We are thinking of going to Greece for 8 nights and are undecided if we should go during May or September . We would like to go preferably at a time when there is less probability of rain . Has anybody been to Greece in those months ? How was it ?
Any help would be much appreciated .
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15781 posts
I don't know about rain, but you can expect heat. If you want beach time, the water will be significantly warmer in fall.
Posted by
North Carolina
108 posts
We went in Sept last year. It was hot, but was a great time to visit. I don’t really remember much rain. Loved Greece!
Posted by
Brighton, UK
1419 posts
Depends a bit on where you are. We go regularly in both May and September and I would say that in the Cyclades the second half of September is definitely wetter. As Chani says though the sea is significantly warmer for swimming
Alan
Posted by
Nanaimo, BC, Canada
1441 posts
We normally traveled to Greece in late May . It seemed as if on May 15 someone threw a switch and the weather became warm and sunny. Over the past few years though the weather has become a bit more unsettled with some days with winds and more clouds and rain so we switched to June. It is fair to say it will likely be nice in May but you need to be prepared for some variability in the weather. One benefit of travel in May is the Greek hotels and tavernas have been without cash flow for 5 months so some bargains are available particularly if you are traveling around and are looking for hotels from the ferry ports
This summer we chose to go in September. The days were decidedly shorter with earlier sunsets. In May it was still light out at 9. In September the sun was gone before 8. We had no rain in September but did have some windy days. It was still warm and sunny. The sea was much warmer than in May.
By late September the hotels and taverna owners will be just finishing 6 months of 18 hour days and are looking forward to closing for the season. They all appeared to be tired but still have their gift of hospitality.
Posted by
316 posts
We went this past fall September 18 to October 7. We had two days of rain while in Crete. 9/29 and 9/30. Otherwise, we
had hot and sunny weather during the day and warm with a breeze at night. We started in Athens then on to Mykonos, Santorini. a few days in Crete and then 5 days on Rhodes. Everything was open and in full swing. We love to travel in the fall. Good luck
Posted by
OP
114 posts
Thanks everybody . We usually travel in September but this year we caught some rain in Salzburg and I fell sick . So even though the place was great we couldn't enjoy it as much since I was a bit under the weather . Think we'll go ahead with September itself.
Posted by
Athens, Greece
106 posts
Hi there,
September is better. I've been living in Greece for the last years and I can surely say that September is superb for hiking and swimming. In May the sea is a bit colder... So, if you are into traditional summer vacation (Greek Islands, staying at the beach and all) then definitely September. If you are only interested in sightseeing and cultural vacation (museums, ancient ruins, castles, events etc) both May and September are great!
Posted by
Calgary
2297 posts
We went to Crete in May and the weather was lovely, the sea just warm enough to swim (though not as warm as it would be in September). The big advantage of spring vs fall: nature is green and in bloom! Fall everything is still rather dry and brown from being burnt by the sun over the summer.