Best time to visit Athens
The best time to visit Athens is March–May and October–November, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Athens, Attica, Greece
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 13.1 °C / 56 °F | 6.1 °C / 43 °F | 45 mm / 1.8 in | good month |
| February | 14.2 °C / 58 °F | 6.8 °C / 44 °F | 49 mm / 1.9 in | good month |
| March | 16.9 °C / 62 °F | 8.6 °C / 47 °F | 42 mm / 1.7 in | best month |
| April | 21.1 °C / 70 °F | 11.4 °C / 53 °F | 29 mm / 1.1 in | best month |
| May | 25.9 °C / 79 °F | 15.5 °C / 60 °F | 22 mm / 0.9 in | best month |
| June | 31 °C / 88 °F | 20.3 °C / 69 °F | 19 mm / 0.7 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 33.6 °C / 92 °F | 23.2 °C / 74 °F | 6 mm / 0.2 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 33.2 °C / 92 °F | 23.1 °C / 74 °F | 7 mm / 0.3 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 29 °C / 84 °F | 19.4 °C / 67 °F | 17 mm / 0.7 in | good month |
| October | 23.5 °C / 74 °F | 15.2 °C / 59 °F | 32 mm / 1.2 in | best month |
| November | 19 °C / 66 °F | 11.6 °C / 53 °F | 36 mm / 1.4 in | best month |
| December | 14.7 °C / 58 °F | 8.1 °C / 47 °F | 53 mm / 2.1 in | good month |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: good
- FFebruary: good
- MMarch: best
- AApril: best
- MMay: best
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: good
- Best
- March–May, October–November
- Good
- September, December–February
Spring (March-May) and autumn (October-November) are best for exploring -- mild, sunny and dry. Winter (December-February) is good but the wettest, dimmest stretch of the year. Midsummer (June-August) turns too hot for comfortable walking, though September, while still warm, remains good.
Why these months
January · good
In its favour: precipitation 45 mm / 1.8 in, share of daylight that is sunny 76%, average daily high 13.1 °C / 56 °F, average daily low 6.1 °C / 43 °F, relative humidity 74%.
Against: wet days 7.8 days, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, sunshine per day 7.5 h, feels like (high) 10.4 °C / 51 °F.
Watch out for: Daktylios pollution control restriction.
February · good
In its favour: precipitation 49 mm / 1.9 in, share of daylight that is sunny 78%, average daily high 14.2 °C / 58 °F, average daily low 6.8 °C / 44 °F, relative humidity 73%.
Against: wet days 7.8 days, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, feels like (high) 11.6 °C / 53 °F.
Also on: Carnival (Apokries).
Watch out for: Daktylios pollution control restriction.
March · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 14.7 °C / 58 °F, precipitation 42 mm / 1.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, average daily high 16.9 °C / 62 °F, wet days 6.8 days, relative humidity 67%, average daily low 8.6 °C / 47 °F.
Against: days with heavy rain 1.1 days.
Also on: Carnival (Apokries), Greek Independence Day.
Watch out for: Daktylios pollution control restriction.
April · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 19.8 °C / 68 °F, average daily high 21.1 °C / 70 °F, precipitation 29 mm / 1.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 89%, wet days 5.2 days, days with heavy rain 0.6 days, average daily low 11.4 °C / 53 °F, relative humidity 60%.
Also on: Orthodox Easter.
Watch out for: Daktylios pollution control restriction, Orthodox Easter crowds.
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 25.7 °C / 78 °F, average daily high 25.9 °C / 79 °F, precipitation 22 mm / 0.9 in, share of daylight that is sunny 88%, wet days 5.1 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, average daily low 15.5 °C / 60 °F, relative humidity 56%.
Also on: Athens City Festival, Athens & Epidaurus Festival, Athens Jazz Festival, Athens Street Food Festival, Orthodox Easter.
Watch out for: Daktylios pollution control restriction, Orthodox Easter crowds.
September · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 29 °C / 84 °F, precipitation 17 mm / 0.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 2.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.5 days, relative humidity 57%, average daily low 19.4 °C / 67 °F.
