Tourist season in the largest part of Greece includes mostly the months between June and August. It is during these months that the majority of the tourists visit mainland Greece and the Greek islands. However, there are some exceptions.

Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini, Crete and Corfu are excellent such examples. In these islands, tourist season starts as early as April and ends late October or even later than that. The climate is still quite warm and rain is rare. Sea water retains its high temperature to an average of 22 to 25 degrees Celcious and any drop of temperature is only temporary. Although mainland Greece has entered into the autumn mode, the islands live in a “near summer mood”.

For many tourists who cannot tolerate excessive heat, too many crowds, expensive prices and noise, this is the best time to be on a holiday in Greece. But let us not forget that holidays in Greece are not only about the Greek islands.

Holidays in mainland Greece

For those who dare to explore Greece off the beaten track, the country’s mainland hides treasures of great beauty. The middle and high altitude mountains with their traditional stone built villages hiding among the orange and red autumn colours is a sight out of a fairy tale. Peloponnese, Sterea Ellada and Epirus are examples of ideal autumn holiday retreats for people who appreciate natural beauty in an authentic environment.

Why choose autumn?

Activities such as walking, sailing, horseback riding are still within your reach, only much cheaper than during the high season. Accommodation now costs a lot less and for the same amount of money one can live in greater luxury. Services are better as everyone seems more relaxed.

With most children now already at school, the tourists left are mostly adults, which makes holidays much more relaxing and quiet, especially in a Mediterranean country such as Greece, where both children and their parents are known to be noisy.

Those amazing beaches of Greece that we all admire, are as quiet and pristine as we have seen them in these exquisite photos, unlike during July and August when they are packed with hundreds of tourists hungry for a place under the hot sun.