Best time to visit Santorini
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart recolours live for your heat & sea limits 27°C · sea 29°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
Default 29 °C is the Beach Climate Index "bathtub" line (Morgan et al.) — where the sea stops being refreshing and starts feeling like a warm bath.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Santorini
30 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Santorini).
- 1
Private Santorini Tailor Made - Choice of the Guest! - 2
Santorini Must-See Highlights Private Tour - 3
Santorini Instagram Private Tour - 4
Santorini Private Tailor-Made Tour: Oia, Blue Domes & Hidden Gems - 5
Best of Santorini Customized Private Tour - 6
Santorini Private Customizable Land Tour – with Local Driver - 7
Santorini Caldera Sunset Traditional Cruise with Meal and Drinks - 8
Private Customizable Santorini Tour with Local Driver-Guide - 9
Santorini: Customized Private Photoshoot Walk in Oia - 10
Best Of Santorini Private Tailor Made Tour - 11
Exclusive Santorini Flying Dress Photoshoot with Pickup - 12
Private Transfer Santorini One-way From/To Airport, Port & Hotel - 13
Santorini Flying Dress Experience with Hotel Pick up And Drop Off - 14
Flying Dress Iconic Photoshoot Santorini with Pick up/ Drop off - 15
Half Day Premium Catamaran Cruise in Santorini including Oia - 16
Santorini Catamaran Cruise – 5-Hour Private Sailing Experience - 17
Half-Day Exclusive Catamaran Cruise in Santorini with Meal and Open Bar - 18
Award-Winning Santorini Cooking Class with Greek Chef - 19
Santorini Half Day Catamaran Private Cruise incl. Meal, Drinks & Free Transport - 20
Santorini Classic Catamaran Cruise with BBQ, Drinks and Transfers - 21
Small Group Sightseeing Tour: All Santorini’s Treasures - 22
SKIP CABLE CAR® Santorini for Cruise Ships with Boat Transfers - 23
Skip the Line: Half-Day Santorini Sightseeing Tour - 24
Santorini for Cruise Ships: Avoid Cable Car Lines and Crowds! - 25
Skip Cable Car® Santorini Shore Excursion for First-Time Visitors - 26
Private Tailor-Made Santorini Land Tour with a Local Driver - 27
Santorini Shore Excursion: Private Tour with Tender Port Pickup - 28
Half-Day Santorini Private Tour - 29
Santorini Shore Excursion: Private Tour with Hotel & Port Pickup - 30
Santorini Private Catamaran Cruise with BBQ, Open Bar & Transfers
Last refreshed 2026-08-13.
Similar climatesMykonos97% · Paros96% · Milos95%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Santorini (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Santorini's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10–14 | 9 | 8 | 100 | 12.5 | 62% | 35 | 182 | 2 | Quiet | 7 |
| Feb | 10–14 | 9 | 7 | 76 | 10.9 | 61% | 34 | 193 | 3 | Moderate | 8 |
| Mar | 11–15 | 10 | 7 | 85 | 12.1 | 58% | 34 | 231 | 5 | Quiet | 8 |
| Apr | 13–18 | 14 | 4 | 35 | 8.8 | 55% | 31 | 253 | 6 | Moderate | 9 |
| May | 16–22 | 19 | 3 | 36 | 12.0 | 53% | 25 | 292 | 7 | Busy | 10 |
| Jun | 20–26 | 25 | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 52% | 25 | 309 | 9 | Peak | 10 |
| Jul | 23–29 | 27 | 0 | 3 | — | 48% | 29 | 315 | 10 | Peak | 10 |
| Aug | 23–28 | 28 | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 52% | 26 | 300 | 9 | Peak | 10 |
| Sep | 22–26 | 25 | 1 | 15 | 15.0 | 54% | 27 | 265 | 7 | Moderate | 10 |
| Oct | 18–22 | 20 | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 58% | 26 | 235 | 5 | Quiet | 10 |
| Nov | 15–19 | 16 | 3 | 38 | 12.7 | 61% | 29 | 205 | 3 | Quiet | 9 |
| Dec | 12–16 | 12 | 9 | 92 | 10.2 | 66% | 29 | 191 | 2 | Quiet | 8 |
UV Index in Santorini by Month
UV index in Santorini peaks at 10 (very high) in July, dropping to 2 (low) in December. June, July, August reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
Best months in detail
June
10/1020–26°C (feels 25°C) · 1 rain days (17h) · 309 sun hours · 52% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 9 (very high)
