Despite its rich mythology featuring sea monsters, Greece isn't typically the first place to come to mind as a hotspot for shark encounters. However, these magnificent marine creatures do inhabit the waters surrounding this Mediterranean nation.
Sometimes the winds will make the water rough, but most often not in the summer months. Choppiness is also a relative condition. If you're on a large cruise ship your stability in choppy seas won't as much of a comfort factor as when you're on a small local ferry.
Greece is famous all over the world for its fabulous sandy beaches with crystal water. In brief: The Greek islands with the best beaches are Crete, Mykonos, Naxos, Milos, Paros, Ios, Lefkada, Zakynthos, Rhodes, Karpathos and more.
The warmest water in Greece is in Corfu where water has 27.5 degrees celsius. On the contrary, the lowest temperature is in Rethimno where water has only 26.6 degrees celsius.
The temperature on Crete will be similar to Corfu, and the hours of sunshine, the main difference being that on Crete there is less rain – on average only three days in May might see a shower.
The graph below shows the range of monthly Santorini water temperature derived from many years of historical sea surface temperature data. The warmest water temperature is in August with an average around 77.2°F / 25.1°C. The coldest month is March with an average water temperature of 61.7°F / 16.5°C.
The best month to visit Greece and experience unique traditions: February-April (in 2023) You probably know that Greeks love their traditions. There are unique and eccentric celebrations taking place throughout the year and throughout the country, not to mention the local customs specific to every place.
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.
With average daily high temperatures in the mid-70s Fahrenheit, it's usually still warm enough in early October to sunbathe in comfort and to dine outside at night, with little chance of rain. By mid-October the Ionian and Aegean seas are cooling quickly; if you love to swim, go early in the month.