#1Cool
Hersonissos
- Day
- 14.8°C
- Sea
- 16.2°C
- Sun
- 4.3h
- Rain days
- 10
Your January weather guide
Weather in Greece in January
January is a good month for Greece if you want mild weather for walking rather than a beach holiday. Average daytime temperatures of 13°C make being outdoors appealing with suitable layers, but nights fall to 9°C and there are 11 rainy days, so keep plans flexible. Hersonissos and Elounda are better choices for daytime warmth; Faliraki and Ixia have milder nights. The catch is that even the warmest destinations are cool rather than summery.
Long-term climate averages, not a forecast · 1991-2020
- Average daytime high
- 12.9°Cacross 44 destinations
- Average night-time low
- 9.0°Cafter dark
- Sea temperature
- 16.0°Ccold for swimming
- Rainy days
- 11days1 mm or more
Greece, month by month
Turn up the warmth
Warmest places in Greece in January
Ranked by average daytime high. The full comparison is in the table below.
#2Cool
Elounda
- Day
- 14.8°C
- Sea
- 16.3°C
- Sun
- 4.3h
- Rain days
- 10
#3Cool
Koutouloufari
- Day
- 14.8°C
- Sea
- 16.2°C
- Sun
- 4.3h
- Rain days
- 10
#4Cool
Sissi
- Day
- 14.7°C
- Sea
- 16.3°C
- Sun
- 4.3h
- Rain days
- 10
#5Cool
Stalis
- Day
- 14.7°C
- Sea
- 16.2°C
- Sun
- 4.3h
- Rain days
- 10
#6Cool
Kiotari
- Day
- 14.4°C
- Sea
- 17.7°C
- Sun
- 5.2h
- Rain days
- 12
Greece destinations ranked for January
All 44 places we track in Greece, ordered by daytime high.
Scroll sideways for more weather, down for more places. Click a heading to sort.
| # | Destination | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hersonissos | 14.8°C | 8.8°C | 16.2°C | 4.3 h | 10 | 4 h 6 min |
| 2 | Elounda | 14.8°C | 9.9°C | 16.3°C | 4.3 h | 10 | 4 h 6 min |
| 3 | Koutouloufari | 14.8°C | 8.8°C | 16.2°C | 4.3 h | 10 | 4 h 6 min |
| 4 | Sissi | 14.7°C | 9.1°C | 16.3°C | 4.3 h | 10 | 4 h 6 min |
| 5 | Stalis | 14.7°C | 9.2°C | 16.2°C | 4.3 h | 10 | 4 h 6 min |
| 6 | Kiotari | 14.4°C | 10.9°C | 17.7°C | 5.2 h | 12 | 4 h 12 min |
| 7 | Faliraki | 14.3°C | 11.5°C | 17.8°C | 5.2 h | 12 | 4 h 12 min |
| 8 | Ixia | 14.3°C | 11.5°C | 17.9°C | 5.2 h | 12 | 4 h 12 min |
| 9 | Lindos | 14.3°C | 10.8°C | 17.7°C | 5.2 h | 12 | 4 h 12 min |
| 10 | Kolymbia | 14.3°C | 11.2°C | 17.8°C | 5.2 h | 12 | 4 h 12 min |
| 11 | Crete | 14.2°C | 8.2°C | 16.2°C | 3.8 h | 12 | 4 h 6 min |
