Early December 1 December
65°F
Typical afternoon high
28% historical wet-day frequency
Greece · Beach
Crete
in December.
Is December a good time?
Mild days.
Fewer overnight stays than November.
December averages 62°F afternoons and 66°F seas, with about 11 rain days. Later December is typically cooler. Check seasonal openings.
- Afternoons
- 62°F
- Sea
- 66°F
- Visitor demand
- 2%of August peak
Historical Kriti regional averages, not a forecast or a measure of queues. Overnight demand compares average stays per day. Covers Chania and Heraklion; conditions vary within the region.
Overall match
5.8/10 · scores & prioritiesWhat matters most?
Weather 50% · Crowds 30% · Cost 20%
#10 of 12 months here · Balanced mix
Weather5.3/10Good
CrowdsOff seasoncheck seasonal openings; overnight stays do not measure queuesFor its size, typical for Europe this month
CostCheapfor Europe; Greece-wide price level
Overall combines weather, overnight demand and cost. It does not include sea temperature.
Plan your December
What to expect.
What should I pack?
Afternoons around 62°F (17°C): light layers; nights around 50°F (10°C): a sweater and a light jacket. Bring rain gear: about 11 days with at least 1 mm of rain. About 10 hours of daylight.
Can I swim in December?
The sea averages 66°F. Our swimming guide: fresh: fine once you are in. Your comfort will vary. This is open water near the coast, not a beach-specific reading.
Monthly coastal averages from NOAA, 2011–2025. Sea temperature is separate from the weather and Overall scores.
A typical day: temperatures & daylightAfternoons, nights, sea temperature & daylight Show detailsHide details
About 10 hours of daylight.
The sun rises about 07:22 and sets about 17:10 (local time, mid-month). Mornings start around 50°F (10°C); afternoons reach about 62°F (17°C). Expect rain on about 11 days in a typical December.
Typical afternoon
62°F (17°C)
average daily high, 15 recent Decembers
Night low
50°F (10°C)
average daily minimum
Sea
66°F (19°C)
fresh; open water near the coast, NOAA satellite record 2011–2025
Daylight
9h 48m
on the 15th, computed from latitude
Early, middle or late?
Early or late December?
Early December is typically warmer. The afternoon high averages 65°F on the 1st, versus 60°F on the 31st. Historical wet-day frequency rises from 28% to 40% between those dates.
Mid December 15 December
62°F
Typical afternoon high
33% historical wet-day frequency
Late December 31 December
60°F
Typical afternoon high
40% historical wet-day frequency
Historical daily averages from 2011–2025, smoothed over two weeks. A seasonal pattern, not a forecast. This does not establish which week has the lowest prices or fewest visitors.
Public holidays · 2026: 25 Dec Christmas Day; 26 Dec Glorifying Mother of God.
Daily calendar & holiday datesDecember 2026 · historical weather & dated holidays Show calendarHide calendar
December 2026 calendar
Weather shows historical patterns, not a forecast. Holidays and events use the dates shown for 2026.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 165° | 265° | 365° | 465° | 565° | 664° | |
| 764° | 864° | 964° | 1064° | 1163° | 1263° | 1363° |
| 1463° | 1562° | 1662° | 1762° | 1862° | 1962° | 2062° |
| 2162° | 2262° | 2361° | 2461° | 2561° | 2660° | 2760° |
| 2860° | 2960° | 3060° | 3160° |
Afternoon high rain likely (25%+) local school holidays public holiday event
Afternoons cool from about 65°F (18°C) in the first week to 60°F (16°C) in the last. The chance of a wet day runs 28–40%. Local schools are out 24–31 December 2026.
Schools here are off 24–31 December 2026 (Christmas holidays). Public holidays: 25 Dec Christmas Day; 26 Dec Glorifying Mother of God. Elsewhere in December 2026, the share of people living where schools are out on a typical day: France 39%, Germany 29%, Italy 35%, Spain 32%. (School holidays: official calendar, compiled by Bigfoot Wanders; other countries from OpenHolidays, ODbL.)
