Overall, the island of Crete, Greece has a temperate Mediterranean climate. We have hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters; some of us say that the island has only two seasons: Summer and Wet. And even if during Wet, Crete’s weather can surprise us: as I write this we are planning to spend the rest of the day at the beach – and it is the middle of October!
Due to its southerly location and the surrounding Mediterranean and Aegean Seas Crete has the mildest climate in the country. However, the weather can vary among the different locations mainly because of the mountains running east to west across the island that block north-western winds and create “micro-climates.”
Winter (December to March) is mild but can be damp and windy, and most of all unpredictable. Most of Crete’s rain falls in winter, and it rains about fifty percent of the time. I find the high winter winds create some awesome storms that weather nuts like me get a thrill watching from rocky coastal areas (my favorite is the Akrotiri peninsula in the north-west of the island), but from indoors of course! When it does rain, it is pretty steady. Day-time highs are around 16ºC/60ºF, with nights sometimes below 10ºC/50ºF (but rarely below 5ºC/40ºF). We experience the occasional warm day, but if you are visiting Crete at this time of year, do not plan for summer weather: the sea, around 15ºC/60ºC, is okay if you have a wetsuit, but only the bravest souls venture in the water for a polar bear swim.
Winter in Crete: Month-by-Month
December: The weather can be windy or calm, warm or cold, or sunny or rainy. We wear layers including something waterproof if rain is expected.
January: The coldest, windiest and rainiest month. Sometimes we benefit from “Halcyon Days,” a one-week respite with warmth and sun.
February: The weather starts to get a bit sunnier and warmer, although it can still be unpredictable. You will see almond trees begin to blossom.
March: March can be cold and rainy, but you may see some of the heartiest swimmers hit the beaches on warmer, sunnier days.
Winter in Crete: What to See and Do
Although most people think of Crete, Greece as a summer holiday destination, the lack of tourists and cooler weather during make winter a great time to see significant sites without gaggles of tourists, and to see a different side of some of the summer-time attractions.
If you are planning to vacation in Crete in the winter, do plan ahead, however, as many hotels and restaurants outside of the main cities shut down in November and re-open only in April or May, and museum hours may be shorter. Tours including some of the following activities and sights can be booked through hotels and travel agencies in the major cities in Crete, which can make the logistics a bit easier.
Some other recommendations:
- Check out the agricultural activities. Winter is time for the olive harvest and for making raki, and for related festivals.
- Walk some of the gorges. Try Kourtaliotiko, Samaria (accessible only from the bottom in the winter due to safety reasons), Imbros and Aradena.
- Visit world-renown archaeological sites. In the winter, you can often have all of Knossos and Phaestos to yourself and I have had private guides take me into areas closed to tourists during the rest of the year.
- See the snow! Take a drive through Olamos and to the start of the Samaria Gorge. Or take a tour to the Anogia Snow Fields.
- Try the museums. Great escapes from the heat in the summer, the only crowds you are likely to see in museums in the winter are school groups. Try the Nautical and War Museums in Chania; the Historical & Folklore Museum in Rethymno; the Natural History and Archaeological Museums in Iraklion; or the Ierapetra Archaeological Collection in Ierapetra.
Related posts:
Weather and Climate in Crete, Greece: Spring (forthcoming)
Weather and Climate in Crete, Greece: Summer (forthcoming)
Weather and Climate in Crete, Greece: Fall (forthcoming)
Weather and Climate in Crete, Greece: Microclimates (forthcoming)
