The beauty of a city like Athens is that there is always something going on. The grand ancient ruins and superb museums are open year-round. But depending on your budget and your goals, you might find that tailoring your trip to a certain season suits you best.
Summer is hot, hot, hot – and packed with tourists and high prices, but the incredible arts and cultural festivals explode during that season. Winter’s got rock-bottom prices and a vibrant nightlife as Athenians keep themselves entertained through the chillier months.
Spring and fall are a perfect compromise, with reasonable temps, prices and crowds. And always wonderful is Greek Orthodox Easter, where the entire country stops what they’re doing and joins the celebration.
Read on to find the best time to visit Athens.
Shoulder season: April-May and September-October
Best time to visit for mild temperatures and smaller crowds
Spring and Autumn in Athens are a gift. The mild temperatures make exploring easy, and the summer crowds have yet to arrive or have waned so that if you time your visits right, you’ll have elbow room at the famous sights. Accommodation prices can be less expensive and service can be better overall.
The exception is Greece’s biggest blowout holiday, Orthodox Easter, which is preceded by a week of celebration – the date changes every year (and is sometimes in May). The whole country gets a holiday, and hotels get booked up. Reserve well in advance. One of the most impressive Good Friday candlelit processions climbs Lykavittos Hill.
Athens is beautiful in September, perfect for strolling the streets or hitting the clubs with locals returning from the islands. Though festivals have wound down, October is a great month to stay in Athens, too, as city life remains strong and the theater and opera begin. Ohi Day on October 28 commemorates the day in 1940 when Greek Prime Minister Metaxas rejected Mussolini’s ultimatum.
Low season: November-March
Best time to visit for colder temperatures and the cheapest hotel prices
In winter, the temperatures drop, and you might even see occasional snow, but the Athens nightlife booms. Accommodation is at its lowest price for the year, so it’s a super time to travel on a budget – though keep in mind that if you plan to visit islands as well, the ferry schedules are at their most limited.
One of the least busy months of the year, November means space at the top sights and no major holiday schedule disruptions. Come December, though, and the cool sunshine gives way to bright lights during the Christmas season. Nightclubs and bouzoukia in Athens are lively, running into the wee hours.
In the new year, the highlight of February is usually Carnival, keyed to the three weeks prior to the fasting of Lent. Minor events lead up to a weekend of costume parades, feasting and dancing.
High season: June-August
Best time to visit for festivals and nightlife
While high summer can be blazing hot and accommodation costs the most, it’s also the best time to join Athens’ bountiful festival season and booming beach club scene. In August, Athenians leave for the islands, and some restaurants, galleries and bars close — but the upside is that the city traffic is calmer.
For festival-goers, June sizzles in Athens. Top national and international performers fill stages with dance, music and drama, and many of the festivals continue all summer, like the Athens Epidaurus Festival. Temperatures continue to soar, and outdoor cinemas and sprawling beach clubs thrive in July.
Come August, when Athenians leave for the islands, expect to do less but relax more. If you’re traveling mid-month, reserve well ahead as Greeks take to the roads and boats for the Feast of Assumption on August 15.
Visiting Athens: A month-by-month guide
Here’s a guide to the best times to visit and what you can expect throughout the year in Athens. All events are subject to change.
January
January is the middle of Athens’ low season, so there are fewer crowds, cheaper accommodation and colder temperatures ranging from 45°F to 55°F. After the busy holiday and Christmas season, January tends to be a quieter month in Athens; however, nightlife continues to be lively.
Key events: New Year’s Day, Epiphany (Θεοφάνεια), Dodecanese Liberation Day
February
If you visit Athens in February, you’ll find that the main sights and attractions are open, there are fewer crowds, and the weather is cooler, ranging from 54°F to 59°F on average, with the potential for rain and fewer sunny days. Rain or shine, this month is the beginning of Apokries Season (Carnival) in Greece, which stretches for three weeks leading up to Lent. Celebrate with locals at the many festivals that will take place around Athens, and be sure to enjoy lots of street meats on Tsiknopempti (Smoky Thursday), 11 days before the Lenten fast begins.
Key events: Apokries Season (Carnival)
March
Temperatures start warming up in March, with daily averages ranging from 54°F to 64°F and fewer rainy days than the prior month. While crowds are growing, they remain manageable. On sunny days, consider walking or cycling around the historic sites, museums and Dionysiou Areopagitou, a beautiful pedestrian walkway that connects the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Acropolis. Apokries celebrations continue into early March with parades, street parties and costumes. When those celebrations finish, Greek Independence Day (March 25th), one of the country’s National holidays, follows shortly after with a military parade in the city center.
