Winter
Dec → Feb15 to 17°
nights 11 to 13°
- 8 rainy days · 44 mm
- 8.4 h of sun
- sea 18°
When is the best time to visit Santorini?
- Jan15°not recommended
- Feb15°not recommended
- Mar16°not recommended
- Apr19°fair
- May22°recommended
- Jun27°recommended
- Jul29°fair
- Aug29°fair
- Sep27°recommended
- Oct23°recommended
- Nov19°fair
- Dec17°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Santorini, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15° | 11° | 7.9 h | 43 mm | 8 d | 18° | |
| February | 15° | 11° | 9.1 h | 34 mm | 7 d | 17° | |
| March | 16° | 12° | 10.1 h | 37 mm | 7 d | 17° | |
| April | 19° | 14° | 11.5 h | 11 mm | 4 d | 18° | |
| May | 22° | 17° | 12.6 h | 14 mm | 3 d | 19° | ✓ |
| June | 27° | 21° | 13.8 h | 6 mm | 1 d | 23° | ✓ |
| July | 29° | 24° | 13.5 h | 1 mm | 0 d | 25° | |
| August | 29° | 24° | 12.9 h | 2 mm | 1 d | 26° | |
| September | 27° | 22° | 11.8 h | 5 mm | 1 d | 25° | ✓ |
| October | 23° | 19° | 10.1 h | 9 mm | 2 d | 23° | ✓ |
| November | 19° | 16° | 9.2 h | 15 mm | 3 d | 21° | |
| December | 17° | 13° | 8.1 h | 54 mm | 9 d | 19° |
The four seasons in Santorini, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Oia) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May16 to 22°
nights 12 to 17°
- 5 rainy days · 21 mm
- 11.4 h of sun
- sea 18°
Summer
Jun → Aug27 to 29°
nights 21 to 24°
- 1 rainy days · 3 mm
- 13.4 h of sun
- sea 25°
Autumn
Sep → Nov19 to 27°
nights 16 to 22°
- 2 rainy days · 10 mm
- 10.4 h of sun
- sea 23°
Book early for May to June and September to October
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Santorini, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 14h38 of daylight, in December 9h41, a difference of 4h57.
9h56Jan
10h48Feb
11h52Mar
13h05Apr
14h06May
14h38Jun
14h25Jul
13h32Aug
12h21Sep
11h11Oct
10h10Nov
9h41Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Oia" (36.46°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Santorini, month by month
EventsOrthodox EasterApril to MayDormition of the VirginAugustAssyrtiko grape harvestAugustDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
Hiking: good conditions all twelve months.
Towns & culture: good conditions all twelve months.
- Beach & swimming: June, July, August, September, October
- Diving & snorkelling: July, August, September
- Long days: May, June, July
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Santorini, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. One of these events fills the hotels and pushes prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- April to MayOrthodox Easter
On Good Friday, the village of Pyrgos is lit by candlelight and processions wind down the lanes until late.
- AugustDormition of the Virgin big crowds
On 15 August, masses and village meals at the island's white chapels, notably in Oia and Megalochori.
- AugustAssyrtiko grape harvest
The basket-trained vines are picked by hand from August onwards, among the earliest harvests in Europe.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended15°11° at night
- 43 mm · 8 d
- 7.9 h
- sea 18°
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended15°11° at night
- 34 mm · 7 d
- 9.1 h
- sea 17°
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended16°12° at night
- 37 mm · 7 d
- 10.1 h
- sea 17°
Low season, lower prices
April
Fair19°14° at night
- 11 mm · 4 d
- 11.5 h
- sea 18°
Low season, lower prices
May
Recommended22°17° at night
- 14 mm · 3 d
- 12.6 h
- sea 19°
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended27°21° at night
- 6 mm · 1 d
- 13.8 h
- sea 23°
Busy, without the crush
July
Fair29°24° at night
- 1 mm · 0 d
- 13.5 h
- sea 25°
Busy, without the crush
August
Fair29°24° at night
- 2 mm · 1 d
- 12.9 h
- sea 26°
High season, book early
September
Recommended27°22° at night
- 5 mm · 1 d
- 11.8 h
- sea 25°
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended23°19° at night
- 9 mm · 2 d
- 10.1 h
- sea 23°
Busy, without the crush
November
Fair19°16° at night
- 15 mm · 3 d
- 9.2 h
- sea 21°
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended17°13° at night
- 54 mm · 9 d
- 8.1 h
- sea 19°
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Cool: 15 °C at best, 11 °C at night. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (43 mm). Expect 7.9 h of sunshine a day. Cool sea (18 °C), for the brave. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 15 °C at best, 11 °C at night. Rain stays light: 34 mm over 7 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.1 h a day on average. Sea at 17 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 16 °C at best, 12 °C at night. Rain stays light: 37 mm over 7 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.1 h a day on average. Sea at 17 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 11 mm over 4 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11.5 h a day on average. Cool sea (18 °C), for the brave. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Mild, 22 °C in the afternoon and 17 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (14 mm over 3 days). Plenty of sunshine: 12.6 h a day on average. Cool sea (19 °C), for the brave. Busy season, without the crush.
June. 27 °C in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. Hardly any rain (6 mm over 1 day). Plenty of sunshine: 13.8 h a day on average. The sea is at 23 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
July. 29 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Hardly any rain (1 mm over 0 days). Plenty of sunshine: 13.5 h a day on average. The sea is at 25 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
August. 29 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Hardly any rain (2 mm over 1 day). Plenty of sunshine: 12.9 h a day on average. The sea is at 26 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
September. 27 °C in the afternoon and 22 °C at night. Hardly any rain (5 mm over 1 day). Plenty of sunshine: 11.8 h a day on average. The sea is at 25 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 19 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (9 mm over 2 days). Plenty of sunshine: 10.1 h a day on average. The sea is at 23 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
November. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 16 °C early in the morning. Hardly any rain (15 mm over 3 days). Plenty of sunshine: 9.2 h a day on average. Cool sea (21 °C), for the brave. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Cool: 17 °C at best, 13 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (54 mm). Expect 8.1 h of sunshine a day. Cool sea (19 °C), for the brave. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Santorini?
May to June and September to October: over these months, recorded highs range from 22 to 27 °C, with 2 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Oia).
Which month should you avoid in Santorini?
December: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 54 mm over 9 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Oia).
What is the hottest month in Santorini?
July, with 29 °C on average in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Oia).
What is the coldest month in Santorini?
January, with 15 °C at best during the day and 11 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Oia).
What is the driest month in Santorini?
July: 1 mm over 0 days of rain, against 54 mm in December, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Santorini?
June, with 13.8 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
When can you swim in Santorini?
The water reaches 22 °C or more in June, July, August, September, October (warmest 26 °C in August), measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast (Oia).
When to go diving or snorkelling in Santorini?
July, August, September: the sea is above 25 °C, warm enough to stay in a long time without a thick wetsuit. 2023-2024 records on the nearest coast (Oia).
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Santorini guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Greece: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: jimmy teoh / Pexels · Diana Rafira / Pexels · Butch Aleksich / Pexels · LBM1948 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Yoo Chung / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons) · Joan Costa / Pexels