Greece in May 2024 – is it worth going and where? Weather & temperature in Athens and Crete, Rhodes and Corfu, what to wear, is it possible to swim? Prices in hotels and on excursions, what to do in Greece at the beginning of May and on the threshold of summer – in the review of good Time for Trip.
A trip to Greece at the end of spring is usually not included in the top of popular entertainment among American, and, in general, European tourists. This has always been the case, and it is easy to explain – the climate of Hellas dictates its own conditions. And it’s hard to just dismiss them.
Think for yourself! If from the point of view of the weather there are no contraindications for visiting the Athenian Parthenon, excursions to Delphi and Meteora, then swimming in Crete or Rhodes in late spring seems to be a dubious undertaking.
There is nothing to say about the rest of Greece in May – there is an opinion in the mass consciousness that it is still quite cold there. That is, the gardens may be blooming, but the sea has definitely not warmed up to comfortable temperatures yet
This is partly true! Therefore, the southern regions of Turkey and Cyprus in early May are much more popular beach destinations. And Egypt at this time is turning into a real hit at all.
However, let’s not be overly pessimistic – throughout May and in Greece everything is not so bad with the weather. So if you organize excursions and leisure wisely, make full use of the advantages of hotel pools, spending holidays in Athens or Halkidiki, Corfu or Crete will be at least not wasted time!
Weather in Greece in May
It seriously depends on the latitude of the area. And if icy winds are still blowing in mountainous regions, then real warmth comes to the shores of the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece already in mid-May.
You heard right: the resort Kalamata, on the coast of the Messenian Gulf, at this time sometimes enjoys the heat up to +30 °C and a cloudless sky. And there it is quite possible not only to sunbathe, but also to swim in the sea
As, by the way, on some islands of the Aegean Sea. But more on that below!
The month begins, however, much more modestly. Almost everywhere in Greece in early May, the daytime air temperature barely reaches the range of +18-22 °C. And at night the thermometer shows a dull +12-16 °C. Transparently hinting that walking in one T-shirt in the evening will provide far from the best sensations.
Clear days, however, are in the vast majority, giving tourists a boost of cheerfulness and optimism. And if you multiply this by the ubiquitous blooming nature, it becomes clear why you will not find negativity in the reviews
The probability of precipitation is low, although May can’t be called in Greece particularly dry time. Sometimes there are short rains. But this is how nature takes care of the new harvest: if you do not water it, you will be left without fruits and even grapes.
Athens and Thessaloniki
By the middle of the month, if not the heat, then a significant increase in the air temperatures should be expected. Even on the east coast of the country: in Thessaloniki and on the “three-finger” peninsula of Halkidiki.
The air there warms up to +20-24 °C in the afternoon by the 20th. At the end of May, there is a steady increase in the atmosphere to +26-28 °C
Note that it is usually more rainy in Thessaloniki and the surrounding area compared to the south of continental Greece. Which, however, is balanced by the sea clean as a tear, a small (at this time) number of tourists and affordable even for people with modest incomes hotel prices.
On the contrary, in Athens, the weather in May is usually characterized by an almost complete absence of rain. And air temperatures from the mid-month constantly tend to climb above +30-32 °C.
Crete
On Crete, the weather in May has no fundamental differences: up to +24-28 ° C and rare rains. However, it is often windy.
This causes most people to focus their efforts on visiting local attractions, rather than lying on the beaches. Moreover, at the end of spring you will have few competitors in the inspection of the Knossos Palace, Dikteon Cave, cities and monasteries !
Rhodes
The climate of Rhodes is a little nicer because it is warmer. And at the end of May, the heat is almost always set at +30 °C there!
In addition, the weather on the island is stable. Rains do not happen to be of a torrential nature. And the air temperature in Rhodes already in early May in the afternoon reaches the range of +22-24 °C.
By the middle of the month, the average daily temperature is also growing, primarily due to significant warming at night: up to +20-22 °C
Corfu
In early May, it gets warm on the main island of Greece in the Ionian Sea. During the day, the air warms up to +20-24 °C. And at night it cools down to quite acceptable +16-18 °C.
By the middle of the month or its second decade in Corfu, we should expect daytime temperatures to rise to +26-28 °C. But this is not for sure, unlike Rhodes, the local weather at the end of spring is not always happy with stability!
There are, of course, pleasant exceptions – since the mid of May the air temperature in Corfu sometimes hasn’t left the range of +25-30 °C.
- 5 Day Weather Forecast For Greece See Here – emy.gr/emy/en/forecast/meteogramma_emy
Sea Temperature
On the islands and off the southern coast of Greece, the sea warms up to +18-19 °C by May 1. And by the end of the month, in some places it reaches the range of +23-24 °C.
