While southern Europe’s turquoise waters sound their siren call, those used to warmer tropical waters can be surprised by the Mediterranean’s sometimes nippy temperatures. But, if you’re looking for sunny beaches with warm water year-round, Greece is the place to go. Although northern Greece can get chilly during winter, its southern islands of Crete, Karpathos, and Rhodes continue to boast land temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit and warm water well into December. They also have mountains or hills that shelter parts of the coasts from wind, allowing those beaches to remain warm even during fall.
In July and August (the warmest months in Greece), visitors can expect water temperatures hovering around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, while it drops to around 61 to 63 degrees in February. Visit around the end of spring (May onwards) or later for swimmable water temperatures and sunny beaches, with the warmest waters available from July through September. While there are ferries to all three islands from Athens, the time to reach Crete ranges from 6-11 hours, while reaching Karpathos or Rhodes takes around 15-20 hours. Instead, it’s easier to catch a direct flight from Athens International Airport to Heraklion or Chania in Crete, then take a scenic ferry ride to Karpathos en route to Rhodes.
Islands in the Aegean Sea (east and southeast of mainland Greece) are known for being warm thanks to their hot, sunny summers, short winters, and shallow waters, which warm up quickly under the sun. We looked through SeaTemperature.info for exact water temperatures and Weather Spark and Climates to Travel for average land temperatures, which showed that Crete, Karpathos, and Rhodes had warmer weather and water year-round. We then chose to highlight some of their best warm beaches by looking through visitor experiences on blogs and forums.
Best beaches for warm water in Crete, Karpathos, and Rhodes
In Crete, the largest and most idyllic island in Greece, beaches are found at every corner. In summer, pretty much any beach around the island provides comfortable, warm waters, while the southern coast is the go-to spot closer to winter, as it’s sheltered from the “meltemi” winds by the northern mountains. Elafonissi Beach, on the southwest coast, is popular for its distinctive pink sand and shallow, lagoon-like waters averaging just over 3 feet in depth, allowing it to warm up quickly under the sun. On Crete’s southeastern end, Ierapetra and Chrysi also have water temperatures ranging from 62 degrees Fahrenheit in February to 80 degrees in August.
Unspoiled Karpathos is best known for its vast, uncrowded beaches and 80-degree summer weather, making it the ideal spot for sunbathing or swimming. On the southeastern coast, Althea Boutique Hotel in Karpathos recommends the Votsalakia, Kastelia, and Fokia Beaches in Amoopi Bay for shallow, warm water and beaches sheltered from the wind. Further south and just over 3 miles from Karpathos Airport lies Diakoftis Beach, known for its Caribbean-like views and shallow waters. The water temperature around Karpathos ranges between 63 degrees Fahrenheit in winter and 80 degrees Fahrenheit in summer.
On the eastern coast of Rhodes, Tsambika Beach offers long, sunny days with watersports, a waterpark, and warm, swimmable water. The water temperature remains at 68 degrees Fahrenheit minimum from May through December, peaking at around 79 degrees in summer, while land temperatures peak at 91 degrees in summer. The mountain just behind the beach also keeps it wind-free and warm. If you have time to spare and want a more relaxing vacation, you can also check out these tiny islands nearby, where having “nothing to do” is the attraction.
