Best time to visit Heraklion
The best time to visit Heraklion is March–June and September–November, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Heraklion, Crete, 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 | 14.2 °C / 58 °F | 8 °C / 46 °F | 60 mm / 2.4 in | good month |
| February | 14.8 °C / 59 °F | 8 °C / 46 °F | 68 mm / 2.7 in | good month |
| March | 17 °C / 63 °F | 9.1 °C / 48 °F | 50 mm / 2 in | best month |
| April | 20.6 °C / 69 °F | 11.5 °C / 53 °F | 35 mm / 1.4 in | best month |
| May | 24.6 °C / 76 °F | 15.1 °C / 59 °F | 38 mm / 1.5 in | best month |
| June | 28.2 °C / 83 °F | 19.3 °C / 67 °F | 18 mm / 0.7 in | best month |
| July | 29.7 °C / 85 °F | 21.8 °C / 71 °F | 6 mm / 0.2 in | good month |
| August | 29.8 °C / 86 °F | 22 °C / 72 °F | 11 mm / 0.4 in | good month |
| September | 27.4 °C / 81 °F | 19.4 °C / 67 °F | 22 mm / 0.9 in | best month |
| October | 23.3 °C / 74 °F | 16 °C / 61 °F | 43 mm / 1.7 in | best month |
| November | 19.7 °C / 67 °F | 12.9 °C / 55 °F | 36 mm / 1.4 in | best month |
| December | 15.8 °C / 60 °F | 9.7 °C / 49 °F | 62 mm / 2.4 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: best
- JJuly: good
- AAugust: good
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: good
- Best
- March–June, September–November
- Good
- July–August, December–February
Why these months
January · good
In its favour: precipitation 60 mm / 2.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 85%, days with heavy rain 1.1 days, average daily high 14.2 °C / 58 °F, average daily low 8 °C / 46 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 12 °C / 54 °F, wet days 12.1 days, relative humidity 80%.
February · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 89%, precipitation 68 mm / 2.7 in, feels like (high) 12.6 °C / 55 °F, average daily high 14.8 °C / 59 °F, days with heavy rain 2.2 days, wet days 10.2 days, average daily low 8 °C / 46 °F.
Against: relative humidity 78%.
March · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 15.5 °C / 60 °F, precipitation 50 mm / 2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 88%, average daily high 17 °C / 63 °F, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, wet days 8.2 days, average daily low 9.1 °C / 48 °F, relative humidity 73%.
April · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 19.9 °C / 68 °F, average daily high 20.6 °C / 69 °F, precipitation 35 mm / 1.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 92%, wet days 5.3 days, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, average daily low 11.5 °C / 53 °F, relative humidity 66%.
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 25 °C / 77 °F, average daily high 24.6 °C / 76 °F, precipitation 38 mm / 1.5 in, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, wet days 5.3 days, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, average daily low 15.1 °C / 59 °F, relative humidity 62%.
June · best
In its favour: precipitation 18 mm / 0.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, feels like (high) 29.5 °C / 85 °F, wet days 2.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.7 days, average daily high 28.2 °C / 83 °F, relative humidity 59%, average daily low 19.3 °C / 67 °F.
July · good
In its favour: precipitation 6 mm / 0.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, wet days 0.7 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, relative humidity 59%, average daily low 21.8 °C / 71 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 31.3 °C / 88 °F, average daily high 29.7 °C / 85 °F.
August · good
In its favour: precipitation 11 mm / 0.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 96%, wet days 1.2 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, relative humidity 63%, average daily low 22 °C / 72 °F.
Against: feels like (high) 31.7 °C / 89 °F, average daily high 29.8 °C / 86 °F.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 28.3 °C / 83 °F, precipitation 22 mm / 0.9 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, average daily high 27.4 °C / 81 °F, wet days 3.3 days, days with heavy rain 0.5 days, average daily low 19.4 °C / 67 °F, relative humidity 68%.
October · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 23.3 °C / 74 °F, average daily high 23.3 °C / 74 °F, precipitation 43 mm / 1.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 89%, wet days 5.8 days, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, average daily low 16 °C / 61 °F, relative humidity 75%.
November · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.7 °C / 66 °F, average daily high 19.7 °C / 67 °F, precipitation 36 mm / 1.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 90%, wet days 6 days, days with heavy rain 0.9 days, average daily low 12.9 °C / 55 °F.
Against: relative humidity 79%.
December · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 85%, precipitation 62 mm / 2.4 in, feels like (high) 14.1 °C / 57 °F, average daily high 15.8 °C / 60 °F, days with heavy rain 1.5 days, average daily low 9.7 °C / 49 °F, wet days 11 days.