But not every year and not everywhere – the usual temperature of the sea area near the Greek coast by the 20th does not exceed +20-21 °C
Is it possible to swim in Crete in May? Lovers of warm tropical seas will raise their eyebrows skeptically and settle down near the hotel pool.
But people who are seasoned or not too pretentious are unlikely to miss the opportunity to swim or at least take dip. Why not – in the North and Baltic Seas, off the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, the water warms up no more in June. And they swim there, don’t they?!
It will be a little easier to do in May in Rhodes. Because the air there in the last month of spring can heat up to such an extent that there will simply be no alternative to swimming. And you will have to go into the sea at least to cool off a little!
Swimming there in the morning, however, is not advised there either. But closer to noon, both the Aegean and the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Rhodes, warm up to +23-24 °C.
Best Places to Go in Greece in May
From the point of view of swimming, Crete is not the best choice for spending holiday in Greece at the end of spring. Due to strong winds, at that time there is no special heat there, and the sea is generally quite cool.
But with everything else there will be a complete order! And once you rent a car, a week vacation will fly by completely unnoticed. After all, you need to visit not only the Knossos Palace, Chania or Rhetimno but also a lot of monasteries and villages in the central regions of the island.
A completely different, much hotter weather will meet vacationers in May Rhodes! A Greek island with a climate tending to Turkish resorts: Marmaris or Oludeniz.
Look very good at the (very) end of spring and the prospects for a beach holiday in Corfu. Although the sea off the coast will not warm up above +21-23 °C, the air temperature will fluctuate between +24-26 °C.
Warm and sunny weather in May is traditionally expected at such Greek resorts as Napflio and Kalamata. In Patras it is usually hot on the air (+28-30 °C), but at the same time it is possible to freeze swimming (the sea temperature will range from from +17 to +21 °C).
At the end of spring, vacationers gradually begin to arrive on the beaches of Pargaб practically unknown to foreigners resort on the Ionian Sea coast. But the Greeks themselves very like this place!
Prices 2024
Self-made organization of a trip to Greece in May will not require of particularly impressive sums. That is, in fact, any permanently working person can afford such a travelling.
Hotel prices in 2024, of course, will not please – in comparison even with previous seasons, they have grown noticeably. However, a similar trend is observed all over the world today
For example, a week’s stay in the Stegna Dream apartments, located in the beach village of the same name on the east coast of Rhodes, in May will cost € 70-75 per night for two people. And this is much less than you will have to spend in the summer months.
For a slightly larger amount, you can rent apartments in the capital of Rhodes, about a 5-minute walk from the Palace of the Grand Masters. Moreover, not two, but even three people will be accommodated in Alley 7, Old Town.
In Crete
the offer of Artemis Hotel Apartments in Hersonissos, which is located east of Heraklion, is striking in terms of money (less than 50 €/day). Moreover, this price includes not only accommodation, but also breakfast for guests.
For about 55 € per day, you will get at your disposal a Dream Art Studios in Chania. Conveniently located both near the beach and very close to restaurants and a supermarket.
In the continental part of Greece, the price tags for accommodation in May are slightly higher. For example, in the 3-star Hotel Fotini in Kalamata with an Olympic-sized swimming pool (far from the fact that it will work in May!) for a room for two in the middle of the month, they ask for less than 60 € per day.
For a little more money (70 €) and a bit further from the beach you can rent Kalamata Cozy Apartment. Yes, it’s located at a distance of more than a kilometer from the sea, but has an area of 60 m2 and an own kitchen.
What to Do in Greece in May
Everything will depend on which part of Greece you choose to stay in May. If you decide to settle in Athens, you’ll be able to implement the most complete program of sightseeing events.
That is, visit not only the Parthenon, but also go to Delphi. It’s not too difficult to get out with an tour to Meteors or even climb Olympus. Visit Corinth and see ancient Sparta. From Piraeus, high-speed catamaran ferries will take you to Santorini in 5 hours.
Those who went on vacation to the islands are unlikely to find it reasonable to leave them in order to see any other Greek sights. Moreover, there are enough interesting places both in Crete and Rhodes. And in Corfu you are unlikely to have time to get bored even in a week!
Those who will choose for their vacation in May the Halkidiki peninsula, get a chance for especially full of entertaiments trip. After all, they will be able to get acquainted not only with the sights of Thessaloniki (to tell the truth – not very numerous) but also go to Mount Athos.
In addition, in this case they may get to the town Litohoro with ease, from where most of the climbing routes to the peaks of Olympus begin. Similarly, from Thessaloniki, you can reach the “soaring” Meteora monasteries in just a couple of hours.
© Goodtimefortrip.com
Be the first to comment