Crowds and cost
Visitor season
Will it be busy?
Off season. December averages 2% of August's overnight stays per day. Fewer overnight stays than November. Check seasonal accommodation and activity openings.
Overnight stays across Kriti do not measure queues, day visitors or congestion at individual sights. For its size, typical for Europe this month.
Hotel price season
Will it be cheaper?
Well below usual. Estimated from national hotel prices and local visitor demand; no measured regional room rate is available.
Fewer overnight stays do not automatically mean cheaper rooms. Check actual quotes for your trip.
Greece as a whole
Below EU average
2024 restaurants and hotels price level: 86 where the EU average is 100. A relative index, not a room rate.
Year-to-year variation
How much does December vary?
Across the recorded years
In the 15 years from 2011 to 2025, the month's afternoons averaged between 57°F (14°C) and 66°F (19°C); in 12 of them they were within 3°F (1.5°C) of the typical 62°F (17°C). Rain days ranged from 4 to 15; half the years had 9–13.
Rain days in each December
Rain days
11
at least 1 mm, typical year; about 14 in a wet year
Mostly sunny days
6 of 31
cloud cover under 30%
Years with a 95°F+ day
0 of 15
no December in the last 15 years had a day at or above 95°F (35°C)
Good weather days
12 of 31
rated very good or better
See every recorded DecemberHistorical monthly averages, year by year Show detailsHide details
| Year | Afternoon high | Rain days |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 62°F | 9 |
| 2012 | 62°F | 15 |
| 2013 | 60°F | 14 |
| 2014 | 64°F | 11 |
| 2015 | 62°F | 4 |
| 2016 | 57°F | 13 |
| 2017 | 63°F | 9 |
| 2018 | 60°F | 13 |
| 2019 | 63°F | 12 |
| 2020 | 64°F | 10 |
| 2021 | 61°F | 15 |
| 2022 | 66°F | 4 |
| 2023 | 66°F | 7 |
| 2024 | 63°F | 13 |
| 2025 | 64°F | 11 |
Checked against official climate averages for Chania Souda and Heraklion. How we check
Compare dates
November, December
or January?
| Typical conditions | Nov | Dec | Jan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 69°F | 62°F | 60°F |
| Sea | 70°F | 66°F | 63°F |
| Rain days | 5 | 11 | 11 |
| Overnight demand | 5% | 2% | 1% |
November: Warmer afternoons, warmer sea and fewer rain days than December. More overnight demand. Check seasonal accommodation and activity openings. November guide →
January: Cooler afternoons and cooler sea than December. Less overnight demand. Check seasonal accommodation and activity openings. January guide →
Overnight demand measures accommodation stays, not queues. Sea temperatures are monthly coastal averages.
Compare any of the 12 monthsChoose another month and compare it with December Show comparisonHide comparison
Yellow marks the top three months on the Balanced mix. December stays as your reference.
March and November have a Weather score at least 1.0 point higher than December, without a substantially busier visitor season.
Your comparison
December or November?
Overnight stays are 5% of the busiest month; check seasonal openings.
National hotel prices and local visitor demand suggest a little below usual. No measured regional room rate is available.
