This Is the Very Best Time of Year To Visit Greece, According to an Award-Winning Travel Expert

If your dream is to travel to Greece—whether that's to the historic sites in Athens or the beautiful beaches in Santorini—then you're not alone. But it can be hard to know when to plan your upcoming vacation. What's the best time to visit Greece, anyway?

In 2024, Greece welcomed over 35 million tourists which was a 10% increase from the previous year, according to Greek Travel Pages . If you're eager to be one of the millions of visitors in 2025 or beyond, let's talk timing.

To help you plan your next trip, Doni Belau , award-winning travel expert and founder of Girls' Guide to the World , has shared with Parade the best times of the year to visit Greece—and we're ready to pack our bags.

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When Is the Best Time To Visit Greece?

For Belau, the best time to visit Greece is late spring or early fall because the weather is comfortable and it's not too hot. This makes it ideal for exploring the sights and taking in the culture in a comfortable way whether you're looking to visit the Acropolis of Athens or see the beautiful blue buildings in Santorini.

Best Time To Visit Greece for Smaller Crowds

As you can probably imagine, the crowds in Greece are typically smaller when the weather isn't as nice. "The least crowded time would be winter, but it likely won't be as pleasant on the islands if you plan on visiting any of them and a lot of restaurants will probably be closed," she warns.

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Best Times To Visit Greece for Good Weather

The best time to visit Greece is arguably when the weather is nice. Belau shares that her favorite months to travel are May, early June, September, and early October.

"May on the Peloponnese peninsula is magical with all of the wildflowers in bloom," she tells Parade . "And although temperatures are milder in September and early October, one can still enjoy swimming in the sea on the islands of Naxos and Paros."

Best Times To Visit Greece for Lower Prices

According to Belau, January and February will have the lowest prices for travelers since it's cold and not as in demand. Similar to most popular tourist destinations, you can find affordable hotel rooms and flights if you book ahead and not at the last minute.

If you're really keen on saving money, then you'll want to consider booking through a travel agent because they often have access to exclusive savings and deals not available to the public.

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Worst Times To Visit Greece

The worst time to visit Greece is when it's too hot and crowded. This would be in the summer when it's hot and lots of families are taking vacations together. "Later in June is when temperatures begin to rise over 80 and that makes sightseeing outside of the morning and evening hours a bit too hot," Belau says.

Also, in terms of crowds, the summer can be busy and you may have a hard time finding accommodations if you don't book early and if you do they might be really expensive or out of the way.

Aside from it being too hot and crowded, it can also be a bad time to visit Greece when the temperature is too cold. If snow is on the ground that can make it difficult to get around and the temperatures could make outside activities unpleasant too, especially if you're looking to go sightseeing.

The winter season in Greece spans from December through February for some context, so you'll want to steer clear if you can help it.

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What Is the Rainy Season for Greece?

The rainy season for Greece is between the months of November and March, but the amount of frequency will depend on the region. Not only can rain be annoying, but also it has the tendency to affect outdoor activities which can be problematic if a majority of the sights you're looking to see are outdoors.

You'll want to check the forecast a week or two out from your trip to determine how you should pack, if you should change your plans, and whether or not you still want to visit.

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