| 12 | Rhodes | 14.2°C | 11.3°C | 17.9°C | 5.2 h | 12 | 4 h 12 min |
| 13 | Rhodes Town | 14.2°C | 11.3°C | 17.9°C | 5.2 h | 12 | 4 h 12 min |
| 14 | Gouves | 14.2°C | 8.2°C | 16.2°C | 3.8 h | 13 | 4 h 6 min |
| 15 | Kardamena | 14.1°C | 11.5°C | 17.5°C | 5.1 h | 12 | 4 h 6 min |
| 16 | Kos | 14.0°C | 11.3°C | 17.5°C | 5.2 h | 12 | 4 h 6 min |
| 17 | Zante | 13.5°C | 10.8°C | 16.2°C | 4.6 h | 13 | 3 h 30 min |
| 18 | Kefalonia | 13.5°C | 10.8°C | 16.0°C | 4.6 h | 12 | 3 h 30 min |
| 19 | Lassi | 13.5°C | 10.8°C | 16.0°C | 4.6 h | 12 | 3 h 30 min |
| 20 | Laganas | 13.5°C | 10.7°C | 16.2°C | 4.6 h | 13 | 3 h 30 min |
| 21 | Zakynthos Town | 13.5°C | 10.8°C | 16.2°C | 4.6 h | 13 | 3 h 30 min |
| 22 | Kefalos | 13.4°C | 10.9°C | 17.5°C | 5.0 h | 11 | 4 h 6 min |
| 23 | Skala | 13.4°C | 5.6°C | 16.2°C | 5.1 h | 10 | 3 h 48 min |
| 24 | Chania | 13.3°C | 9.9°C | 16.2°C | 4.4 h | 15 | 4 h |
| 25 | Naxos | 13.2°C | 10.7°C | 16.2°C | 4.5 h | 11 | 3 h 54 min |
| 26 | Mykonos | 13.1°C | 10.4°C | 15.8°C | 4.5 h | 11 | 3 h 54 min |
| 27 | Kavos | 12.8°C | 6.9°C | 15.6°C | 4.5 h | 11 | 3 h 18 min |
| 28 | Santorini | 12.5°C | 9.7°C | 16.6°C | 4.6 h | 11 | 4 h |
| 29 | Roda | 12.5°C | 9.3°C | 15.4°C | 4.4 h | 11 | 3 h 12 min |
| 30 | Kalamaki | 12.4°C | 6.8°C | 15.2°C | 4.4 h | 8 | 3 h 42 min |
| 31 | Paxos | 12.4°C | 9.5°C | 15.7°C | 4.7 h | 12 | 3 h 18 min |
| 32 | Corfu | 12.1°C | 8.6°C | 15.4°C | 4.5 h | 11 | 3 h 18 min |
| 33 | Parga | 12.1°C | 6.7°C | 15.7°C | 4.6 h | 11 | 3 h 18 min |
| 34 | Athens | 11.8°C | 5.4°C | 15.2°C | 4.4 h | 7 | 3 h 42 min |
| 35 | Skiathos | 11.8°C | 9.6°C | 14.1°C | 4.0 h | 11 | 3 h 36 min |
| 36 | Skiathos Town | 11.8°C | 9.6°C | 14.1°C | 4.0 h | 11 | 3 h 36 min |
| 37 | Sidari | 11.7°C | 8.5°C | 15.4°C | 4.4 h | 11 | 3 h 12 min |
| 38 | Pefkos | 11.2°C | 3.9°C | 14.5°C | 4.4 h | 7 | 3 h 42 min |
| 39 | Alonissos | 11.0°C | 8.1°C | 14.4°C | 4.0 h | 11 | 3 h 36 min |
| 40 | Sani | 10.3°C | 6.8°C | 14.1°C | 4.2 h | 8 | 3 h 30 min |
| 41 | Afitos | 10.2°C | 6.7°C | 14.1°C | 4.2 h | 8 | 3 h 30 min |
| 42 | Halkidiki | 10.1°C | 5.7°C | 14.1°C | 4.2 h | 8 | 3 h 30 min |
| 43 | Kalives | 9.9°C | 3.6°C | 14.1°C | 4.2 h | 8 | 3 h 30 min |
| 44 | Thassos | 9.0°C | 4.7°C | 12.6°C | 4.1 h | 9 | 3 h 30 min |
44 destinations shownClimate averages, not a forecast.
