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.
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Kos. Due to its southerly location, Kos is consistently one of the hottest Greek islands. In October, the sea will be a pleasant 23ºC, with evening temperatures rarely falling below 15ºC. Only 4-5 days are likely to be affected by rain.
October is when the tourist season starts to unwind, but many experts regard these last few weeks as the among the very best, and not just because the weather is starting to get miserable at home. In the Greek islands, the sun will almost certainly be shining all day and the sea will be deliciously warm for swimming.
The weather in Corfu in October is typically mild and pleasant. During this time of year, temperatures average in the mid-60s to low-70s°F (around 20°C), with cool evenings and occasional rainshowers. The sea temperature is still warm enough for swimming, typically around 68-70°F (20-21°C).
What are the hottest places in Europe in October? The warmest place in mainland Europe in October is Cyprus (26°C) followed by Malta (25ºC), Dalyan (25ºC) in southern Turkey and the Greek island of Kos (25ºC).
Corfu's the second largest island in the Ionian Sea, and sits just off Greece's northwest coast. With typical long, hot Mediterranean summers, you'll still get lots of sun if you book your Corfu holidays in October, although there will be quite a bit of rain too.
Sitting in the southern Aegean, you'll get lots of warm weather if you're going on your Crete holidays in October. It's the largest Greek island, and has the hottest weather across the whole country because of its location close to North Africa.
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.
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.
With daily average temperatures ranging from 64°F (18°C) along the Dalmatian Coast to 54°F (12°C) inland in Zagreb, October makes for a pleasant time to participate in outdoor activities, like hiking or biking.
If you're looking for an action-packed vacation with plenty of activities on offer, then Crete is definitely the place to be. However, if you're after a more relaxed holiday where you can simply enjoy some time in the sun, then Corfu could be a better option.
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.
1. Karpathos (Dodecanese) Located between Rhodes and Crete, Karpathos is the hottest destination in Greece. Monthly temperatures average 30°C (86°F) throughout the summer, with very little rainfall.