The climate of Santorini, the largest and southernmost of the Cyclades, is Mediterranean, with mild, rainy winters and warm, sunny summers.
The Cyclades (which include islands like Delos, Mykonos, Paros and Ios) are located in the Aegean Sea. The interior is largely flat, but there is also a hill, Mount Profitis Ilias, 567 meters (1,860 feet) high. The island is volcanic, and is the result of an ancient explosion, along with the nearby smaller islands: Therasia, Aspronisi, Palea Kameni and Nea Kameni.
In the warm season, starting from May, the Cyclades (and therefore also Santorini) are particularly affected by the Meltemi, a wind that blows from the north, persistently and in periods lasting a few days. This wind is able to make the air feel cooler than it is, but it can also be annoying and make the sea rough.
The average temperature ranges from 11.5 °C (52.5 °F) in January and February to 25 °C (77 °F) in August. Here are the average temperatures.

The rainfall pattern is typically Mediterranean, in fact, the rains are concentrated in autumn and winter, and in particular, from October to March. In practice, it rains very rarely from April to September, and almost never in summer, from June to August. The length of the dry season makes the landscape arid. Here is the average precipitation.

In winter, from December to mid-March, temperatures are generally mild, but waves of bad weather, with wind and rain, can not be excluded. Sometimes, there can be cold days, with the north wind blowing, during which the maximum temperature remains below 10 °C (50 °F).

In spring, from mid-March to May, the weather is mild, and it gradually becomes more stable, with rain becoming gradually less frequent.

Summer, from June to mid-September, is warm and sunny. The wind makes the heat almost always bearable, although there can sometimes be some short heat waves coming from Africa.

Autumn, from mid-September to November, is initially warm and sunny, but then, the first rains occur, and with each passing week, they become more frequent. In autumn, there may be many sunny days, but the rains in this season can sometimes be abundant.



The amount of sunshine in Santorini is great in summer, when clear skies are the norm. In winter, periods of bad weather, with cloudy skies, alternate with sunny periods. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.

The sea is warm enough for swimming from July to September, and reaches a maximum of 24 °C (75 °F) in August; therefore, it is not very warm, but it is acceptable. Here are the average sea temperatures.

Best Time

The best time for a beach holiday in Santorini is the summer, from June to mid-September. Those who are sensitive to cold can bring a sweatshirt also in midsummer, for windy and cool evenings.
In spring and autumn, especially in April and May and from mid-September to mid-October, you will find pleasant temperatures, and the weather will be often sunny, although there can be also some short periods of bad weather.

Back to the Cyclades Islands.