannot expect snow in any month in Athens.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 12.1 hours of sunshine per day. In the annual mean, the sun shines an average of 7.9 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Cities nearby
The following larger towns are nearby and have a similar climate: Athens Municipality, Piraeus, Piraeus Municipality, Peristeri, Peristeri Municipality, Nikea-Agios Ioannis Rendis, Kallithea and Kallithea Municipality.
Highlights and attractions
The capital Athens has endless possibilities for culture lovers. Whether the world-famous Acropolis, the historical Parthenon or the wonderful old town Plaka, Athens has the right offer for every taste. In the Kastraki region you will find the impressive Metéora monasteries. These have been built impressively in the middle of rock formations and are an absolute attraction.
Other popular travel destinations in Greece can be found in the Chalkidiki region with its three peninsula fingers, as well as on the Greek islands such as Crete, Kos, Mykonos, Corfu, Santorin or Rhodes. The UNESCO cultural heritage sites include the Meteora monasteries (region of Thessaly), the ruins of the city of Olympia and the oracle of Delphi. The old towns of Corfu and Rhodes also have the coveted UNESCO classification as World Heritage.