May
10/1016–22°C (feels 19°C) · 3 rain days (36h) · 292 sun hours · 53% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
July
10/1023–29°C (feels 27°C) · 0 rain days (3h) · 315 sun hours · 48% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 10 (very high)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
7/1010–14°C (feels 9°C) · 8 rain days (100h) · 182 sun hours · 62% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low)
February
8/1010–14°C (feels 9°C) · 7 rain days (76h) · 193 sun hours · 61% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 3 (moderate)
March
8/1011–15°C (feels 10°C) · 7 rain days (85h) · 231 sun hours · 58% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 5 (moderate)
April
9/1013–18°C (feels 14°C) · 4 rain days (35h) · 253 sun hours · 55% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 6 (high)
August
10/1023–28°C · 1 rain days (9h) · 300 sun hours · 52% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 9 (very high)
September
10/1022–26°C (feels 25°C) · 1 rain days (15h) · 265 sun hours · 54% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 7 (high)
October
10/1018–22°C (feels 20°C) · 2 rain days (27h) · 235 sun hours · 58% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 6 (high)
November
9/1015–19°C (feels 16°C) · 3 rain days (38h) · 205 sun hours · 61% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
December
8/1012–16°C (feels 12°C) · 9 rain days (92h) · 191 sun hours · 66% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low)
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A cap of 8,000 cruise passengers, and a €20 levy
Santorini's cruise cap is real, and it has a document behind it. In September 2024 the Thira Municipal Port Fund, which runs the island's two landing points, resolved that no more than 8,000 cruise passengers would visit on any one day, in 2025 and again in 2026. It is enforced at the scheduling stage: lines request dates up to two years ahead, an algorithm ranks them on length of stay and low-season calls, and once a day is full the rest get other dates. One detail matters. In 2025 the count assumed each ship landed 80% of its capacity; in 2026 it assumes 100%. For 2026 the fund also split the day between the piers — 5,600 at the old port below Fira, 2,400 at Athinios.
The levy is national law. Article 27 of Law 5162/2024, implemented by joint ministerial decision 3133.1/45989/2025, has charged every disembarking passenger since 21 July 2025: €20 at Santorini and Mykonos from 1 June to 30 September, €12 in April, May and October, €4 from November to March. Other Greek ports charge €5, €3 and €1.
The wind is the constraint no chart shows. The meltemi blows from the north from June to September, peaks in July and August, and strengthens through the day. There is no published Beaufort number at which sailings stop: each vessel carries its own certified wind limit and the port authority issues the ban on the day, which is why catamarans are tied up while conventional ferries still run.
Sources: Thira Municipal Port Fund — cruise berth allocation decision 182/2024 , Government Gazette B' 3343/2025 — ministerial decision on the cruise levy
Does the meltemi wind ruin a summer trip to Santorini?
It rarely ruins it, but it can disrupt travel. From June to September, strongest in July and August, it can delay or cancel ferries — high-speed catamarans first. It also keeps the island noticeably cooler than mainland Greece, which is part of why summer here is bearable.
What is the best month to visit Santorini?
May, June, September and early October — warm sea, calmer winds and visitor numbers well below the summer peak. July and August bring the strongest meltemi winds, which can disrupt ferries and make the exposed caldera edge uncomfortable, alongside the heaviest crowds. September holds the warmest water of the year.
How many days do you need in Santorini?
