Is Crete open all year round?

Crete's main cities of Heraklion, Chania, and Rethymnon have a large local population and stay active and open year-round. Best Time for Greek Island Hopping: There are some incredible islands (Santorini, Naxos, Paros, Mykonos) that are a 2 to 5 hour ferry ride from Crete.



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Most tourist resorts are closed by early November. Heraklion, Chania, and Rethymnon stay active throughout the winter months though tourist-related activities dwindle. (Museums and historical sights stay open through the winter.) (Average Max Temperature: 21°C.

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Everything is open in June and September but May and October will definitely see some closed doors. The sea might not be warm enough for swimming in May and October. Low Season (late October to April): This is winter and that means gray skies, cool weather, and rain.

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Greek islands which are smaller and less touristic have a shorter season, larger islands like Crete, Corfu and Santorini have extended seasons sometimes up to full year. Hotels have different opening/closing dates but the general rule for islands is that they open in April and close at end October.

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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.

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The average Crete temperature decreases as you travel north. July and August are the warmest months, and January is the coldest month of the year. In summer, the average maximum temperature ranges between 20-30ºC (70-90°F) and in winter between 10-15ºC (50-60°F).

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The cost of living in Crete, Greece is generally lower than in many European countries. Rent, especially, is quite affordable compared to other parts of Europe.

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Places to Avoid in Crete
  • Malia. ...
  • Hersonissos. ...
  • For travelers whose primary aim is to connect with the genuine spirit of Crete, away from the noisy clubs and throngs of tourists, it's essential to tread the less beaten path. ...
  • Elafonisi Beach. ...
  • Knossos. ...
  • Samaria Gorge. ...
  • Chania. ...
  • Rethymnon.


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The east of the island has less rain than the north and especially the north-west. In general, eastern Crete is warmer than western Crete, the southern part of the island is warmer than the northern, the western part of Crete has more vegetation and in the mountainous areas the weather is cooler.

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Generally speaking, hotels in Crete are slightly cheaper than those in Santorini because they're popular among locals, and there are simply more. Crete's high supply and high demand keep prices relatively low, while Santorini's limited supply and extremely high demand increase rates significantly.

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Greeks are known for their hospitality and Crete is regarded as a friendly tourist destination. However, understanding Greek etiquette will help you interact and blend in with the locals.

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And since Crete is a mixture of lowland and mountainous regions, there are also weather and temperature variations based on altitude. The weather on the north coast of Crete will be strongly affected by the Meltemi winds of summer. These warm winds blow from the north and can hit most of the coastal beaches.

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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.

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There won't be any cooling rain showers: Crete has zero rain in July and August. This is one time of year when, contrary to what you might expect, Corfu is actually hotter than Crete. Daytime averages in both July and August are 32ºC, so expect some days to be much hotter.

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Greece's largest and most southerly island, Crete has mild and sunny weather throughout winter; in fact, it has some of the warmest winter weather in Europe with average highs generally around 15-16°C and average lows around 9-11°C. This makes it easy to get out and see everything this island has to offer.

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It really depends on where you stay on the island, there are numerous tourist resorts, but also quiet village locations and small unspoilt sea size villages too.

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