Best Time To Travel To: Crete

Crete is one of the most reliable sunny destinations around. Together with Cyprus, Crete is one of the sunniest islands in the Mediterranean. After all, there are about 300 days of sunshine. The summers on Crete are hot and dry. Extremely high temperatures are usually measured on the south coast. In winter there is always some rain, the climate is then mild. Snow falls (if any) mainly on the high mountain ranges of the island.

Nevertheless, Crete is dominated by different climate zones. They bring quite different weather, depending on where you are on the island. The two main climatic zones are the North and South. The landscape of the island is divided by the mountain ranges running from east to west. As a rule of thumb, the north is more influenced by the European climate. This region is therefore somewhat rainier and the temperatures are on average 3 to 6 degrees below those in the south. The south gets a lot from the African continent, which is why it is warmer and much drier here. In summer it often gets extremely hot.

For the higher altitudes, the formula "the higher the colder" applies. In winter it can be cool here, snowfall is possible. At the very top, the snow can even last until July. Since the mountains also form a kind of weather divide, they cause a clear difference between the north and south of the island. If it is relatively dull and humid in the north, it is quite sunny and dry in the south. As mentioned above, the north is considered rainier and cooler than the south. Also, the east is drier and warmer than the west.

The coasts have normally dry summers and mild winters. There are rains, which come down mainly between October to March. Theoretically, it can even snow. However, this is rarely the case.

Spring

In January one must always expect cold and rainy weather. A certain phenomenon are short periods of up to about seven days, when the weather gets better. This is somewhat different in February. February is known for the onset of almond blossom. But it tends to stay cooler in February, as well as still in March. In March, however, there can always be the first warm phases with almost summer temperatures. But this is not the rule. Temperatures continue to stabilize in April, during which phase the island is in good bloom. The full bloom is then reached in May. Then it becomes even warmer and quite sunny. From the middle of May, the tendency to rain decreases significantly. At night, however, it still can be quite cool. May is considered a very good month for active vacationers because of the pleasant conditions.

Summer

From June the summer begins - that means: warm to hot temperatures. Then you should think about a bathing vacation on Crete. The temperatures continue to rise in July and August. If it weren't for the wind, you would hardly be able to stand it on the beach.

Autumn and winte

From September on the temperatures drop slightly. Nevertheless, September is a good and quite warm month, similar to May, it is quite suitable for active vacationers. similar applies to October. However, in October you have to expect lower temperatures and heavier precipitation. From November on, it becomes more changeable, rainy and cooler. The same is true for December.

When is the best time to go to Crete

The best travel time for Crete depends on the individual interests of the traveler. Many observers describe the period from April to June as very beautiful. During this period, vegetation develops very quickly, so everything blossoms and greens. If you want to get something from nature, you should also be interested in the island during this phase. Since the temperatures in April are normally well above 20°C and also the water has already warmed up slightly, it is quite possible to swim in April. May is quite popular with active vacationers. It gets really warm from July to September. The water is getting warmer and warmer. In the coastal regions of the island, the wind blows again and again, which makes the actually quite high temperatures of over 30°C seem quite pleasant. In principle, one can still think about a bathing stay in October. November to January are not optimal for a trip because of the changeable weather. From February, the island attracts again with the almond blossom, but it is then still changeable and often cool.

Climatetable Iraklion