Season guide · Rhodes · Greece
Rhodes in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 4.0
_02.jpg){kind=link}
Quick answer
Mild but often wet, with most beach resorts closed; Rhodes Town remains lively with locals and is good for quiet history visits. Expect highs up to 17°C (63°F) and lows around 9°C (48°F), with about 31 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 9°C (48°F) to 17°C (63°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 31
- Sea
- 16°C (61°F) to 18°C (64°F)
- Crowds
- Very quiet
- Hotel prices
- Lowest
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15°C (59°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 11 | 9.9 h | 1/5 |
| February | 16°C (61°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 9 | 10.8 h | 1/5 |
| December | 17°C (63°F) | 10°C (50°F) | 11 | 9.7 h | 1/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 16°C (61°F) against a yearly 23°C (73°F), and 31 of the year's roughly 59 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 1/5 and hotel prices 1/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Epiphany blessing of the waters at Mandraki Harbour (6 January)
- February: Carnival and Clean Monday kite flying (date moves with Orthodox Easter, February or March)
- December: Christmas and New Year celebrations in Rhodes Town
Good choices for winter
Aquarium · Rhodes New Town
Rhodes Aquarium
It takes under an hour, so combine it with a swim at Elli Beach next door.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Religious site · Rhodes Old Town
Kahal Shalom Synagogue and the Jewish Quarter
Built in 1577, Kahal Shalom is the oldest synagogue in Greece, with a pebble-mosaic floor and a small museum telling the story of the Sephardic community of Rhodes, almost all of whom were deported in 1944.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
Palace · Rhodes Old Town
Palace of the Grand Master
Visit early in the morning before cruise-ship groups arrive, then walk down the Street of the Knights while it is still quiet.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Rhodes Old Town
Archaeological Museum of Rhodes
Housed in the 15th-century Hospital of the Knights at the foot of the Street of the Knights, the museum displays finds from ancient Ialyssos and Kamiros, grave stelae and the marble Aphrodite of Rhodes, a small kneeling figure wringing out her hair.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
Day trips in winter
- Monolithos and the west-coast villages (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car) — A scenic drive down the west coast takes in Kritinia Castle, the wine village of Embonas, Siana for honey and souma, and finally Monolithos Castle on a sheer pinnacle of rock above the sea.
- Marmaris, Turkey (About 1 hour by ferry) — Fast ferries cross to the Turkish resort of Marmaris, with its marina, castle and covered bazaar.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Rhodes?
It is a trade-off: Mild but often wet, with most beach resorts closed; Rhodes Town remains lively with locals and is good for quiet history visits. The best months overall are May–June and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Rhodes in winter?
Highs of up to 17°C (63°F) and lows around 9°C (48°F), with about 31 rainy days over the season.