Greece is a wonderful country to visit because it is known for so much! It’s the home of the ancient Olympic Games, where some of the world’s greatest literature was written and is where democracy was born. Its attractions include the Acropolis, the Delphi Theatre and Mount Athos.

It is also a country that is known for its natural beauty, and there are plenty of beaches to enjoy throughout the country. Not only that, but the Greek islands, such as Santorini, also attract many people to Greece, some of whom focus their entire trips on this region. No matter what you decide to do, you will need to know the weather so you can plan your trip. Here’s more information:

Winter Months: December-February

Most people in Europe, the United States and Canada experience much cooler winters than Greece does. For example, the average highs in Athens in December, January and February are 59, 57 and 57 degrees while the corresponding lows are 48, 45 and 45. It does get a little wet then, but not all that much with 6 inches of rain falling in that three-month time period. That’s less than the 9 inches that fall in Los Angeles during that same span. Meanwhile, the highs and lows will be about 10 degrees cooler in Thessaloniki while the lows will be about five degrees warmer in Santorini.

Spring and Fall Months: March-May and September-November

This might just be the best time of year to come to Greece if you’re looking for comfortable temperatures. Athens’ average highs are in the high 70s and low 80s at the end of spring and at the beginning of fall with low temperatures in the 50s and above for most of these six months. Thessaloniki is cooler then but not by much while Santorini experiences similar temperatures as Athens. Average rainfall is about two-thirds now than it was during the winter. Also, these six months are outside of Greece’s high season, which is a plus crowd-wise.

Summer Months: June-August

This is the time of year when Greece starts getting quite hot; it’s one of Europe’s warmest summer destinations. Thankfully, many places offer air conditioning, which will especially be a relief to Americans, who tend to use it much more often than non-Greek Europeans do. Athens’ and Thessaloniki’s average highs can reach into the 90s then while the surrounding water tempers the air temperature in the Greek Isles, keeping highs in many of those places in the low 80s.

Regardless of where you go in Greece during the summer, you can be assured of dry conditions and clear weather. Athens averages two-thirds of an inch of rain for this entire three-month period while it experiences 1,104 hours of sunshine at that time. This is also when you want to go to Greece if spending time in the water is a priority since the water temperatures will be pleasant then.

While planning your trip to Greece, you have a lot of choices as to where you will go. No matter what you decide, you should consider the weather so that you can plan the right activities and make good decisions while packing.