Against: average daily high 29 °C / 84 °F.
Also on: Art Athina, Athens & Epidaurus Festival, Athens International Film Festival.
October · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 22.6 °C / 73 °F, average daily high 23.5 °C / 74 °F, precipitation 32 mm / 1.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 84%, wet days 4.1 days, days with heavy rain 0.9 days, average daily low 15.2 °C / 59 °F, relative humidity 67%.
Also on: Athens & Epidaurus Festival.
Watch out for: Daktylios pollution control restriction.
November · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 17.5 °C / 64 °F, average daily high 19 °C / 66 °F, precipitation 36 mm / 1.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 81%, wet days 5.8 days, average daily low 11.6 °C / 53 °F, relative humidity 73%.
Against: days with heavy rain 1.1 days.
Also on: Athens Classic Marathon.
Watch out for: Daktylios pollution control restriction.
December · good
In its favour: precipitation 53 mm / 2.1 in, share of daylight that is sunny 75%, feels like (high) 12.6 °C / 55 °F, average daily high 14.7 °C / 58 °F, average daily low 8.1 °C / 47 °F, relative humidity 75%.
Against: wet days 7.4 days, days with heavy rain 1.6 days, sunshine per day 7.2 h.
Also on: New Year's Eve show at Syntagma Square, Night of Wishes in Kotzia Square, Nutcracker at Megaron Concert Hall.
Watch out for: Daktylios pollution control restriction.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Χιονοδρομικό Κέντρο Παρνασσού, Parnassos Ski Centre, 116 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 10.4 °C | 11.6 °C | 14.7 °C | 19.8 °C | 25.7 °C | 31.7 °C | 34.4 °C | 33.9 °C | 29 °C | 22.6 °C | 17.5 °C | 12.6 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 1.1 days | 1.4 days | 1.1 days | 0.6 days | 0.3 days | 0.4 days | 0.1 days | 0.1 days | 0.5 days | 0.9 days | 1.1 days | 1.6 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 5 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 5 pm | 3 pm | 5 pm | 12 am |
| Sunshine per day | 7.5 h | 8.4 h | 9.9 h | 11.7 h | 12.5 h | 13.9 h | 13.6 h | 12.9 h | 11.4 h | 9.4 h | 8.2 h | 7.2 h |
| Relative humidity | 74% | 73% | 67% | 60% | 56% | 50% | 45% | 47% | 57% | 67% | 73% | 75% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 10 µg/m³ | 10.5 µg/m³ | 11.1 µg/m³ | 11.4 µg/m³ | 11.7 µg/m³ | 12.4 µg/m³ | 12.9 µg/m³ | 9.6 µg/m³ | 9.8 µg/m³ | 9.1 µg/m³ | 8.4 µg/m³ | 8.9 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 16.2 µg/m³ | 16.2 µg/m³ | 17.5 µg/m³ | 17.8 µg/m³ | 17.8 µg/m³ | 19.2 µg/m³ | 19.9 µg/m³ | 14.7 µg/m³ | 15.2 µg/m³ | 13.5 µg/m³ | 13.7 µg/m³ | 15.4 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Carnival (Apokries)
February and March, dates vary from year to year
- Greek Independence Day
25 March
- Orthodox Easter
April and May, dates vary from year to year
- Athens City Festival
May
- Athens & Epidaurus Festival
May, June, July, August, September and October
- Athens Jazz Festival
May and June
- Athens Street Food Festival
May
- Athens Open Air Film Festival
June
- Ejekt Music Festival
July
- Feast of the Dormition (Assumption)
15 August
- Art Athina
September
- Athens International Film Festival
September
- Athens Classic Marathon
November
- Night of Wishes in Kotzia Square
December
- New Year's Eve show at Syntagma Square
31 December
- Nutcracker at Megaron Concert Hall
December
Worth knowing before you go
- Daktylios pollution control restriction
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, October, November and December
- Orthodox Easter crowds
April and May, dates vary from year to year
- August closures as Athenians leave for the islands
August
World Heritage sites nearby
UNESCO World Heritage sites within 25 km, nearest first.
- Parthenon
1 km away