Best Time for Good Weather and Swimming: The warmest weather in Crete (and all the Greek islands) is between late May and early October when it's sunny, hot, and the water is perfect for swimming.
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In the Greek islands, the sun will almost certainly be shining all day and the sea will be deliciously warm for swimming. In the southern islands, you can expect daily highs reaching 28ºC, falling to 24ºC towards the end of October.
The average high temperature in October is 24ºC, so you won't need much more than your beach gear, shorts and t-shirts. You should pack a few warmer things for the evenings, as it's still pleasant but temperatures fall to around 15ºC at night.
The sea temperature is still warm in October and most days are sunny. Most businesses are open, despite the fewer crowds and, sure enough, you can find great deals in this off-season. The best time to visit Mykonos is October when the crowds have diminished, the water remains warm and rates fall.
During October, even the most popular beaches in Crete are much more enjoyable since they are not overcrowded and the water is still fairly warm. This month is also a great month to visit beaches that have difficult access, as hiking down with milder temperatures is always welcome!
Crete is the warmest of the Greek islands in October because of its geographical location in the South Aegean Sea, close to North Africa. While the heat isn't as insufferable as it is during the summer months, it's still a bit intense, mainly if you're not used to mid-20s temperatures.
Well, here's the good news. Yes, you can swim and safely sit in the sun until early December. There are some tips of course and best beaches where the waters tend to be warmer late into the year.
Ierapetra and the area around it is the hottest of Crete and even in October the temp is great for sunbathing (and swimming) since it rarely goes below 27C.
And, yes, you can also swim in Santorini in October. In fact, the sea is sometimes even warmer than in June! Plus, you get a little extra when visiting the island's shores as October is a low-tourism month.
Crete in October (70% Crowded): October is much like May but the weather is moving in the opposite direction. There is often a large difference between early October (when days can be hot and sunny) and late October – when you can have some cool cloudy days and visits to the beach are not a guarantee.
Crete is the warmest of the Greek islands in October because of its geographical location in the South Aegean Sea, close to North Africa. While the heat isn't as insufferable as it is during the summer months, it's still a bit intense, mainly if you're not used to mid-20s temperatures.
?? Average Sea Temperatures in Greece in OctoberThese are just above the line for comfortable swimming if the day is sunny. Expect the sea temperature to be around 21-23°C to the south and less than 21°C around the northern coastlines. The national average sea temperature in October is 20.9°C.
Crete, being the most Southerly Greek Island and probably the driest, and Cyprus have long seasons with the sunshine often stretching into and past October half term. Expect daytime temperatures to be perfect, around 25 degrees with cooler evenings but still plenty of sunshine.
South Crete is generally a couple of °C warmer (but water temperatures are roughly similar). The east of the island, has less rain than the north and especially the north-west.
2 long sleeve shirts: if you are traveling in May or October. 1 chambray shirt: also perfect for May or October, it can work as a light jacket. 1 light jacket or raincoat: the weather in Crete is sometimes unpredictable, especially at the end of summer.
Crete is an ideal place to enjoy swimming at any time of the year. All needed, beyond a good mood and leisure time, is a relatively nice day without much wind and extreme cold. You don't need to go too far away, because the informal meeting points of winter swimmers are located very close to the towns of the island.
Crete is a much more real and enjoyable place than Rhodes, which is pretty much given up to tourism. I'm afraid that also having visited both islands many times over the past 20 years, I'd have to say that Rhodes can offer just as much history as Crete, given it's smaller size.