Best time to visit Thessaloníki
The best time to visit Thessaloníki is April–May and September–October, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Thessaloníki, Central Macedonia, 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 | 8.8 °C / 48 °F | 1.4 °C / 35 °F | 52 mm / 2.1 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 11.4 °C / 53 °F | 3.3 °C / 38 °F | 51 mm / 2 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 14.9 °C / 59 °F | 6 °C / 43 °F | 74 mm / 2.9 in | good month |
| April | 19.3 °C / 67 °F | 9.7 °C / 49 °F | 55 mm / 2.2 in | best month |
| May | 24.2 °C / 76 °F | 14.2 °C / 58 °F | 73 mm / 2.9 in | best month |
| June | 29 °C / 84 °F | 18.6 °C / 65 °F | 68 mm / 2.7 in | good month |
| July | 32.2 °C / 90 °F | 20.8 °C / 69 °F | 37 mm / 1.5 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 32.1 °C / 90 °F | 20.9 °C / 70 °F | 47 mm / 1.9 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 27 °C / 81 °F | 16.8 °C / 62 °F | 59 mm / 2.3 in | best month |
| October | 20.9 °C / 70 °F | 11.7 °C / 53 °F | 66 mm / 2.6 in | best month |
| November | 15.6 °C / 60 °F | 7.7 °C / 46 °F | 64 mm / 2.5 in | good month |
| December | 10.3 °C / 51 °F | 3.1 °C / 38 °F | 71 mm / 2.8 in | neither best nor good |
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: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: good
- AApril: best
- MMay: best
- JJune: good
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- April–May, September–October
- Good
- March, June, November
April, May, September and October are the best months to explore outdoors, with warm-to-mild temperatures, plenty of sun and manageable rain; March, June and November are good but held back by heavier rain, a hint of early heat, or fading light. Midwinter (December-February) is too cold and dim, while July-August turn uncomfortably hot for a full day on foot.
Why these months
March · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 74%, feels like (high) 12.9 °C / 55 °F, average daily high 14.9 °C / 59 °F, days with heavy rain 2.2 days, relative humidity 71%, average daily low 6 °C / 43 °F.
Against: wet days 11.1 days, precipitation 74 mm / 2.9 in.
Also on: Carnival (Apokries) celebrations, Independence Day parade.
April · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.6 °C / 65 °F, average daily high 19.3 °C / 67 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 82%, days with heavy rain 1.6 days, average daily low 9.7 °C / 49 °F, relative humidity 68%.
Against: wet days 9.2 days, precipitation 55 mm / 2.2 in.
Also on: Pascha (Orthodox Easter) weekend.
May · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 24.7 °C / 76 °F, average daily high 24.2 °C / 76 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 84%, days with heavy rain 2.1 days, average daily low 14.2 °C / 58 °F, relative humidity 67%.
Against: wet days 10.3 days, precipitation 73 mm / 2.9 in.
Also on: Pascha (Orthodox Easter) weekend.
June · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 92%, days with heavy rain 2.1 days, average daily high 29 °C / 84 °F, average daily low 18.6 °C / 65 °F, relative humidity 64%.
Against: feels like (high) 31.2 °C / 88 °F, wet days 10.7 days, precipitation 68 mm / 2.7 in.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 27.7 °C / 82 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 86%, average daily high 27 °C / 81 °F, days with heavy rain 1.8 days, wet days 7.5 days, average daily low 16.8 °C / 62 °F, relative humidity 66%.
Against: precipitation 59 mm / 2.3 in.
October · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 20.4 °C / 69 °F, average daily high 20.9 °C / 70 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 74%, wet days 7.5 days, days with heavy rain 2 days, average daily low 11.7 °C / 53 °F, relative humidity 74%.
Against: precipitation 66 mm / 2.6 in.
November · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 14.4 °C / 58 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 67%, average daily high 15.6 °C / 60 °F, wet days 7.8 days, days with heavy rain 2 days, average daily low 7.7 °C / 46 °F.
Against: relative humidity 79%, precipitation 64 mm / 2.5 in, sunshine per day 6.7 h.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Elatohori, 72 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) | 6.1 °C | 9 °C | 12.9 °C | 18.6 °C | 24.7 °C | 31.2 °C | 34.5 °C | 34.4 °C | 27.7 °C | 20.4 °C | 14.4 °C | 8 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 1.6 days | 1.4 days | 2.2 days | 1.6 days | 2.1 days | 2.1 days | 1.1 days | 1.2 days | 1.8 days | 2 days | 2 days | 2.4 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 3 am | 3 pm | 6 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm | 4 pm | 6 pm | 5 pm | 5 pm | 4 pm | 1 pm | 7 am |
| Sunshine per day | 6.8 h | 7.3 h | 8.8 h | 10.9 h | 12.1 h | 13.9 h | 13.9 h | 12.8 h | 10.7 h | 8.3 h | 6.7 h | 6.4 h |
| Relative humidity | 77% | 74% | 71% | 68% | 67% | 64% | 59% | 61% | 66% | 74% | 79% | 79% |
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 | 11.3 µg/m³ | 12.4 µg/m³ | 11.6 µg/m³ | 10.6 µg/m³ | 11 µg/m³ | 11.3 µg/m³ | 10.6 µg/m³ | 9.6 µg/m³ | 8.5 µg/m³ | 9.1 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | 9 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 17.4 µg/m³ | 18.5 µg/m³ | 18 µg/m³ | 16.5 µg/m³ | 16 µg/m³ | 16.4 µg/m³ | 14.9 µg/m³ | 13.4 µg/m³ | 12.2 µg/m³ | 13.1 µg/m³ | 14.6 µg/m³ | 14.1 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) celebrations
February and March, dates vary from year to year
- Independence Day parade
25 March
- Pascha (Orthodox Easter) weekend
April and May, dates vary from year to year
- Dormition of the Theotokos
15 August
- Christmas celebrations
December
World Heritage sites nearby
UNESCO World Heritage sites within 25 km, nearest first.
- Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki
1 km away