Greece travel guide

Best time to visit Greece from the UK

Best value: Mar–Apr, Sep–Oct. May–Jun and Sep–Oct: warm sea, fewer crowds. Busiest and priciest: May–Aug.

Each bar is the average temperature in Athens for that month, and its colour shows the season for visitors: best value (good weather, fewer crowds and lower prices), busiest and priciest, or quiet (off-peak, sometimes because the weather is poorer).

• Our pick: September and OctoberThe warmest of the best-value months (19–24°C), with fewer crowds than peak season.
• Peak season: May–AugUsually 20–28°C. The busiest time, so book flights and rooms early and expect higher prices.
• Quiet season: Nov–FebAround 9–15°C. The cheapest and least crowded time, though often because of rain or heat.
• Warmest: July (28°C) · coolest: January (9°C)A 19°C swing between the warmest and coolest months.

Festivals and events

• Greek Orthodox Easter Apr–May · Nationwide
• Athens Epidaurus Festival Jun–Aug · Athens
• Patras Carnival Feb · Patras

Festival dates move from year to year: check before you book.

Getting there from the UK

Flight time

About 3h 30m

Distance

2,409 km

Main airport

ATH

Flight times are straight-line estimates for a direct flight from Heathrow; journeys with a change take longer.

Add Greece to your bucket list Search flights to ATH

Practical info and travel guidance

• VisaNo visa neededUp to 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area
• HealthcareGHIC acceptedYour UK GHIC covers necessary state healthcare. Still take travel insurance.
• LGBT+ travellersLegal and broadly accepted
• Women travellersFCDO warns of sexual assault or harassmentTake extra care at night and with drinks.

For British passport holders, summarised from the FCDO's advice for Greece, checked October 2026. FCDO page last updated 11 August 2026. Rules change: read the official FCDO travel advice for Greece before you book and again before you go.