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Where is the country of Greece located? Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic is a country in Southeast Europe. Most of Greece has a Mediterranean climate, characterized by mild winters and dry, warm summers. Within the Köppe-Geiger climate system, this climate type is referred to as a Csa climate. In the higher areas of mainland Greece, the Peleponessos and the island of Crete there are areas where there is a moderate Mediterranean climate (CSb climate). The interior of Crete has several higher areas that have a different climate type. For example, continental climates (Dsb and Dsc) occur here and a subarctic climate can even occur in the highest places. In the higher parts of the interior, periods of cold and winter precipitation can occur in winter. In some parts of Greece it is even possible to do winter sports.

Most of Greece enjoys the predominantly warm weather caused by the Mediterranean climate. As a result, Greece has fairly long and warm summers in which it sometimes doesn’t rain for weeks. Especially the months of July and August are sunny on the Greek islands. It is not for nothing that Greece is a very popular holiday destination during the summer holidays.

Positive travel advice for Greece

There is no negative travel advice for holidays or other trips to Greece. However, entry rules may apply that are in force due to the corona pandemic. For the trip to Greece, the rules of the country of arrival apply. They can vary and change. Tour operator TUI has an overview of the corona rules for Greece:

Winter weather

Snowfall is not only possible on the mainland during the winter months, even the island of Crete sometimes has to deal with a layer of snow. The capital Athens is even regularly paralyzed by heavy snowfall in the winter months. The weather can change very quickly, whereby the temperature can rise above 10 degrees within 24 hours and all snow disappears just as quickly as it came. On the islands the weather is often mild in winter and temperatures are usually between 5 and 15 degrees.

Precipitation

Most precipitation in Greece falls in the winter period, which runs from November to March. Most precipitation falls in the northwest of the mainland and the south of Crete. During the summer months there is little rain and prolonged periods without precipitation are more the rule than the exception. Drought is therefore a problem that occurs regularly in Greece and which increases the risk of forest fires.

Heat

The summer months in Greece are warm and dry. Heat waves with temperatures that can reach over 40 degrees occur every summer. Especially the capital Athens, the Peloponnese, Crete and the islands belonging to the Dodecanese (including Rhodes, Karpathos, Kos and Samos) have a reasonably high chance of long periods of heat in the months of June, July and August. It is not for nothing that many residents of Athens flee the city during the summer and stay on the islands, where the heat is much more pleasant due to the wind and the sea provides cooling. The warm weather is a reason for tourists to go on holiday in Greeceto celebrate. Especially in the months of July and August, most destinations are very sunny and the temperature is almost guaranteed to be above 25 and often even above 30 degrees.

Greece Holiday

Every year, more than half a million Dutch people fly to Greece to enjoy a wonderful holiday in the sun. The hospitality of the Greeks, the delicious food, the many beaches and of course the wonderful climate are the most important ingredients for a top holiday. You can look up mass tourism if you want, but Greece has more than enough unspoilt places where you can still taste the authentic Greek life. You can book a holiday to Greece with various travel organizations, with or without an SGR guarantee. A wide range with SGR guarantee can be found at TUI and Sunweb, among others.

All Greece holidays from Sunweb All Greece holidays from TUI

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Best time to visit Greece

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Greece? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. Greece is a very popular holiday destination among the Dutch. The typical Greek atmosphere in combination with a pleasant Mediterranean climate make the various Greek islands a top destination for various types of holidays. The climate on mainland Greece has a mix of sea climates and different land climates. This is mainly due to the largely mountainous landscape in the interior. If you have to indicate a period as the best time to travel to Greece, it is from May to mid-October, with the caveat that July and August can be very hot.

Sun holiday

Those who travel to Greece will in most cases do so to enjoy a sun holiday on one of the many Greek islands. Depending on the holiday destination and the circumstances in that year, it will be very pleasant from April or May for a sun, sea and beach holiday. In general, the islands in the Ionian Sea (including Corfu, Cephalonia) suffer from precipitation for a little longer. The summer sun season continues through October, although it can get colder, windier or wetter in that month on some islands. Based on the climate statistics, the period from June to mid-September is the best time to travel to Greece for a sun holiday.

Active holidays

Do you want to be active in Greece? Then you have to take into account daytime temperatures in the months of June, July and August that can reach forty degrees. To make kilometers on a mountain bike or on foot requires a reasonable condition and requires drinking enough water to prevent dehydration and to ensure that the body can lose the heat properly. The best time to travel for an active holiday in Greece is spring and autumn. Especially the months of April, May, September and often October are great to be active or sporty in many Greek destinations.

Cities and culture

City breaks and cultural holidays can be enjoyed all year round, but the months of November to February or March are fairly wet and snow can occur in some parts of Greece. It is better to plan this in the spring, when nature is also at its best. Autumn _is also very suitable, but the weather is generally less predictable. Within 24 hours, the weather can turn completely from sunny and warm to wet and windy. The summer months can be too hot for actively visiting villages, towns and sights. Especially when there is a heat wave, it is better to spend such days at the pool or beach. In Athens it is often too hot in July and August and that is why many local Greeks, if they have the opportunity, flee the capital during that period and move to the coast and the beautiful islands.

Greece as a winter sports destination

You can ski in Greece if you go to the right place at the right time. That is something that few Dutch people will do in the winter, while it is very possible. The mainland of Greece has several ski areas and annually attracts mainly Greeks to the mountains to put on their skis and descend from the slopes. The months of January and February offer the best winter sports opportunities in Greece.