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Greek islands in May

Planning a trip to Greece first week in may. Was hoping to go to Naxos 5-7th but wondering if the beach and ocean temps will be warm enough. Read lots of articles about it being a great time to visit but don’t want to have water too cold to get into. Thoughts, experiences?

Posted by
2133 posts

I went the end of May and the water was too cold for me. My overweight friends had no problem with the water temp! We were in the southern most islands.

Posted by
3396 posts

Much depends on what you're used to in the area where you live, Tammy, and you have not shared this, I'm in Philadelphia, but spent childhood around lake Michigan, and adulthood in NY and CT shoreline.. I happily swim in Long Island Sound any time after May 15. I can also swim off Naxos from May 15 on ... but May 5-7 is too soon. Is it possible to push your trip a lititle later? To my mind, May 15 - June 15 is the ideal month, warm enough to swim, weather is balmy, eveything's open, nothing is crowded.

PS: if you are planning to go all the way to Greece for just 1 week... don'T. Different if you are visiting Greece along with another country, but still not enough time. And May 5th-7th is really only a day & a half, face it.

Posted by
6788 posts

I went the end of May and the water was too cold for me. My overweight friends had no problem with the water temp!

Sounds like somebody might just need a few more helpings of gelato. Problem solved! 🍧

Posted by
2219 posts

Early May the water temperature is really not ideal for swimming unless you are very courageous.
It becomes more or less bearable from the end of May

Anyway, given that you will only have a few hours to spend in Naxos (as janet says, from the 5th to the 7th, it's only one day, the 6th),
I don't think not being able to spend some of those hours swimming will matter much.