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Best time to visit Athens: month by month
Short answer
The best months are April, May, June, September and October, with average highs of 19–29°C and few rainy days. July and August are the hottest (average highs 33–34°C, with heatwaves above 40°C) and the busiest; winter is mild, quiet and cheap but the sites close earlier.
Month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13°C | 6°C | 8 | low |
| Feb | 13°C | 6°C | 5 | low |
| Mar | 14°C | 6°C | 6 | medium |
| Apr | 19°C | 10°C | 7 | high |
| May | 25°C | 16°C | 5 | high |
| Jun | 29°C | 20°C | 7 | very high |
| Jul | 34°C | 24°C | 0 | very high |
| Aug | 33°C | 23°C | 3 | very high |
| Sep | 28°C | 19°C | 4 | very high |
| Oct | 23°C | 15°C | 4 | high |
| Nov | 19°C | 12°C | 8 | medium |
| Dec | 15°C | 8°C | 8 | low |
Temperatures and rainy days: Copernicus ERA5 averages, 2021–2023. Crowd levels are our estimate.
Season by season
Spring (Mar–May)
Highs rise from about 14°C in March to 19°C in April and 25°C in May, with 5–7 rainy days a month. Easter weekend is busy and very atmospheric.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Average highs of 29°C in June and 33–34°C in July and August, almost no rain (0–3 rainy days). Visit sites at opening time; many Athenians leave the city around 15 August.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
September is still warm at about 28°C, October about 23°C and November about 19°C. The sea is warm into October and crowds thin after mid-October.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Highs of about 13–15°C and lows around 6–8°C, with about 5–8 rainy days a month. Quiet, cheap and good for museums; sites have shorter winter hours.
Events worth planning around
- Orthodox Easter (date varies, usually April): candlelit processions on Good Friday and midnight services on Saturday
- Independence Day parade, 25 March, along Amalias Avenue and Syntagma
- Athens Epidaurus Festival, roughly June to August: theatre, music and dance at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus
- Ochi Day, 28 October: school and military parades
- Athens Authentic Marathon, in November, from Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium
When to avoid
Avoid mid-July to mid-August if you dislike heat and queues: midday at the Acropolis can be very hard, and heatwaves sometimes close it. Easter week and the first weekend of June are also busy and pricier.
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Common questions
What is the best month to visit Athens?
May and late September to October: average highs of about 23–28°C, few rainy days and fewer crowds than July and August.
Is August a good time to visit Athens?
Only if you can handle heat: average highs are 33°C and heatwaves above 40°C happen. Many Athenians leave around 15 August, so some local tavernas close.
Is Athens worth visiting in winter?
Yes, for museums and sites without crowds. Highs are around 13–15°C, hotels are cheaper and some state sites have free-entry days, but opening hours are shorter.