Last Updated on October 2, 2018 by Jon Algie
Have you thought about visiting the Greek islands in winter? If you only like swimming and partying then you probably haven’t, but if you’re a fan of unique (and almost entirely deserted) towns, awesome scenery and warmish (but perfect for walking) weather, you should probably skip the high season and go in winter (unless you’re travelling alone and want to meet other people as some of the islands get very quiet).
Here are 4 reasons why you should visit the Greek islands in winter (it was going to be 5 but I ran out of ideas…).
It’s Cheap to visit the Greek Islands in winter!
If you’re travelling Europe on a budget and want to check out the Greek islands, you’d better do it in winter (or at least not in the middle of summer). The islands get very quiet and while some hotels close up completely, others remain open and discount their rooms drastically. We paid around €18 on most of the islands and the quality of the rooms was great. We usually had a kitchen and the locations were perfect. We paid €30 in Ios, and I looked at the high season rates and they were over €100 – we would never have been able to afford to stay in that place in summer. Also, keeping costs down becomes a lot easier if you have a kitchen. We cooked our own meals a lot and our day to day costs were probably the cheapest we experienced in Europe.
You won’t see many other tourists
We saw a few tourists on Santorini, which is probably one of the most popular islands in Greece. At each site, beach or town there were no more than 10 other tourists around, and sometimes there were none. We did a 4 hour walk from Fira to Oia and saw 2 other groups the whole time- that wouldn’t happen in summer! The other islands were even quieter, and by the time we got to Paros we were wondering if there were any other tourists on the whole island (check out this post to see if we found any).
It’s not that cold
We visited Greece in December, so I guess it wasn’t the middle of winter, but we were surprised by how warm it was. It wasn’t quite hot enough to swim but it was the perfect temperature for walking, and there are some great places to walk in the Greek islands. The weather was generally pretty sunny but it did rain a little bit in Naxos and Paros. If you like walking along deserted beaches just as much as swimming at them, visiting the Greek islands in winter, or anytime outside of summer, might be a good option.
The towns Are Awesome (at any time of year)
One of the great things about the Greek islands is the cool little towns coated in white, and you don’t need to be there in summer to appreciate them. In fact, it’s a lot better strolling through the streets of Fira, Parikia and Naoussa when you’re one of the few tourists in town. These towns are really unique and are worth a trip to the Greek islands alone, whatever time of year you’re thinking of going – but it’s obviously cheaper (and a lot more relaxing) to visit them in winter.
Here’s a quick rundown of the islands we visited
Santorini
Colourful beaches, villages draped in white and stunning volcanic scenery – there’s something for everyone in Santorini. You’ll think you stumbled onto Mars when you arrive at the red beach, and the villages perched on cliffs will transport you back in time. Once off the main street, you’re more likely to see a donkey than a car in Fira, and the quiet streets are perfect for sightseeing. If you go to Santorini you have to do the walk from Fira to Oia – it’s about 4 hours and the views are amazing.
Further reading: Walking from Fira to Oia, Santorini
Ios
Ios is well known as a party island for young people and since I can’t be classed as young anymore (I’m about to turn 30) it’s probably good that I didn’t visit in high season. We only stayed on Ios for 2 nights but we really enjoyed it. There’s a great beach just outside of town (and I’m sure there’s more) and it had a laid back feel which I’m sure disappears in high season.
Naxos
Naxos had the best beaches that we went to in the Greek islands and it was almost warm enough to swim. We stayed in a nice hotel about 2 minutes from the beach for €18 and decided to relax for a few days (we needed it after a couple of months of intense travelling). We did get out and about though, and the Portara (a huge marble gate, part of an unfinished temple dedicated to either Dionysus or Apollo) was probably the best ancient site we saw during our trip to the Greek islands. We went for a big walk one day and saw a few different beaches, and we almost went on a bus ride up into the hills but were a bit too lazy. If you’ve been there, let me know what we missed.
