Heraklion weather by month & the best time to visit
Greece · beach resort · Mediterranean climate
The best time to visit Heraklion is July — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 96/100), with August and June close behind. Heraklion averages about 2,929 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 28°C / 82°F and roughly 2 mm of rain in July.
When is the best time to visit Heraklion?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Heraklion is July, then August and June. The dullest month is January (47/100, 88 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Heraklion?
Heraklion gets a lot of sun: around 2,929 hours a year. 49 Sunshine Score points separate July (96) from January (47), so the month you pick matters. It ranks #16 of 40 destinations in Greece for annual sunshine, above the national median of 2,896 hours. Rain has a clear season: the wettest stretch, around January, carries about 54% of the annual 463 mm.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 47 | 15° / 59°F | 12° / 54°F | 88 mm | 2 | 17° / 63°F |
| February | 48 | 15° / 59°F | 12° / 54°F | 75 mm | 3 | 17° / 63°F |
| March | 66 | 17° / 63°F | 13° / 55°F | 42 mm | 5 | 17° / 63°F |
| April | 84 | 19° / 66°F | 15° / 59°F | 23 mm | 6 | 18° / 64°F |
| May | 94 | 23° / 73°F | 18° / 64°F | 15 mm | 8 | 20° / 68°F |
| June | 95 | 26° / 79°F | 22° / 72°F | 5 mm | 9 | 24° / 75°F |
| July | 96 | 28° / 82°F | 24° / 75°F | 2 mm | 9 | 27° / 81°F |
| August | 96 | 29° / 84°F | 25° / 77°F | 4 mm | 8 | 28° / 82°F |
| September | 93 | 27° / 81°F | 23° / 73°F | 18 mm | 7 | 26° / 79°F |
| October | 88 | 23° / 73°F | 20° / 68°F | 46 mm | 5 | 24° / 75°F |
| November | 86 | 20° / 68°F | 17° / 63°F | 59 mm | 3 | 21° / 70°F |
| December | 60 | 17° / 63°F | 14° / 57°F | 86 mm | 2 | 19° / 66°F |
Sea temperature in Heraklion by month
The sea off Heraklion is warmest in August at around 28°C / 82°F, and coolest in January at 17°C / 63°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly 6 months a year. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Head-to-head
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Heraklion: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Heraklion?
Heraklion is a beach resort in Greece with a Mediterranean climate — the sea reaches 28°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) about 6 months a year.
How many hours of sunshine does Heraklion get a year?
Heraklion gets about 2,929 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around July.
When is the best time to visit Heraklion?
The sunniest time to visit Heraklion is July, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 96/100 (with August and June close behind). Expect daytime highs around 28°C / 82°F.
What is the least sunny month in Heraklion?
January is the least sunny month in Heraklion, scoring 47/100 with about 88 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Heraklion?
The sea in Heraklion ranges from about 17°C (January) to 28°C (August). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Heraklion?
The typical midday UV index in Heraklion peaks around 9 (very high) in June, easing to about 2 (low) in January. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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