Key events: Apokries Season (Carnival), Greek Independence Day
April
Exploring is easy in April, with comfortable temperatures ranging from 59°F to 72°F and longer days, allowing more time for adventures. This is peak time for visiting the Acropolis because the weather is not too hot, the skies (and views) will be clear and there are fewer crowds compared to peak season. For these same reasons, it’s also a great time of year to visit the Ancient Agora, the Temple of Hephaestus and the National Garden of Athens.
One of Greece’s most important religious holidays, Greek Orthodox Easter, occurs near the end of April. During this time, there are many religious rituals and celebrations. One of them is the Epitaphios, a candlelit procession that takes place on Good Friday, where the women of each parish follow a symbolic coffin and sing a hymn that expresses the sorrow of the Virgin Mary on the death of her son. On the following day, Midnight Mass takes place, and families share a meal afterward. For many, Easter Sunday consists of preparing lamb and enjoying the meal with family and dancing.
Key events: Greek Orthodox Easter (if it falls in April), Athens Science Festival, International Day for Monuments and Sites (free admission)
May
In May, the weather is warm and the summer festival season begins. With temperatures ranging from 68°F to 81°F, the weather is perfect for visiting outdoor sites like the Acropolis, Mount Lycabettus, the Ancient Agora and the Temple of Hephaestus and the National Garden of Athens as the heat is less intense. Just outside the city, consider visiting the Athens Riviera, a beautiful stretch of coastline and head to Glyfada, Vouliagmeni or Varkiza for a beach day.
Key events: Athens City Festival, Greek Orthodox Easter (if celebrated in May), Athens & Epidaurus Festival, Athens Jazz Festival, Athens Street Food Festival
June
June marks the start of summer and the official beginning of peak season. Flights and accommodation are most expensive during the high season. Temperatures warm up with daily averages ranging from 77°F to 90°F, and the city’s vibrant nightlife, festivals and outdoor activities begin to move into the scene. Consider visiting the main sights early in the day or late in the afternoon for fewer crowds and lower temperatures. Enjoy a beach day outside the city, catch a concert atop the city’s highest peak at the City of Athens Lycabettus Theatre or watch films at the Athens Open Air Film Festival.
Key events: Athens & Epidaurus Festival, Athens Jazz Festival, Athens Open Air Film Festival
July
July is the summer heat’s peak, ideal for beach trips to Porto Rafti, Limanakia Vouliagmenis or Vouliagmeni. Due to intense heat and large crowds, avoid major tourist sights in the middle of the day. In peak season, accommodation and travel prices are at their highest, so traveling at this time of year is not ideal for budget travel.
Key events: Athens & Epidaurus Festival, Ejekt Music Festival
August
Another beautiful month in Athens, August has serene sunsets on the coastline, water sports like windsurfing and kite surfing, and vibrant nightlife. August falls in peak season, so accommodation and travel rates will continue to be more expensive than in other parts of the year. Temperatures are extremely hot, ranging from 91°F to 108°F and very little rainfall. Many locals head for the Greek islands during this time of year.
Key events: Feast of Assumption
September
September kicks off shoulder season and is the best time to visit Athens due to fewer crowds, milder temperatures and plenty of things to do. Take photos on a scenic hilltop like Lycabettus, Philopappou or the Pnyx; hike Mount Lycabettus; or hop to the Greek island of Aegina for their annual Fistiki Fest pistachio festival.
Key events: Athens & Epidaurus Festival continues, Art Athina, Athens International Film Festival
October
October is another beautiful month in Athens, with average temperatures ranging from 64°F to 75°F, more affordable flights and accommodation rates and fewer crowds. This weather is ideal for visiting one of the many wineries in Attica, seeing the sites or hiking the trails of Mount Parnitha.
Key events: Ohi Day
November
November marks the start of the cooler low season when temperatures drop from 59°F to 68°F. The month’s average rainfall is 2.4 to 3.1 inches. Visit the Acropolis with fewer crowds and explore one of the city’s many eclectic neighborhoods, like Exarchia or Monastiraki.
Key events: Athens Classic Marathon
December
Come December, winter is in full swing in Athens. This is one of Athens’s wettest months of the year, with temperatures averaging from 54°F to 61°F during the day and an average rainfall of 2.8 to 3.5 inches. At this time of year, get into the Christmas spirit with festive celebrations and activities, like ice skating, concerts and kids’ activities.
Key events: Night of Wishes in Kotzia Square, New Year’s Eve show at Syntagma Square, Nutcracker at Megaron Concert Hall.
