The warmest place in Greece in winter is Crete, with Rhodes close behind. From November to March, Heraklion, Ierapetra and Rhodes Town all average between 17.1°C and 17.6°C by day, within 0.4°C of each other, so call it a tie between Crete's coasts and Rhodes. The mainland and the Ionian islands are cooler, and Thessaloniki in the north is the coldest place in the table at 13.5°C.
Be clear about what that means: Greece in winter is mild, not hot. Even the warmest places average about 15.5°C in January, against roughly 21°C in Tenerife. It is lovely for walking, ruins and long lunches in the sun, and for a beach holiday only November comes close. Below: 10 places compared month by month, what each part of Greece is like in winter, and warmer options nearby.
The Warmest Places in Greece, November to March
The figures are 10-year averages (2016 to 2025) from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive, which is built on the ECMWF ERA5 reanalysis, for one point near each town. "Day high" and "night low" are the average daily maximum and minimum. We checked the day highs against long-term weather station averages for eight of these places and they agree within about a degree. Night lows are less reliable: at some island places they come out 1 to 3°C milder than station records, so use them to compare regions, not neighbouring towns.
| Place | Area | Day high, Nov to Mar | January high | Night low, Nov to Mar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heraklion | Crete (north coast) | 17.6°C | 15.5°C | 10.2°C |
| Ierapetra | Crete (south coast) | 17.5°C | 15.5°C | 11.4°C |
| Rhodes Town | Rhodes | 17.1°C | 15.0°C | 12.2°C |
| Chania | Crete (north-west) | 16.9°C | 15.0°C | 11.9°C |
| Kos Town | Kos | 16.6°C | 14.7°C | 12.4°C |
| Kalamata | Peloponnese | 16.5°C | 14.3°C | 8.0°C |
| Zakynthos Town | Zakynthos | 16.2°C | 14.1°C | 11.2°C |
| Corfu Town | Corfu | 15.2°C | 13.0°C | 10.6°C |
| Athens | Attica | 15.0°C | 12.4°C | 7.6°C |
| Thessaloniki | Macedonia (north) | 13.5°C | 10.1°C | 5.2°C |
Three things stand out. Crete's north and south coasts and Rhodes sit together at the top. Kos Town, north-west of Rhodes, is only a little behind by day. And the spread across the country is wide: Thessaloniki averages 10.1°C in January, 5.4°C below Heraklion, and London averages 7.6°C in January on the same data.
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The Warmest Place in Greece, Month by Month
November: Ierapetra, Heraklion and Rhodes Town are level within a few tenths, at 21.0°C and 21.3°C by day. Thessaloniki averages 16.7°C.
December: Ierapetra and Heraklion are level within a few tenths, at 17.1°C and 17.3°C by day. Thessaloniki averages 12.1°C.
January: Ierapetra and Heraklion are level at 15.5°C by day. Thessaloniki averages 10.1°C.
February: Heraklion and Ierapetra are level within a few tenths, at 15.9°C and 16.1°C by day. Thessaloniki averages 13.0°C.
March: Heraklion and Ierapetra are level within a few tenths, at 17.6°C and 17.9°C by day. Thessaloniki averages 15.7°C.
Differences of a few tenths of a degree are a tie. A sheltered south-facing harbour can feel warmer at lunchtime than these figures, and a windy headland cooler.
December
| Place | Day high | Night low |
|---|---|---|
| Ierapetra | 17.3°C | 11.5°C |
| Heraklion | 17.1°C | 10.4°C |
| Rhodes Town | 16.8°C | 12.3°C |
| Chania | 16.7°C | 12.0°C |
| Kos Town | 16.4°C | 12.7°C |
| Kalamata | 15.8°C | 7.8°C |
| Zakynthos Town | 15.8°C | 11.3°C |
| Corfu Town | 14.7°C | 10.7°C |
| Athens | 14.2°C | 7.5°C |
| Thessaloniki | 12.1°C | 4.6°C |
December is when Greece stops being beach weather. Nowhere in the table averages more than 17.3°C by day, and Athens drops to 14.2°C, with nights of 7.5°C. For proper Christmas warmth, our Christmas sun holidays guide compares the Canaries, Egypt and long haul.
January
| Place | Day high | Night low |
|---|---|---|
| Ierapetra | 15.5°C | 9.7°C |
| Heraklion | 15.5°C | 8.6°C |
| Chania | 15.0°C | 10.2°C |
| Rhodes Town | 15.0°C | 10.4°C |
| Kos Town | 14.7°C | 10.7°C |
| Kalamata | 14.3°C | 6.2°C |
| Zakynthos Town | 14.1°C | 9.5°C |
| Corfu Town | 13.0°C | 8.6°C |
| Athens | 12.4°C | 5.3°C |
| Thessaloniki | 10.1°C | 2.0°C |
January has the coolest days of the year everywhere in this table. Heraklion and Ierapetra average 15.5°C each, Rhodes Town 15.0°C, and Thessaloniki only 10.1°C with nights around 2°C. See Greece weather in January for the month in more detail.
Crete: the Warmest Island in Winter
Crete is the southernmost of Greece's big holiday islands, and it is the warmest by day all winter. There are three ways to read it.
