Best time to visit Spetses
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.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
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 Spetses
5 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Spetses).
- 1
2-Hours 4X4 Tour in Spetses Safari - 2
Spetses Walking Tour - 3
Private Helicopter Transfer from Spetses to Santorini - 4
Private Helicopter Transfer from Spetses to Mykonos - 5
Private Helicopter Transfer from Spetses to Athens
Last refreshed 2026-06-09.
Similar climatesHydra98% · Nafplio98% · Athens97%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Spetses (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 Spetses'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 | 9–14 | 11 | 7 | 72 | 10.3 | 61% | 21 | 182 | 2 | Quiet | 8 |
| Feb | 9–15 | 12 | 4 | 51 | 12.8 | 59% | 20 | 189 | 3 | Quiet | 8 |
| Mar | 10–16 | 13 | 6 | 69 | 11.5 | 55% | 20 | 227 | 4 | Quiet | 9 |
| Apr | 13–20 | 18 | 4 | 49 | 12.3 | 50% | 21 | 250 | 6 | Quiet | 10 |
| May | 16–24 | 23 | 5 | 44 | 8.8 | 49% | 19 | 282 | 7 | Moderate | 10 |
| Jun | 21–29 | 29 | 3 | 24 | 8.0 | 44% | 19 | 303 | 9 | Busy | 9 |
| Jul | 25–34 | 34 | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 35% | 19 | 314 | 9 | Peak | 6 |
| Aug | 25–33 | 33 | 2 | 19 | 9.5 | 40% | 19 | 299 | 8 | Peak | 6 |
| Sep | 21–29 | 29 | 4 | 40 | 10.0 | 48% | 18 | 255 | 6 | Moderate | 9 |
| Oct | 17–24 | 23 | 4 | 45 | 11.3 | 53% | 17 | 231 | 4 | Quiet | 10 |
| Nov | 14–20 | 18 | 5 | 55 | 11.0 | 60% | 19 | 186 | 3 | Quiet | 9 |
| Dec | 11–17 | 14 | 10 | 98 | 9.8 | 67% | 19 | 174 | 2 | Quiet | 8 |
UV Index in Spetses by Month
UV index in Spetses peaks at 9 (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
May
10/1016–24°C (feels 23°C) · 5 rain days (44h) · 282 sun hours · 49% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
October
10/1017–24°C · 4 rain days (45h) · 231 sun hours · 53% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 4 (moderate)
April
10/1013–20°C (feels 18°C) · 4 rain days (49h) · 250 sun hours · 50% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 6 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
8/109–14°C (feels 11°C) · 7 rain days (72h) · 182 sun hours · 61% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low)
February
8/109–15°C (feels 12°C) · 4 rain days (51h) · 189 sun hours · 59% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
March
9/1010–16°C (feels 13°C) · 6 rain days (69h) · 227 sun hours · 55% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 4 (moderate)
June
9/1021–29°C · 3 rain days (24h) · 303 sun hours · 44% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 9 (very high)
July
6/1025–34°C · 1 rain days (10h) · 314 sun hours · 35% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 9 (very high)
August
6/1025–33°C · 2 rain days (19h) · 299 sun hours · 40% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 8 (very high)
September
9/1021–29°C · 4 rain days (40h) · 255 sun hours · 48% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 6 (high)
November
9/1014–20°C (feels 18°C) · 5 rain days (55h) · 186 sun hours · 60% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
December
8/1011–17°C (feels 14°C) · 10 rain days (98h) · 174 sun hours · 67% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low)
Cars are not banned here — they are timetabled
Spetses is often described as car-free. It is not, and the real rule is more interesting than the myth.
A municipal order in force from May 2026 permits private cars to cross to and from the island only on three named ferry departures a day, Monday to Saturday: out at 07:20, 13:00 and 16:30, back at 10:30, 13:30 and 17:00. On Sundays and public holidays it drops to two each way. Miss the last slot and your car spends the night on the mainland. Trucks carrying aggregates and building materials are barred outright at weekends and on holidays.
Inside the town a separate restriction ring for mopeds and motorcycles switches on by date rather than by season — it was activated on 22 May in 2026. Residents keep cars here; what the island regulates is when they may move.
Sources: Municipality of Spetses — vehicle entry and exit order, in force from 15 May 2026 , Municipality of Spetses — official events calendar
Are cars banned on Spetses?
