Season guide · Santorini · Greece
Santorini in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Rt44, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Wildflowers, mild sunshine and few visitors; services restart through April, and the sea is still cool. Expect highs up to 23°C (73°F) and lows around 10°C (50°F), with about 13 rainy days across March–May. May is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 10°C (50°F) to 23°C (73°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 13
- Sea
- 15°C (59°F) to 19°C (66°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 16°C (61°F) | 10°C (50°F) | 7 | 11.9 h | 1/5 |
| April | 19°C (66°F) | 12°C (54°F) | 4 | 13.1 h | 2/5 |
| May | 23°C (73°F) | 16°C (61°F) | 2 | 14.1 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 19°C (66°F) against a yearly 21°C (70°F), and 13 of the year's roughly 52 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Independence Day parades (25 March)
- April: Greek Orthodox Easter — candle-lit processions; Pyrgos is lit with lamps on Good Friday (date varies, usually April or early May)
Make the most of the weather
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Viewpoint · Oia
Oia village and sunset
Oia's whitewashed houses, blue domes and windmills face west over the caldera, and the ruins of its Byzantine castle are the classic place to watch the sun drop into the Aegean.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Views
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Free
Nature · Imerovigli
Fira to Oia caldera hike
Start early in the morning, wear proper shoes and carry plenty of water; there is no shade after Imerovigli. Return to Fira by bus.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
- Free
- Photo spot
Street · Fira
Fira caldera promenade
The cliff-edge promenade through Fira runs past the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral, cafés and hotels hanging over the caldera, then continues north to the blue-domed Catholic church in Firostefani known as the Three Bells of Fira.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- After dark
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Imerovigli
Skaros Rock
Go in the morning; the path is exposed and steep in places, so wear shoes with grip.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Views
- Active
- History
- Free
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · Kamari
Ancient Thera
The ruins of a city founded in the first millennium BC on the ridge of Mesa Vouno, about 360 metres above Kamari and Perissa.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Active
- Off the beaten path
Day trips in spring
- Ios (About 40–60 minutes by high-speed ferry) — Ios has a hilltop Chora of white houses and windmills above the port and the long sandy beach of Mylopotas.
- Naxos (About 1.5–2 hours by high-speed ferry) — The largest Cycladic island greets ferries with the Portara, the giant marble doorway of an unfinished temple of Apollo.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is spring a good time to visit Santorini?
Yes: May is among the best months. Wildflowers, mild sunshine and few visitors; services restart through April, and the sea is still cool.
+What is the weather like in Santorini in spring?
Highs of up to 23°C (73°F) and lows around 10°C (50°F), with about 13 rainy days over the season.