Greece and the Greek Islands are consistently one of the most popular sailing spots every summer and it’s easy to see why! Stunning beaches, beautiful coastal towns, and great sailing conditions make it the perfect summer getaway spot. However, it can be tricky to figure out what the best time to visit Greece is if you’re hoping for the best weather but also want to avoid the massive crowds that can flock to this part of the world. Here are our tips to get the most out of your sailing trip to Greece…
Sailing in July and August:
The busiest time in Greece is between July and August with roughly 2.5 million tourists arriving at Greek international airports every year! (Based on 2017 statistics.) This doesn’t even include all of the tourists driving or sailing from the nearby Macedonia, Italy, and Turkey – safe to say, Greece is an undeniable tourist hot spot! This “high season” means that sailing holidays at this time are going to be at their most expensive. Furthermore, once you arrive you will find the most popular spots (namely Corfu, Lefkas, and the Saronic Gulf) will be incredibly busy. However, the high season isn’t all negative! The fact that this time is the busiest means all museums, galleries, tavernas, and site-seeing spots will definitely be open for business which you won’t always find outside of these months.
To have the best experience possible, The Big Sail recommends sailing in Greece on either cusp of the high season, meaning visiting either before June or after September.
Reasons to sail in June and earlier:
- You’ll get the best of the freshly bloomed flora that will make for stunning green and floral scenery on each sailing stop off.
- As this is a less popular time to sail you will find more affordable charters and fewer of them, meaning you’ll feel completely at peace in a private and budget-friendly charter.
- 19th of April is Greek Orthodox Easter! This is an amazing cultural experience to incorporate into your sailing holiday.
- June is actually the month that the Greek Islands see the longest daylight hours so you can make the most of every day.
Reasons to sail in September and later:
- Similarly to before June, you will find more affordable options and not have to share the charter routes with as many other tourists.
- Post-September sees the most comfortable ocean temperatures for swimming and snorkelling at 28 – 30 °C.
If you’re interested in exploring Greece at any time get in touch here to receive your own personalised charter quote complete with a sailing route and a variety of yachts to suit your needs and budget!