Month guide · Thessaloniki · Greece
Thessaloniki in May
What May is really like in Thessaloniki: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Sam. SALTIEL, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
May is one of the best months to visit Thessaloniki. Expect average highs of 24°C (75°F), lows of 14°C (57°F), about 7 rainy days and roughly 14.4 hours of daylight. One of the best months: warm, green and comfortable for sightseeing and day trips to Vergina and Olympus.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 24°C (75°F) / 14°C (57°F)
- Rainy days
- About 7
- Daylight
- About 14.4 hours
- Sea temperature
- 19°C (66°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in Thessaloniki: days average 24°C (75°F) against a yearly average high of 20°C (68°F), and nights fall to about 14°C (57°F). Rain falls on roughly 7 of its 31 days. Compared with April (19°C (66°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 29°C (84°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 06:11
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 20:38
- Daylight
- About 14.4 hours
- Sea
- 19°C (66°F)
Spring (March–May). Mild, increasingly sunny weather for walking the seafront and Ano Poli, with Orthodox Easter processions and the documentary festival.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 3 for crowds (the peak is September at 4) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in September). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
May has no major recurring festival in Thessaloniki, which usually means easier bookings.
What to do in May
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Waterfront · White Tower and the eastern seafront
Nea Paralia seafront and the Umbrellas
Rent a bike and ride the full length in the early evening, when locals come out for their walk.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Couples
- Photo spot
Historic site · City Centre (Aristotelous Square)
Roman Forum (Ancient Agora)
Excavated in the 1960s when the site was cleared for a courthouse, the forum includes a small theatre-odeon, colonnades and an underground cryptoporticus.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Outdoors
Historic site · Kamara and Navarinou
Rotunda of Galerius
Combine it with the Arch of Galerius 100 metres down the hill and the palace remains around Navarinou Square.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Historic site · Kamara and Navarinou
Arch of Galerius (Kamara)
The surviving piers of a triumphal arch raised around 300 AD celebrate Galerius's victory over the Persians, with marble reliefs of battles and imperial processions.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Iconic
- After dark
What to pack
For highs near 24°C, lows near 14°C and 7 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Thessaloniki?
One of the best months to visit Thessaloniki. The other best months are June and September–October. Compare every month.
Thessaloniki in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Thessaloniki?
It is one of the best months to visit Thessaloniki. One of the best months: warm, green and comfortable for sightseeing and day trips to Vergina and Olympus.
+How warm is Thessaloniki in May?
Average highs are around 24°C (75°F) and lows around 14°C (57°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Thessaloniki in May?
Expect rain on about 7 days of the month.