In summer they are taken by storm by tourists from all over Europe, from October onwards they are an almost undiscovered paradise. Come and enjoy the Greek islands in winter: fewer crowds and lower prices do not mean giving up the charm that bewitches visitors in warmer seasons.
It is an indisputable truth: the islands of Greece are beautiful all year round. You may not be able to bathe – but perhaps you can, especially if you come in early autumn – but you can still savour what makes these places so special. Breathtaking views, romantic sunsets, thousand-year-old ruins, warm Greek hospitality and good food await you even in November, December, January…
But can you have a winter holiday on all the Greek islands? Well, yes and no… a trip to Greece during the low season requires more careful organisation that takes into account a few important factors: the connections available (flights and ferries are significantly reduced from mid-September onwards), the presence or absence of accommodation, the possibility of things to do that do not require summer temperatures.
Our mini-guide to the Greek islands to visit in winter contains useful information and tips for going on holiday when other tourists are back home.
The golden rule for a winter holiday on the Greek islands is to choose an island with good year-round connections: these are usually the most important islands and those close to the mainland.
The Dodecanese islands are the most distant, have few (if any) connections to the port of Athens and the sea crossings are very long, so they are not a recommended choice for winter travel. An exception might be Rhodes, which is sometimes connected by direct flights: unfortunately, the low season routes are not necessarily operational every year.
Corfu can be reached all year round with direct ferries from Italy to Igoumenitsa and a short crossing with a local ship. Think about this, however, because in bad weather the long boat trip may not be very pleasant.
For some islands, especially those very close to Athens or those with little tourism, the problem is not transport but accommodation. Scarcely visited, and perhaps colonised by Athenians who have bought their second home, they offer a limited choice of hotels, b&b’s or flats and in the low season this number is further reduced. If you choose one of these islands, you should make sure to book your accommodation in advance.
To make sure you don’t get bored, choose an island that in addition to beach life also offers cultural attractions and opportunities for outdoor activities you can do in any season, such as hiking or mountain biking.
Want to save yourself the research? Choose where to go from the list below: it contains the top 10 Greek islands for a winter holiday.
Visiting Santorini in winter is a great idea. The most famous Greek island can be stifling in summer, and not so much because of the heat but because of the crowds of tourists. Autumn and winter are therefore the ideal seasons for those who want to see this wonderful volcanic island but are not interested in the social life or who cannot afford the high season rates.
From October onwards, the narrow streets of Oia and Fira are no longer overrun with people and you no longer have to scramble to find a good spot from which to admire the romantic sunset over the caldera that has made this island so famous.
It may not be warm enough to swim in the sea, but you can still enjoy a drink with a sea view from the terrace of your room. And maybe you can take advantage of the low season rates and treat yourself to a room with a private Jacuzzi.
The mild temperatures mean that you don’t have to miss out on Santorini’s top attractions: even in winter, you can take boat trips on the caldera, visit Oia, Fira and Imerovigli, stroll along the promenades of Perissa and Kamari or take longer treks on the island’s paths.
Mykonos is completely transformed in winter: from transgressive and fashionable party island, it becomes a romantic destination perfect for couples’ holidays and lonely souls.
The most fashionable discos generally close in mid- to late September, and around the same time, the very expensive designer hotels also start to drop their prices. From October onwards, therefore, Mykonos, just like Santorini, becomes approachable even for those who do not like mass tourism and confusion.
Even without beach parties, Mykonos is an island where one does not get bored. Mykonos Town is a pretty little town with many cultural attractions to which we recommend devoting at least half a day; the charm of its most famous district, Little Venice, is not in the least affected by cooler temperatures and shorter days.
Other picturesque places that retain their charm even in the winter months are the Armenistis lighthouse and the village of Ano Meria. And at any time of year you can see the windmills and pelicans that have become a symbol of the island.
If you don’t want to give up island hopping even in winter, Naxos is a perfect island to combine with another destination in the Cyclades, perhaps choosing from the better-connected islands such as the aforementioned Santorini and Mykonos. From the latter it takes only 40 minutes to get there; if you can’t find a fast boat, you will arrive in two hours.
No one forbids you, indeed it is an excellent idea, to spend your entire winter holiday on Naxos. The island of Ariadne’s myth is the largest of the Cyclades archipelago and offers a wealth of attractions that can be enjoyed to the full even when it is not warm enough to dive into the sea.
Naxos Chora, the main town, is an ideal base for exploring the island, with a good choice of accommodation and facilities all year round. The charming old town, divided into the two villages Kastro and Bourgos, combines buildings of typical Cycladic architecture with others of Venetian elegance.
The inland villages are also worth a visit, first and foremost Chalkio, the ancient capital of the island; add Apiranthos, Filoti, Chalki and Koronas to the list. If you prefer fishing villages to mountain villages, visit Apollonia.
Naxos is perhaps the island of the Cyclades with the most museums, another factor that makes it suitable for an off-season holiday. They are small museums mostly dedicated to local history and folklore, interesting to learn more about the island and useful for shelter in the (unlikely but not impossible) event of rain.
Another activity that can be done – and enjoyed – all year round is a tasting of kitron, the typical liquor of Naxos, at the historic Vallindras distillery.
Crete is the fifth largest island in the entire Mediterranean. It is a bit of a world of its own among the Greek islands and lends itself very well to a winter holiday: it is the southernmost island, which means a better chance of finding pleasant temperatures, plus, being very large, it offers a wide choice of attractions other than beaches.
The historical and cultural heritage of Crete is unparalleled, and equally exceptional is the variety of its natural beauty.
