Greece in March 2026 – Is it worth going on vacation? Weather and reviews, air temperature in Athens, Crete and Rhodes, is it possible to swim and how to dress, prices in hotels and excursions. What to see in Greece at the beginning of March and closer to April, what to do – says Eurotraveler.
Nonsense, of course – March doesn’t seem to be the month in which to target beach destinations. You need to either sit at home, meaningfully looking at your suitcase that has not been put away from last summer, or, armed with sharpened ski equipment, go somewhere to Dombay to catch the winter that has not yet passed.
So it is considered… although, if you think about it, everything these are templates. Imposed by no one knows who and why – you can go to the sea not only for the obligatory swimming?
Once you accept such a point of view, your horizons expand, and the shackles seem to fall off your mind. And the idea of going to Greece in March no longer seems wild.
In fact, why not? After all, all these rock monasteries of Meteora, Delphi, the Athenian Parthenon, the Palace of Knossos, magical sunsets on Santorini don’t disappear anywhere and outside the beach season?! And they can be strung together on a complex, but in principle feasible route, you just have to decide and spend time inventing it!
Are you saying that Greece is not particularly warm in March? And therefore, walking in just a T-shirt and shorts is a big question?
Really, this is a small price to pay for the opportunity to explore the interesting places of Greece not in a dense crowd and, in principle, good weather. And for much more modest money than in the high season!
Still want to ski? It is also available in Greece.
Even in March, you can easily iron the snow, for example, on the slopes of the famous Mount Parnassus, which is located just 200 km from Athens. If you have only experience or without it at all – any types of equipment can be rented right on the spot!
Weather in Greece in March
Quite consistent with the ideas of most tourists from the northern hemisphere of the Earth about early and warm spring. It doesn’t matter whether they are Russians or Germans, British or Americans!
Wherever you go – with the possible exception of mountainous areas – the daytime air temperature in Greece in early March will hover in the range of +14-20 degrees Celsius. And this is the minimum – on some days you will have to escape from almost summer heat!
Dips down to +9-12 °C are short-term and usually last no more than 1-2 days. The nights are noticeably cooler: it can be +6-10 °C, but it almost never reaches frost.
At times, warming up to +21-24 °C occurs. But at the beginning of spring, they, alas, are not systemic in nature. And they stop as suddenly as they started.
At the same time, street thermometers quickly return to the usual level of predictions, to +15-18 degrees Celsius
It’s curious, but this is the changeable weather in Greece until the end of March. And the air temperature in April may be even lowerthan at the start of spring.
This shouldn’t be surprising! Just take it for granted that the weather conditions in Hellas on International Women’s Day are sometimes better than during the height of the (Russian) spring school holidays.
Where in Greece in March warmest? We would say that in the metropolitan region – in Athens and nearby. Moreover, this area has a much drier and sunny climate.
So yes, you can only go on excursions around the Acropolis and, in principle, the entire city in March in a light jacket. What about a jacket – some days at noon you will not only want to strip down to your shirt, but also find some shade!
Precipitation
The likelihood of precipitation is reduced compared to the chilly winter months. It rains on average no more than 3-4 days per monthand they are rarely abundant.
Plus, it’s traditionally not too windy. This allows you, if you don’t walk around with your jacket wide open, to practically not complain about being chilly and not suffer from high humidity.
In Crete in March it is somewhat more humid – the norm of precipitation is up to 70-80 mm. You also have a good chance of encountering dampness if you travel to Thessaloniki or the Halkidiki peninsula this month.
But March Rhodes, on the contrary, habitually flaunts more sunnyalthough quite windy weather. And most importantly, you can try swimming there even before April!
Of course, at a sea temperature of about +18 °C this is still sufficient dubious occupation. But, in principle, not impossible – if you want, you will even find reviews depicting a similar experience…
Sightseeing trips around Rhodes promise the usual rich, colorful impressions – it is extremely undesirable to limit yourself to the “island of the Crusaders” only to its capital! Especially in a month when the weather allows it, it simply provokes you to take long walks. walks in the fresh air.
How to dress
Depends on how busy your trip is. If you plan to see Athens in a couple of days, you can limit yourself to a meager set of clothes: windbreakers and sweatshirts should be enough. But a trip to the mountains or islands may require more thorough insulation.
And don’t be afraid to seem funny – on the island of Cyprus, located much further south, in April many people do not hesitate to take with them woolen items. For as soon as the wind changes direction and adds pressure, and the sun disappears, a chill that penetrates to the bones spreads in the atmosphere.
Naturally, it gets especially chilly near the water.
Keep this in mind if you plan to spend a lot of time near the sea.
Well, in the mountains, obviously, it not only can, but often snows. So you need to plan climbs to Olympus and other heights carefully.
And with a constant eye on the weather forecast – worldweather.wmo.int/en/city.html?cityId=178 (weather forecast in Thessaloniki – the largest city closest to Olympus).
Prices 2026
Air tickets for flights from Moscow to Athens and back in mid-March cost from 30-40 thousand rubles (300-400) € per person – depending on whether you travel with luggage or only hand luggage.
If you go on a similar trip, say, from Berlin, then the cost of air tickets will drop to 150-220 € (with hand luggage or luggage, respectively).
Flights to Thessaloniki cost about the same. Note that this Greek city is worth visiting for those who are focused on exploring monasteries of Athos and Great Meteora. Or he is going to spend a couple of days near the sea on one of the “fingers” of Halkidiki.
At the end of March you can try to climb Mount Olympus. If not to the end (the trails will almost certainly be covered with snow), then at least to the middle.
Hotels
When choosing a place to live, you should focus on the level of 60 € per day – by today’s European standards, this is a very humane price tag!
In Athens, we recommend taking a closer look at the small but conveniently located (from 80 € per day for two) apartments Athens Raise Acropolis Project. Equipped with everything necessary, including own kitchen.
If this option turns out to be booked, pay attention to a little more affordable – Zoe’s Studio. Where they offer inexpensive studios for rent, equipped in accordance with modern tourist trends.
As for excursions in Russian (around Athens, for example), they cost from 90-100 € for 1-4 people. And from 20-30 €, but for one person, if you rely on the services of English-speaking guides.
- Non-standard excursions in Greece
Things to do
Athenian The Parthenon, like the Acropolis in general, standing on a huge rock in the center of the Greek capital, it usually comes first when listing the main Greek attractions. Equally worth seeing is the collection of the archaeological Acropolis Museum, housed in the modern building next door.
From Athens you can quickly get (2.5-3 hours by car) to the ancient Greek sanctuary Delphilocated on the southwestern slope of Mount Parnassus. If desired, stay a couple of days to go skiing.
To Meteora monasteries From the capital of Greece it takes about 5 hours. Sometimes even faster – the quality and condition (there is no need to worry about ice in March) of the road allows it.
But from Thessaloniki you can get to the popular attraction faster – in a maximum of 2.5 hours
To see Crete, it is better to fly there directly. Immediately at the airport, rent a car and get busy visiting the sights of the island.
They are just enough for a week – if you approach the matter with “feeling, sense, arrangement.”
Although, of course, you can visit Crete on a whim. After all, high-speed ferries run from Piraeus, the port of Athens, to Heraklion. Covering 330 km of sea distance in just 7 hours.
We will give exactly the same advice (fly directly to the place) regarding Rhodes. Even in March it is worth visiting for a duration in a few daysnot a short raid!
© Eurotraveler