Read the November guide →| Typical conditions | December | November |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 62°F | 69°F |
| Nights | 50°F | 56°F |
| Sea | 66°F | 70°F |
| Rain days | 11 | 5 |
| Visitor season | Off season | Off season |
| Overall / 10 | 5.8 | 7.0 |
| Month rank | #10 | #8 |
Every month, in detail Show detailsHide details
| Month | Overall | Rank | High | Low | Sea | Rain days | Weather | Visitor season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5.4 | #12 | 60°F | 47°F | 63°F | 11 | 4.5 | Off season |
| February | 5.7 | #11 | 61°F | 47°F | 62°F | 9 | 5.1 | Off season |
| March | 6.5 | #9 | 66°F | 49°F | 62°F | 6 | 6.8 | Off season |
| April | 8.5 | #2 | 73°F | 53°F | 63°F | 3 | 9.0 | Low season |
| May | 8.4 | #3 | 80°F | 59°F | 67°F | 3 | 10.0 | Moderate season |
| June | 7.8 | #5 | 87°F | 67°F | 73°F | 1 | 10.0 | Busy season |
| July | 7.5 | #7 | 91°F | 71°F | 77°F | 0 | 9.9 | Peak season |
| August | 7.6 | #6 | 90°F | 71°F | 79°F | 0 | 10.0 | Peak season |
| September | 7.9 | #4 | 86°F | 68°F | 78°F | 1 | 10.0 | Busy season |
| October | 8.5 | #1 | 77°F | 62°F | 75°F | 5 | 10.0 | Moderate season |
| November | 7.0 | #8 | 69°F | 56°F | 70°F | 5 | 7.8 | Off season |
| December | 5.8 | #10 | 62°F | 50°F | 66°F | 11 | 5.3 | Off season |
Near here
Nearby places in December
Nearby regions, nearest first. Distances are centre to centre, as the crow flies; they are not road distances or journey times.
Elsewhere in Europe
Better December weather than Crete
Crete's weather ranks 14 of 77 beach regions this month. These beach regions outside Greece have clearly better weather on your dates, nearest first, each compared with Crete.
Cyprusabout 470 miles
Good weather (6.8): 2°F warmer afternoons, 2 fewer rain days
Maltaabout 590 miles
Good weather (6.7): 2°F warmer afternoons, busier for its season (moderate season), cheaper
Valencia & the Costa BlancaSpain · about 1420 miles
Good weather (6.4): about as warm, 9 fewer rain days, busier for its season (moderate season)
MurciaSpain · about 1470 miles
Good weather (6.6): about as warm, 9 fewer rain days, busier for its season (moderate season)
MelillaSpain · about 1560 miles
Very good weather (7.8): 5°F warmer afternoons, 7 fewer rain days
How we knowSources, regional scope & scoring method Show detailsHide details
It's off season, 2% of the busiest month and 95% below its average month. That means about 4,700 overnight visitors on a typical December night across the region, 70% of them from Greece itself. Rentals booked through Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor add up to 2,100 more: 44 for every 100 counted above. Some are the same properties counted twice.
| Climate suitability (HCI:Beach, 0–100) | 62 |
| How our weather was checked | Official climate averages for Chania Souda and Heraklion from the national weather service, every month: afternoon highs typically within 2°F (1.4°C), night lows within 1°F (0.2°C). |
| Tourist nights per 1,000 residents per day | 8 |
| Busiest month here | August · 370 |
| Visitors as share of people present | 0.7% |
| Rank among Europe's regions this month | 47th percentile |
| Domestic share of nights | 70% |
| Platform rental nights per 100 counted nights | 44 |
| Visitor share if every platform night were extra | 1.1% |
| National hotel-price season | Greece historical 2024–2025 index: A little below usual (−9% vs its average month). Not a local room quote. |
| Population used | 621,000 |
| Statistical region | EL43 · Kriti |
Crowds: Eurostat nights spent at tourist accommodation, by month and NUTS 2 region, 2024–2025 average. Overnight visitors per night is the month's nights divided by its days; the per-1,000 figure is Eurostat's, against each year's population. Platform rentals: Eurostat nights booked via Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor, 2024–2025 average, shown separately because some properties are in both counts. Weather: Holiday Climate Index computed from ERA5 reanalysis with daily highs, night lows and rain days corrected from open national weather-service station records, 2011–2025, population-weighted to the region; day-by-day figures are the same data averaged by date. Heat and rain odds are counted across those years. Sunrise and sunset: NOAA solar equations, local time. Prices: Eurostat price level index and HICP, national. Full method · this region's data.