Against: relative humidity 81%.
Beach and swimming
Hot, dry and sunny. Penalises the monsoon hard.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: best
- JJune: best
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- May–September
- Good
- October
Why these months
May · best
In its favour: precipitation 38 mm / 1.5 in, share of daylight that is sunny 91%, average daily high 24.6 °C / 76 °F, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, wet days 5.3 days, feels like (high) 25 °C / 77 °F, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph, average daily low 15.1 °C / 59 °F.
June · best
In its favour: average daily high 28.2 °C / 83 °F, precipitation 18 mm / 0.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, feels like (high) 29.5 °C / 85 °F, wet days 2.6 days, days with heavy rain 0.7 days, average daily low 19.3 °C / 67 °F, wind (daily max) 14 km/h / 9 mph.
July · best
In its favour: average daily high 29.7 °C / 85 °F, precipitation 6 mm / 0.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 94%, feels like (high) 31.3 °C / 88 °F, wet days 0.7 days, days with heavy rain 0.2 days, average daily low 21.8 °C / 71 °F, wind (daily max) 17 km/h / 10 mph.
August · best
In its favour: average daily high 29.8 °C / 86 °F, precipitation 11 mm / 0.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 96%, feels like (high) 31.7 °C / 89 °F, wet days 1.2 days, days with heavy rain 0.3 days, average daily low 22 °C / 72 °F, wind (daily max) 16 km/h / 10 mph.
September · best
In its favour: average daily high 27.4 °C / 81 °F, precipitation 22 mm / 0.9 in, share of daylight that is sunny 95%, feels like (high) 28.3 °C / 83 °F, wet days 3.3 days, days with heavy rain 0.5 days, average daily low 19.4 °C / 67 °F, wind (daily max) 14 km/h / 9 mph.
October · good
In its favour: precipitation 43 mm / 1.7 in, share of daylight that is sunny 89%, days with heavy rain 1.4 days, average daily high 23.3 °C / 74 °F, wet days 5.8 days, feels like (high) 23.3 °C / 74 °F, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph, average daily low 16 °C / 61 °F.
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 Καλαβρύτων, Kalavrita Ski Resort, 395 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) | 12 °C | 12.6 °C | 15.5 °C | 19.9 °C | 25 °C | 29.5 °C | 31.3 °C | 31.7 °C | 28.3 °C | 23.3 °C | 18.7 °C | 14.1 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 1.1 days | 2.2 days | 1.4 days | 1.4 days | 1.4 days | 0.7 days | 0.2 days | 0.3 days | 0.5 days | 1.4 days | 0.9 days | 1.5 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 5 pm | 5 pm | 3 pm | 4 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 4 pm | 3 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 8.6 h | 9.7 h | 10.6 h | 12 h | 12.7 h | 13.7 h | 13.3 h | 12.9 h | 11.7 h | 10 h | 9.3 h | 8.3 h |
| Relative humidity | 80% | 78% | 73% | 66% | 62% | 59% | 59% | 63% | 68% | 75% | 79% | 81% |
Sea temperature
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature 2022–2025 | 17.4 °C | 16.7 °C | 16.7 °C | 17.8 °C | 19.7 °C | 24 °C | 26.8 °C | 27.5 °C | 26 °C | 23.9 °C | 21.4 °C | 19.2 °C |
| Sea temperature (daily max) 2022–2025 | 17.5 °C | 16.8 °C | 16.9 °C | 18 °C | 19.9 °C | 24.2 °C | 27 °C | 27.7 °C | 26.2 °C | 24.1 °C | 21.5 °C | 19.3 °C |
- Very cold 10 °C or less
- Cold 10 to 15 °C
- Cool 15 to 20 °C
- Comfortable 20 to 25 °C
- Warm 25 to 28 °C
- Very warm over 28 °C
The words describe how the water feels to swim in. They are ours, not an official standard.
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 | 7.9 µg/m³ | 7.5 µg/m³ | 8.7 µg/m³ | 8.3 µg/m³ | 9.8 µg/m³ | 10.4 µg/m³ | 10.1 µg/m³ | 8.5 µg/m³ | 7 µg/m³ | 6.9 µg/m³ | 7.6 µg/m³ | 6.3 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 11.9 µg/m³ | 11.6 µg/m³ | 13 µg/m³ | 12.9 µg/m³ | 14.4 µg/m³ | 18.8 µg/m³ | 19.9 µg/m³ | 15.6 µg/m³ | 10.3 µg/m³ | 9.3 µg/m³ | 10.7 µg/m³ | 9.2 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.
World Heritage sites nearby
UNESCO World Heritage sites within 25 km, nearest first.
- Palace of Knossos
4 km away