The Palace of Knossos and the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion are the two top attractions that should be included in any travel programme. Then, depending on your interests, you can visit the Minoan Palace of Phaistos, the Arkadi Monastery, the Samaria Gorges.
A visit to the city of Heraklion will keep you busy for at least a day; it is a dynamic city, inhabited all year round, full of shops, clubs and cultural events: for those who love the city atmosphere, it is a perfect destination at any time of year.
Spend some time also in Chania, a quaint town in north-western Crete nicknamed the Venice of the Orient. And don’t disdain the sea: regardless of the weather, Crete’s beaches are so beautiful that it would be a crime to leave without seeing at least a couple of them, perhaps the famous Elafonissi and the fascinating Balos lagoon.
Syros is the administrative capital of the Cyclades Islands and the seat of the archipelago’s only university: a rare case of an island with many economic and political activities unrelated to tourism.
So forget the classic island that empties out at the end of the bathing season, Syros is an inhabited and lively place all year round. It is an ideal destination for those who find the desolation of islands emptied of tourists a little sad and for those who enjoy city life.
Its capital, Ermopoli, is an elegant town where you can have a coffee on the square, go to the theatre, attend cultural events and admire beautiful historical buildings. It is built on a hill so you will find yourself making quite a few ups and downs, but the effort will be rewarded by the view of the sea peeking out between the colourful houses.
The other localities are small villages, almost all located along the coast in the south-central part of Syros; the northern part of the island is difficult to reach and almost completely uninhabited. Among the most beautiful villages are Kini, Posidonia, Azolimos.
Do you love authentic places, not built for the use of tourists? Do you not want to waste too much time travelling by ferry? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions, Kea is the ideal Greek island for your winter holiday.
Connected to Athens all year round, it is the closest Cycladic island to the mainland and can be reached in less than an hour from the port of Lavros. It is a beautiful and little-visited destination for international tourists, even in summer, while it is popular with Athenians who often choose it as a destination for a weekend by the sea.
Very small, Kea does not offer cultural attractions or a town with many shops and clubs; there is only a cute-enigmatic stone lion to see, the ruins of the ancient city of Karthea and a typical blue and white church.
There are, however, many footpaths, often taken from ancient mule tracks. Kea is therefore a recommended island for those who want to experience days of simplicity and for those who want to take advantage of the mild Greek winter to enjoy wonderful walks with a sea view.
Another island that is easy to reach from Athens in any season is Hydra: the hydrofoil crossing takes less than two hours. There is no risk of making a mistake and taking a slow ferry because cars are prohibited on Hydra.
The island is not part of the Cyclades but of the Saronic Islands, an archipelago located between the Peloponnese and Attica (the Athens region) coasts, thus south-east of the capital.
It has a reputation as a chic island and is often chosen as a holiday resort by celebrities and wealthy Athenians, for which Hydra is compared to Capri and Portofino. As one can imagine, such a sought-after island has very expensive prices, which is why a Hydra holiday in winter is a great idea: the low season rates make it affordable even for those without a VIP bank account.
Without the glamour and hubbub of summer beach tourism, Hydra is a small haven of tranquillity where you can forget the traffic and noise of the city. Here you can move around safely on foot, by bike or on donkeyback: a dream for those who love slow rhythms and simplicity.
There are monasteries and churches to see, a couple of museums and the typical archontika, elegant aristocratic residences dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries.
Staying in the Saronic archipelago, a good alternative to Hydra is Aegina. The advantage of choosing this island is a shorter sea crossing: it is the closest to the mainland and the ferry trip from Athens to Aegina only takes an hour.
On the other hand, however, Aegina is not as quiet as Hydra: it is a lively island with as many as 10,000 inhabitants, where cars are allowed to circulate; because of its liveliness, some consider it a sort of suburb of Athens. And this for some might be something attractive rather than a disadvantage.
If you think so, here is the Greece winter destination for you! Enjoy city life with a view of the Aegean, watch the hustle and bustle of people on the waterfront, experience the nightlife of the local youth, visit historical relics, churches and villages.
If your arrival airport is not Athens but Thessaloniki, a good option for a winter holiday on an island is Samothrace. Located in the north-eastern Aegean, it is the last Greek island you will encounter before the Turkish coast.
It is a very green island, very different from the typical image of a barren Greek island with a cascade of small white houses here and there. The territory is largely mountainous – the highest peak is over 1600 metres! – and thanks to the presence of numerous watercourses, the vegetation grows luxuriantly. Forests occupy a good portion of the island and are criss-crossed by numerous trekking trails that can be walked at any time of year.
Samothrace will also appeal to fans of history and ancient ruins. In classical times, it was a key site of the cult of Nike, the goddess of victory, and other rituals and cults that are still mysterious today. Two attractions not to be missed are the Sanctuary of the Great Gods and the Archaeological Museum, the latter exhibiting a copy of the famous statue of Nike formerly kept within the sanctuary and now housed in the Louvre in Paris.
Another island accessible from Thessaloniki and suitable for a winter holiday is Thassos. Like Samothrace, it is very green and, although exquisitely Greek, already shows influences from other cultures, especially Turkish and Bulgarian.
A good reason to choose it are the very cheap prices; however, do take into account a transfer from Thessaloniki airport to the ports of Kavala or Keramoti, from where the ferries depart.
Thassos is the Greek island recommended for mountain bikers: there are numerous bike trails through the island’s forests, and it is no coincidence that a major annual mtb event is held here.
If you don’t want to explore the island on two wheels, you can spend your holiday visiting the towns of Limenas and Limenaria, the archaeological site of Alyki, the mountain village of Panagia and other delightful places.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
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Budget accommodations 
Apartments 
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Luxury Hotel 
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