Greek islands have always been one of the best holiday destinations in the world.
And what attracts most foreign tourists here, undoubtedly is the lovely Mediterranean climate.
Summers are long, with high temperatures and almost tropical heat, plenty of sunshine, clear skies and long days.
Winters are short, very nice and mild, with excellent conditions for hiking and long walks.
Although the winter months are not warm enough for the beach, the weather is often sunny and warm.
The weather in the Greek islands predisposes to spend long hours outside.
On the one hand the summer heat makes staying indoors uncomfortable, on the other hand winters are too mild to stay at home.
Though the climate in Greece has some typical common features, the weather conditions in different parts of the country, including different islands, vary from very hot and dry to moderate and humid.
There are two main rules – the weather is drier to the east and warmer to the south.
For example, some of the hottest islands in Greece are Crete, Rhodes and Karpathos.
This is understandable, because on the one hand, they are located in the southern parts of Greece, and on the other hand are in the eastern half of the country.
So Which is the warmest?
The warmest Greek island is Karpathos, although the difference with Crete and Rhodes is practically inaudible for residents or tourists.
The average annual temperature is 20,1°C, the average daytime temperature in January is 16°C and in August (the warmest month) is about 29°C in the shade or more.
From early June till the end of September, the weather can get pretty hot because of tropical air masses from the Sahara desert.
Because of the close proximity of Africa, hot air reaches the island with ease.
May and October are quite warm with temperatures of around 25°C in the shade, plenty of sunshine and excellent weather for the beach.
In April and November, daytime temperatures are usually around 20 – 22°C.
There are some very pleasant days with very good weather for the beach, especially during the second half of April and the first half of November.
From December till the end of March the weather is cool but not very cold. Even in the midst of winter, it was possible to walk around just in a T-shirt and a light jacket or an anorak.
Well, of course, there are cooler days, but they are rare. Winter nights are cold with temperatures around 9 – 10°C.