Three. One for Oia and the caldera walk from Fira, one for the beaches on the east coast and the Akrotiri excavations, and one for a boat trip to the volcano or a wine tour — the island's assyrtiko vines are trained in baskets against the wind, and worth seeing. Add slack if you are moving on by ferry, which the meltemi can delay.
What is the rainiest month in Santorini?
January, at around 60 mm, with July completely dry at about 0 mm. Santorini has one of the most extreme dry summers in this comparison — effectively no rain from June to September — which is why the island depends on imported and desalinated water in high season.
Is Santorini worth visiting in winter?
Only if you want the island empty and are happy that much of it is shut. Many hotels, restaurants and boat services close from November to March, and the winds are strong — the windiest months here are winter ones, not the meltemi months. The caldera view remains extraordinary, prices are a fraction of summer, and January lows stay mild at around 10C.
When is the best time for the Santorini sunset without crowds?
Any month outside June to September, or by watching from somewhere other than Oia castle — Imerovigli, Firostefani and the Skaros Rock path give the same caldera light with a fraction of the people. In peak season the castle viewpoint fills more than an hour before sunset.
What is Santorini famous for?
The caldera — a flooded volcanic crater ringed by cliffs, with white villages along the rim — and the sunset seen from Oia, which draws a crowd more than an hour ahead in season. It is also known for black and red volcanic beaches, and for Akrotiri, a Bronze Age settlement preserved under ash.
Is there a limit on cruise passengers in Santorini?
Yes. The Thira Municipal Port Fund caps arrivals at 8,000 cruise passengers a day for 2025 and 2026, applied when lines book berths up to two years ahead. For 2026 that splits into 5,600 landing at the old port below Fira and 2,400 at Athinios. A separate state levy of €20 a head applies from June to September.
Is Santorini worth visiting?
The caldera view is genuinely extraordinary and hard to overstate. The caveats are crowding and cost: in July and August up to 8,000 cruise passengers land on top of the staying visitors, concentrated around midday in the rim villages, and prices are among the highest in Greece. May, June, September and early October give the same view with far fewer people.
Which is better, Santorini or Mykonos?
Santorini for the caldera view and the volcanic landscape — it is the more visually dramatic island and the better choice for a first visit or a couple. Mykonos has the stronger nightlife and better sandy beaches, since Santorini's are volcanic and coarse. Both are crowded and expensive in July and August.
Frequently asked questions about visiting Santorini
When is the best time to visit Santorini?
June is the highest-scoring month (10/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 20–26°C (1 rainy day). The top three months by score are June, May, July.
What is the worst time to visit Santorini?
January is the lowest-scoring month (7/10). Typical conditions: 10–14°C (8 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in Santorini?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in November and peaks in July. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Santorini have good weather but fewer tourists?
October (climate 10/10, crowd index 20) and April (climate 9/10, crowd index 44) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Santorini by month?
UV peaks at 10 (very high) in July and is lowest in December at 2 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan 2, Feb 3, Mar 5, Apr 6, May 7, Jun 9, Jul 10, Aug 9, Sep 7, Oct 5, Nov 3, Dec 2. June, July, August reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
What is the UV index in Santorini in July?
July is the peak UV month in Santorini, with a daily-peak UV index of 10 (very high). At this level, sunburn can occur in under 20 minutes on unprotected fair skin. Apply SPF 50+, wear protective clothing and a hat, and avoid direct midday sun (11:00–17:00).
How high can UV get in Santorini on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. May is the worst case: typical days average UV 7 (high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 8 (very high) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: May, October, November. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.
Is air quality in Santorini bad for travelers?
PM2.5 (fine-particle pollution) exceeds the WHO sensitive-group guideline (15 µg/m³) in 2 months: June, July. The worst month is June with a typical-day mean of 11 µg/m³ (moderate); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 17 µg/m³ (unhealthy for sensitive) and higher. People with asthma, heart conditions, or sensitive children may want to avoid these months or limit outdoor activity. Source: CAMS via Open-Meteo.