Geographical location
Short for JTR by abbreviationfinder, Santorin (more common in Germany than Santorini) is a small group of islands in the south of the Greek Cyclades. Usually the main island Thira is meant when Santorini is discussed.
Santorini, around 120 kilometers north of the island of Crete, is located directly at the foothills of a caldera and is therefore of volcanic origin. This also explains the unique landscape of the islands, whose bays are covered in many places by black lava beaches and are often nestled between spectacular cliffs.
Because of its climate, breathtaking views and luxurious hotels, Santorini is particularly popular with honeymooners and couples in general. This is especially true for the places Fira, Imerovigli and the unique cliff town of Oia on the northern tip of the island.
But Santorini is also very popular with families, the natural beauty delights young and old. So the nickname Santorini has had for centuries: Kallisti – translated: “The most beautiful of all.”
Especially in the main season, airlines such as airberlin and Condor also offer direct flights from Germany, alternatively you can travel to Athens with a stopover. There are also several daily ferry connections (around 7 hours) from Piraeus via Paros, Naxos and Ios to Santorini.
Climate in Santorini
As the southernmost island of the Cyclades, Santorini has the most hours of sunshine in all of Greece and is also pleasantly temperate. There are therefore mild winter months and a long period without precipitation with real summer weather from April to October.
The transition months in spring and autumn are often pleasantly calm, the island slowly wakes up from its slumber and the daytime temperatures fluctuate between 19 degrees (April, November) and 23 degrees (May, October).
It gets really hot between June and September, with July and August as expected represent the main season. Rain is an absolute exception throughout the summer, usually between April and September there is no significant rainfall.
When is the best time to visit Santorini?
Santorini can generally be visited all year round, with temperatures between mid-November and mid- March being comparable to our German autumn. Rain showers are also not uncommon during this time. Nevertheless, the island world has its special charm even during this time and is very suitable for relaxation.
If you want to soak up the sun and have fun swimming, you should consider the summer months, as in all regions of the Aegean and Mediterranean. The best time to travel to Santorini is June to October, with the main tourist season (with correspondingly high prices) taking place in July and August.
Those who are not tied to the school holidays should consider the transition period from mid-May to the end of June and mid-September to mid-October as travel times. September in particular is an ideal time for honeymooners and is equally perfect for cruises.
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 14 ° C | 14 ° C | 16 ° C | 18 ° C | 23 ° C | 27 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 26 ° C | 23 ° C | 19 ° C | 15 ° C |
| Night temperature | 10 ° C | 10 ° C | 11 ° C | 13 ° C | 17 ° C | 21 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 21 ° C | 18 ° C | 14 ° C | 11 ° C |
| Water temperature | 16 ° C | 16 ° C | 16 ° C | 17 ° C | 19 ° C | 22 ° C | 24 ° C | 25 ° C | 24 ° C | 23 ° C | 20 ° C | 18 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 71 | 43 | 40 | 16 | 11 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 38 | 59 | 75 |
| Rainy days | 10 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 11 |
| Hours of sunshine | 7 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 6 |
| Sunrise | 7:30 | 7:05 | 6:30 | 6:45 | 6:10 | 6:00 | 6:10 | 6:35 | 7:00 | 7:25 | 6:55 | 7:20 |
| Sunset | 17:25 | 18:00 | 18:25 | 19:50 | 20:15 | 20:35 | 20:35 | 20:10 | 19:25 | 18:40 | 17:10 | 17:05 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature is 18.5 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is July (26 ° C), coldest month of January with mean values of 12 ° C. The maximum water temperature is 25 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All but January, February and March have a water temperature of at least 17 ° C. Bathing is then possible to a limited extent. The months of June, July, August, September and October have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 371 mm on 59 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. There is no rainy season, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. Snowfall is generally not expected in any month.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 14 hours of sunshine per day. On average over the year the sun shines an average of 10 hours a day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Sights and highlights
Anyone who has ever looked at the many postcard motifs from Santorini already suspects that the greatest attraction is actually the island itself. Particularly noteworthy is Fira with its great cliffs and the very attractive Orthodox cathedral in the town center.
The sunset in one of the many restaurants in Oia is also one of the highlights on Santorini. Incidentally, both places are connected by the scenic Fira-Oia hiking trail. Our favorite bays are the dreamy Perissa Beach and the beautiful Amoudi Bay.
The archaeological sites of Ancient Thera between Perissa and Kamari as well as the ancient Akrotiri are also worth a visit. The romantic sailing trips offered by Sunset Oia Sailing, Bella Aurora & Thalassa and Santorini Sailing are highly recommended.
Santorini weather in March, April and May
Average daily temperatures between 16 ° C and 23 ° C can be expected over the next three months. In Santorini, it gets warmest in May, while March is noticeably cooler.
Do you want to go on a beach holiday? The water temperatures are in March, April and May 16-19 ° C.
The expected rainfall is around 7 days in March, around 4 days in April and around 3 days in May.
In the period from March to May , the sun shines an average of 9 to 12 hours a day. The sunniest weather is in May in Santorini, with less sun you will have to make do with March.