No — that is Hydra, where the whole island is a declared archaeological site and the Ministry of Culture bans wheeled vehicles outright, bicycles included. On Spetses cars exist and residents keep them, but a municipal order restricts when they may cross: three named ferry departures each way on weekdays, two on Sundays and public holidays. Movement within the town is separately restricted.
Can you bring a car to Spetses?
Yes, but only on specific crossings. Under the current order, cars may leave the island at 07:20, 13:00 and 16:30 and arrive at 10:30, 13:30 and 17:00, Monday to Saturday, with two slots each way on Sundays and holidays. Most visitors leave the car at Kosta on the mainland instead.
How do you get around Spetses?
On foot, by horse-drawn carriage, by water taxi around the coast, or by scooter — though a restriction ring limits motorcycles and mopeds within the town during the season, activated by date each year. The island's perimeter road is about 25 km, which is why the marathon uses it as a full circuit.
When is the Armata festival on Spetses?
The second Saturday of September — in 2026 it fell on 12 September at 17:30. It re-enacts the naval victory of 8 September 1822, culminating in the burning of a replica Ottoman flagship in the Old Port followed by fireworks. It sits inside a week-long festival and is the island's biggest night.
What is the best month to visit Spetses?
June or September. Both give warm sea without the August peak, when Athenian holidaymakers fill the island. September has the added draw of the Armata on the second Saturday, and the sea is at its warmest. The vehicle restrictions are in force through the summer either way.
How many days do you need on Spetses?
Two to three. One for Dapia and the Old Port, the Bouboulina museum and the town's mansions; one for the beaches around the island by scooter, boat or bicycle. It is small enough to see quickly but pleasant enough that many Athenians stay a week.
Is Spetses better than Hydra?
Hydra is the more dramatic and more strictly preserved — no wheeled vehicles at all, which gives it a silence Spetses does not have. Spetses is greener, has better beaches and allows scooters and carriages, so it is easier to get around. Hydra for atmosphere; Spetses for a more practical island stay.
How do you get to Spetses?
By hydrofoil or ferry from Piraeus, roughly two to two and a half hours, or by the short crossing from Kosta on the Peloponnese, which is what most drivers use. If you are bringing a vehicle, the Kosta crossing is the one governed by the three-slot timetable rather than the Athens route.
Is Spetses expensive?
Moderately, and more so than the mainland — it has long been a retreat for Athenian families, which keeps standards and prices up. August is the peak. Staying slightly outside Dapia and eating away from the waterfront cuts costs noticeably, and the beaches and coastal walks are free.
When is Spetses least crowded?
May, late September and October. The island empties considerably once the Athenian holiday season ends, while the sea stays warm into October. Winter is very quiet and many businesses close, though Spetses keeps a year-round population unlike some smaller Saronic islands.
Frequently asked questions about visiting Spetses
When is the best time to visit Spetses?
May is the highest-scoring month (10/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 16–24°C (5 rainy days). The top three months by score are May, October, April.
What is the worst time to visit Spetses?
July is the lowest-scoring month (6/10, capped by extreme heat). Typical conditions: 25–34°C (1 rainy day).
Is Spetses too hot in summer?
2 months (July, August) trip the heat deal-breaker in our scoring: apparent temperature crosses the comfort cap, so even with clear skies and low rain the score is held down. Plan around it if heat tolerance is low.
When are crowds lowest in Spetses?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in November and peaks in August. 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 Spetses have good weather but fewer tourists?
April (climate 10/10, crowd index 35) and May (climate 10/10, crowd index 47) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Spetses by month?
UV peaks at 9 (very high) in July and is lowest in December at 2 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan 2, Feb 3, Mar 4, Apr 6, May 7, Jun 9, Jul 9, Aug 8, Sep 6, Oct 4, 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 Spetses in July?
July is the peak UV month in Spetses, with a daily-peak UV index of 9 (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 Spetses 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: February, April, May, November. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.
Is air quality in Spetses bad for travelers?
PM2.5 (fine-particle pollution) exceeds the WHO sensitive-group guideline (15 µg/m³) in 1 month: July. The worst month is June with a typical-day mean of 10 µg/m³ (fair); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 13 µg/m³ (moderate) 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.