- Heraklion, on the north coast, averages 17.6°C by day from November to March and 17.9°C in March, the warmest March figure in the table. The airport is about 5 km east of the city, so it is the easy base for a winter break with museums and Knossos nearby.
- Ierapetra, on the south coast, is level with Heraklion by day (17.5°C from November to March). In November it is level with Heraklion (21.3°C against 21.2°C). It is also the furthest from an airport: about 94 km from Heraklion and 59 km from Sitia.
- Chania, in the north-west, is a little cooler by day (16.9°C). Its old Venetian harbour makes it an attractive town base in winter, and the airport is about 14 km away on the Akrotiri peninsula.
For the island's month-by-month weather, see Crete weather in November and Crete in February; those pages use one point near Chania, so they read a little cooler than Heraklion.
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Rhodes and Kos: the Mildest Nights
Rhodes Town matches Crete by day (17.1°C from November to March) and has milder nights than Heraklion: 12.2°C against 10.2°C. Station records show the same order. Rhodes Town is a working city all year, with a medieval old town to walk and an airport about 14 km to the south-west. See Rhodes weather in December.
Kos Town is 0.5°C cooler than Rhodes by day (16.6°C) and nearly as mild at night on this data (12.4°C). It is smaller and quieter, which suits a slow week more than a city break.
Athens and the Mainland
Athens is a winter city break, not a winter sun trip. It averages 15.0°C by day from November to March, and its nights are some of the coldest in the table at 7.6°C, about 5°C below Rhodes. On a clear day that is perfect for the Acropolis without summer crowds; pack a proper coat for the evenings. See Athens weather in February.
Kalamata, in the southern Peloponnese, is warmer by day than you might expect (16.5°C) but colder at night (8.0°C). Thessaloniki, in the north, is properly wintry: 13.5°C by day and 5.2°C at night over the season.
Corfu and the Ionian Islands
The western islands are the cooler side of Greece in winter. Zakynthos Town averages 16.2°C by day and Corfu Town 15.2°C, 2.4°C below Heraklion. Both are greener and quieter in winter, but if warmth is the point, head south-east to Crete or Rhodes instead.
Warmer Than Greece in Winter
If you want real warmth, Greece is not the answer from December to February. On the same 10-year data:
- Cyprus (Paphos) averages 18.3°C by day from November to March, 0.7°C above Heraklion. See Cyprus weather in January.
- The Canary Islands are a different league: Tenerife averages 21.9°C. Read which Canary Island is warmest in winter, or compare Spain's options in the warmest place in Spain in winter.
For everything warm within a few hours of the UK, see our winter sun holidays from the UK guide and where is hot in Europe in January.
How to Choose
- Warmest by day: Heraklion, Ierapetra and Rhodes Town, all within 0.4°C.
- Mildest nights: Rhodes Town among the warmest places, with Kos Town close behind.
- Warmest in November: Ierapetra, Heraklion or Rhodes Town, when the day highs are still above 20°C.
- Best winter city break: Heraklion or Chania on Crete, Rhodes Town, or Athens if you do not mind cold evenings.
- Coolest: the north, led by Thessaloniki, then Athens and Corfu Town.
Before you set your heart on a resort, check winter flight schedules and hotel opening dates for your exact dates.
Plan It in Dream Trip
Choosing between Crete, Rhodes and Athens usually means a pile of saved TikToks, Instagram posts and Google Maps pins. Dream Trip puts them on one map.
- Save what you find: send the tavernas, beaches, ruins and hotels you see on TikTok, Instagram and Google Maps to one map.
- Compare places: see your Heraklion, Chania and Rhodes saves side by side before you book.
- Plan the days: once you have picked, let Dream Trip's AI draft a day-by-day plan on a live map, and share the trip with whoever you are going with.
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FAQ
Where is the warmest place in Greece in November?
Ierapetra, Heraklion and Rhodes Town are level within a few tenths, at 21.0°C and 21.3°C by day. Thessaloniki averages 16.7°C. November is the last month when Crete and Rhodes still average above 20°C by day.
Where is the warmest place in Greece in December?
Ierapetra and Heraklion are level within a few tenths, at 17.1°C and 17.3°C by day. Thessaloniki averages 12.1°C.
Where is the warmest place in Greece in January?
Ierapetra and Heraklion are level at 15.5°C by day. Thessaloniki averages 10.1°C. January has the coolest days of the year everywhere in this table.
Where is the warmest place in Greece in February?
Heraklion and Ierapetra are level within a few tenths, at 15.9°C and 16.1°C by day. Thessaloniki averages 13.0°C.
Where is the warmest place in Greece in March?
Heraklion and Ierapetra are level within a few tenths, at 17.6°C and 17.9°C by day. Thessaloniki averages 15.7°C.
Is Crete or Rhodes warmer in winter?
By day it is a tie: Heraklion averages 17.6°C and Rhodes Town 17.1°C from November to March. Rhodes Town has the milder nights (12.2°C against 10.2°C), and station records agree on that.
Is Greece warm in February?
Mild rather than warm. The warmest places average 15.9°C to 16.1°C by day in February, Athens 13.7°C and Thessaloniki 13.0°C. That is good weather for sightseeing, not for the beach.
