Water temperature in Greece

Greek waters from the Aegean to the Ionian

Greece swims in the Mediterranean, the Aegean and the Ionian Sea, and the season is long. The sea warms from May, peaks in August and often stays pleasant into October. In high summer, the meltemi wind frequently blows from the north across the Aegean, raising waves and sometimes cooling the water along exposed coasts. The Ionian side to the west is often calmer in summer, and sheltered island bays warm faster than open shores.

All 97 sites rely on modelled values. Temperatures come from the Open-Meteo marine model, which calculates sea surface temperature just offshore, and the app labels them as model values. They capture conditions along a stretch of coast well but can differ from the actual temperature in a shallow bay. Measured readings from Greek stations are not yet part of this dataset. Bathing sites are officially tested independently of these temperature figures.

Bathing waters are sampled during the season on behalf of the environment ministry and rated from excellent to poor under the EU Bathing Water Directive. When the meltemi blows offshore, inflatables and small boats can drift out to sea quickly, so the wind direction deserves attention. Sea urchins are common on rocky shores, and water shoes make getting in easier. Jellyfish appear from time to time in high summer, and since many beaches have no lifeguards, care is needed when the sea is rough.