Paros
We didn’t see any other tourists on Paros – I guess most people travelling the Greek islands in winter choose the more popular islands. I had never heard of Paros before planning this trip and I feel it’s an island that should get a lot more press. The old towns of Naoussa and Parikia are postcard examples of Greek island architecture, there are a couple of nice beaches and it’s an easy island to get around. Paros really surprised me, so if you’re visiting the Greek islands in winter (or any time of year, as I’m sure it won’t get as busy as some other islands) you should try and include it in your itinerary.
Further reading: The Last Surviving Tourists on Paros, Greece
Antiparos
It turns out Antiparos isn’t just the evil, bizarro version of Paros (although Tom Hanks apparently has a house there, so it might be). Antiparos has a lot more going for it than just having a cool name and it’s a really easy day trip from Paros. There are some nice beaches, a typical Greek island town and even some caves to explore (we didn’t have time to visit the caves though).
We loved our time travelling the Greek islands, but if I was travelling alone it might have been a different story. You won’t have the chance to meet many other travellers in winter, but it’s a good chance to get to know the locals, relax and do some walking. If you’re travelling as a couple then the lack of other people will be more welcome.
Further reading (or watching): Want to see the Greek Islands on film? Watch the Odyssey!
Have you visited the Greek islands in winter (or any other time?) What did you think? Let me know!
Jon Algie
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You took amazing photos! I have been dreaming about visiting the Greek islands for as long as I can remember. Thank you for sharing, this is definitely food for thought.
Thanks Jessi! I’d been dreaming about it for a long time too, I’m glad we didn’t go in high season though as it would have been really expensive.
I went to Chania, Crete two years ago at Christmas and I think I was the only tourist in town. There were many overcast days but the hotels were incredibly cheap and the food and culture was just as wonderful as in the Summer!
We thought about going there but decided to stick to one area, glad you had a similar experience though!
Hi Jon, wondering how you would get from Crete to Santorini at the end of November?
Hi Zulaikha, I’m not entirely sure but we were in Greece around that time and we tried to get to Mykonos but the ferrys weren’t running — I think some of them only run during the summer but a lot of them are year round.
How did you get to all of these islands? ferry? plane? I have read that all the ferries stop after about october so I’m curious since I am planning a trip to the Greek isles in January. Also where did you start your trip? Athens? Any tips are great! Thanks!
Hi Macy, we took a ferry from Athens to Santorini then ferries from there . The ferries run in winter but the schedule isn’t as convenient — I think we tried to go to Mykonos but the ferry there wasn’t running in winter. Good luck with the trip, let me know how it goes!
Sounds like you kept it real. Paros is one of my favorite places, calm and beautiful, great sunsets, became a little more crowded over the decades since I first visited, but still great. I love Naxos too. I prefer the quiet of these less known islands to the hustle and bustle of Mykonos. Thanks for printing this article and wonderful pictures.
Thanks for the comment Charlie!
Hey Jon,
Just came across your website and it pleased me greatly to see this article. I’m Greek and love to see people promoting this other side of Greece that not everyone knows about.
Next time you are in Naxos definitely take that bus ride around the hills for some awesome scenery! But not on a hot summer day 😉
Cheers,
Rania
Hey Rania, thanks for the comment. I’ll definitely take that advice, really looking forward to getting back to Greece sometime soon!
You need to get on that bus and head for the Naxian hills! Better still, hire a moped and explore the vast, mountainous interior of the island. Its so beautiful; arid and lush, quaint yet dramatic, manicured and completely raw, traditional but perfect for tourism – it’s a real treat. The hillside villages of Apiranthos and Filoti are my personal favourites and if you have the brawn to tackle the heaven-high hairpin roads, towards the southeast of the island, you’re rewarded with the pretty Panermos beach and, more importantly, Giannis’ traditional coastline and cave boat trip! (Although I dont believe this runs in winter) I Hope you made it to Alyko (also referred to as Hawaii) beach; totally unspoilt with lots of tiny coves and sprawling white stretches combined, reached via beautiful sand dunes and a protected cedar forest – its unbelievably beautiful and, out of season, can be yours alone!
I almost forgot – you must climb Mount Zas! Highest point in all of the Cyclades and breathtaking views 🙂
Hey Ben thanks for the comments — awesome information for people planning trips. Looking forward to exploring this area again and spending a bit longer next time!