July & Aug 2024 Greece with 2 yr old

Since your child is pre-school & you're not required to travel in July-August why pick the hottest, most crowded, most expensive 2 months in Greece?? Did you consider the weather when spinning your dreams or check it out -- the internet has complete info on weather patterns. May-June would be 100% better i n terms of fewer tourists, better temps, and better p rices. Homework homework homework.

Also about Corfu (I assume t hat's w hat you mean) ... many americans saw "The Durrells in Corfu" and started daydreaming based on a TV show. It is far different from the 1930s now... in fact has become a Mecca for British package tourism. Again, research.

I agree that mid-summer weather could be a huge problem in Greece. You can find actual, historical, day-by-day weather statistics for many cities, including Athens, on the website timeanddate.com. I see that in July 2023 there was exactly one day when the high temperature in Athens didn't reach 90F, and there's data missing on that day, so it probably did get up into the 90s. It was 99F or hotter on 14 days. July 2023 may have been abnormally hot (I don't know about that), but it's an indication of what you could run into. Use the pull-down box above this graph to display other months/years and the Search box near the upper right to display statistics for other locations.

Athens - July 2023 weather

Conditions in Nafplion were similar to those in Athens in July 2023.

Athens has some great classical ruins, obviously, but I think it's one of Europe's least charming capital cities, having grown like topsy in the last 120 years or so. A week there would be long enough for me.

The Ionian islands (including Corfu) tend to be cooler and wetter. I haven't been to Corfu since the 1980s and cannot comment on conditions there (I'm sure Janet is correct). It's a fairly small island, though. Crete is more than ten times the size of Corfu.

If not for the weather issue, I'd say Crete would be a good destination for two weeks. There are mountains as well as beaches. It wasn't as hot as Athens in July of this year, but still generally quite hot.

Is it possible to do May-June or perhaps last few Days of August thru Early October? To avoid insanity of heat, crowds, prices with a toddler? If not, then cannot summon the will to outline recommendations, can only say lotsa luck!

I agree with everyone that July and August are the worse months to visit Greece because of the heat, crowds, and prices, and especially with a toddler. We were in Greece in May 2022. The temps were comfortable in Santorini, Naxos and Nafplio. However, Athens was our last stop so we were there in late May, and it was already getting very hot. Temps in the 90's. After touring the Acropolis, we had to find shade and cold drinks ASAP.

I agree with Janet's recommendation about going in May/June. If you do this, perhaps visit Athens at the beginning of the trip when it hopefully shouldn't be extremely hot. Or September/October would be a good time to visit with Athens at the end of the trip.

I haven't been to Crete yet but I would think it should be a wonderful place to spend 2 weeks because it is very large and there is so much to do there.

As a point of comparison, last spring our daughter and her family rented an apartment in Tuscany for 3 weeks. Our grandchildren were 5.5 and 3.5 years old at the time. They went to only one place that was very crowded, Pisa, and changed their sightseeing plans after that because of the crowds. Their 3.5 year old was running all over the place, and they were terrified they would lose him or he would run out into the streets. It might be easier to keep a 2-year old in the stroller, but if the toddler wants to get out. . . . you might find this very stressful.

You are planning to go in peak season when accommodation will be at its most expensive so your budget could be a little bit low at about €250 a day. If you stay in less popular locations you’ll likely need a car so the costs mount.

It is very hot in Greece at that time but if you’re by the sea or a pool it’s ok. I wouldn’t want to do a lot of sight seeing and I definitely wouldn’t want to be in Athens.

Although there are a lot of package holidays to Corfu and Crete you can get away from it as they always utilise the main resorts and large hotels.

We have to travel in August and it’s hot and expensive but you just work with it.