January climate overview
Daytime highs across Greece in January run from 9.0°C (Thassos) to 14.8°C (Hersonissos). Days over 25°C are rare anywhere in Greece in January. Nights average 9.0°C; the coldest 10% of nights in Thassos fall to 1°C or below.
Rainfall in January
Expect around 11 rainy days (1 mm or more) in January, with Athens the driest (7 days) and Chania the wettest (15 days). The wettest January at Hersonissos between 1991 and 2020 was 2020 with 233 mm; the driest was 2007 with 15 mm.
Sea temperature
The sea averages 16.0°C around Greece in January - warmest at Ixia (17.9°C). That is cold for swimming without a wetsuit.
Sunshine and daylight
Around 4.5 hours of sunshine a day on average, out of 9.9 hours of daylight (sunshine estimated from cloud cover).
January against the rest of the year in Greece
January is the 12th warmest month of the twelve in Greece. It is 1.4°C cooler than December and 0.4°C warmer in February. The hottest month here is August (29°C) and the coolest January (13°C).
Which part of Greece in January?
- Most sunshine: Kiotari, 5.2 h a day.
- Driest: Athens, about 7 rainy days.
- Warmest sea: Ixia, 18°C.
- Hottest: Hersonissos, 15°C by day.
- Coolest (better for walking and cities): Thassos, 9°C.
What to pack for Greece in January
Based on the averages: proper layers and a jacket - daytime highs average only 13°C; a warm layer for evenings, when it drops to around 9°C; a rain jacket - roughly 11 wet days.
Similar weather elsewhere in January
Within 1.5°C of Greece's January daytime average: Sicily (14°C, sea 15°C), Majorca (14°C, sea 15°C), Marmaris (14°C, sea 18°C), Las Vegas (14°C), Fethiye (14°C, sea 18°C). See the full ranking for January.
Where to go for the mildest weather
For the mildest days, start with Hersonissos or Elounda, both averaging 15°C. Koutouloufari, Sissi and Stalis offer the same daytime temperature, so there is little weather reason to favour them over each other. Elounda has a slight evening advantage, with nights at 10°C rather than 9°C. If you care more about comfortable evenings, Faliraki and Ixia average 12°C at night, though their days are cooler at 14°C. The trade-off is rain: they have 12 rainy days compared with 10 in Hersonissos and Elounda. Thassos, at 9°C by day, is a less suitable choice if your main aim is to find milder winter weather.
What to pack and how to plan your days
Pack layers, a waterproof outer layer and shoes you are comfortable wearing in wet weather. Countrywide sunshine averages 4.5 hours, so leave room to move outdoor plans into brighter spells rather than expecting clear skies throughout your stay. The warmer part of the day is the sensible time for longer walks; January is not a month when avoiding midday heat needs to shape your plans. Keep a warm layer handy for evenings, even in the milder destinations. The sea averages 16°C, rising to 18°C around Faliraki, Ixia and Lindos. That makes swimming a cool-water choice rather than the main reason to book, unless you already enjoy those temperatures.
A little more detail
Greece in January FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Where is the hottest place in Greece in January?
Hersonissos is the warmest of the 44 places we track in Greece in January with an average high of 14.8°C; Thassos is the coolest at 9.0°C.
Is the sea warm in Greece in January?
Not really: the warmest sea we track in Greece in January is 17.9°C at Ixia, below the 22°C most people find comfortable.
Is Greece much warmer than London in January?
Greece averages 13°C by day compared with London's 7°C, so it offers a noticeable lift in daytime temperature. Hersonissos reaches an average of 15°C. Think milder winter days rather than summer warmth, and still bring layers and rain protection.
Is January warm enough for a beach holiday?
Not if you want hot days and comfortable warm-water swimming. Even Hersonissos averages only 15°C by day, with no days over 25°C in the figures given. Sea temperatures of 16°C nationally and 18°C in destinations such as Lindos suit travellers comfortable with cool water.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid), 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at 44 destination points.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C