Our October trip is coming up and need to decide on what clothes and shoes to pack. A bit challenging as we are traveling in shoulder season when it can start getting a little chilly, and are covering a large part of the country over 3.5 weeks starting first week of October (Santorini, Crete, Athens, Meteora, Delphi, Nafplio, Kalamata in this sequence). Will it be shorts weather in any part? I like Jeans in cooler weather, but always worry a bit of drying them. Any idea where it may be more challenging to find cost-effective laundry facilities? Presumably, it should not be an issue in Chania, Athens, Nafplio, Kalamata. We will take comfortable shoes and sandals (Teva or similar). Not planning attending anything formal. Thanks for suggestions.
Posted by
NH (USA)
1222 posts
I travel to Greece every year from late Sept to mid October and for the most part the weather is lovely.
You don't have the heat of summer but still very mild, short sleeves during the day and even a lot of the nights.
Most of the time I'm wearing jeans and very good walking/casual shoes whether I'm going out to eat or just walking around.
Some rain but no washouts and overall a real nice to time to be Greece.
Don't over pack but bring along a light jacket and a rain jacket.
Obviously there is no guarantee what the weather will be like but you can get a good idea of the average weather for that time of year on most reliable weather websites.
Doing the laundry may be the biggest challenge when traveling. In the larger towns there may be a laundromat but there were several times when I did laundry in the kitchen sink.
Another option is ask your accommodations if there is a washer in the building or where locals go for their laundry or book a place that may have a washer in the studio, mostly in Airbnbs.
I've found Greece to be a very laid back and casual country where how you dress is not a factor.
Posted by
Washington DC
27990 posts
I don't find average temperatures adequate during shoulder seasons. I like to know how hot it could actually be in the middle of the day and how chilly at 8 AM or 9 PM. There's a natural tendency, I think, to look at the high temperature and think "That's fine", but you will not have that temperature when you leave your hotel in the morning.
I like the more-complete information available from the website timeanddate.com, which shows actual, historical, day-by-day temperatures. I usually check my month of travel for the most recent five years. For Greece, where you'll often be along the coast, be aware of the possibility of a very cool wind after the sun goes down; pure temperatures may not adequately reflect the impact of that wind.
Athens weather -- October 2023
It appears complete information isn't available, but there's likely to be enough to give you a good idea of the range of conditions you may experience. Use the pull-down box at the right, just above the graph, to change the month and year displayed. Use the Search box at the upper right to see data for other locations.
Posted by
Greece
4 posts
Hello,
well....at this time of the year , the weather can vary a lot from place to place. Here in Thessaloniki one day its like summer - so sorts are perfect -, and the next day it's raining like crazy. Take sandals but also some sneakers with you. definately you will need jackets for the night - it can get really chilly. I would suggest to check the weather here:
https://www.accuweather.com/en/gr/athens/182536/october-weather/182536?year=2024
As you can see, it's not super hot. Pack jeans and do not worry about laundry. With a little money you can give them to wash them for you...and dry them too. Pack also a small umbrella, and long sleeve shirts.
I hope you will have a great time.
Have a nice trip and anjoy Greece!
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14685 posts
"I like Jeans in cooler weather, but always worry a bit of drying them."
I'm a jeans wearer, lol, although I've not been to Greece. I look at the fabric content of the jeans in question. I like the Gloria Vanderbilt Amanda stye jeans and they are 30% polyester and a little spandex with the rest cotton. The poly content helps them dry faster. I do try to get them as dry as possible after sink washing them using the bathmat and a towel to squish the water out. If they are not dry in 12 hours I help them along with a hotel hair dryer and if I can, will hang them so they are in the sun part of the day when I am out of the hotel room. I also wear them 4-5 days in a row so am only washing them once a week or so.
Posted by
OP
California
15 posts
Thank you all for the pointers. The laundry question came up because in many places they state drying rack, but they don't have a washer. I guess washing in the sink is a lot more common. Hadn't thought of a rain coat/jacket, but may have to scramble to buy one as we leave in a little over a week. Harder to find them here in Southern California. May be we will just carry small umbrellas and buy a jacket there if needed.
Posted by
NH (USA)
1222 posts
While Southern California has similar weather to Greece it does rain in Greece but most of it falls during late fall & winter months.
The drying racks provided by accommodations are mostly for beach towels, bathing suits, etc., rather than "laundry".
However, if your accommodations has a washer more than likely they won't have a dryer so the racks can come in handy for that.
Your best option is to ask your accommodations for recommendations for laundry and hopefully they can help.