Early December 1 December
56°F
Typical afternoon high
38% historical wet-day frequency
Greece · Beach
Thessaloniki & Halkidiki
in December.
Is December a good time?
Cool days.
Similar overnight stays to November.
December averages 54°F afternoons and 61°F seas, with about 7 rain days. Later December is typically cooler. Check seasonal openings.
- Afternoons
- 54°F
- Sea
- 61°F
- Visitor demand
- 8%of August peak
Historical Kentriki Makedonia regional averages, not a forecast or a measure of queues. Overnight demand compares average stays per day. Covers Thessaloniki and Halkidiki; conditions vary within the region.
Overall match
4.8/10 · scores & prioritiesPlanning to sightsee in Thessaloniki? The weather score rates beach conditions. Sightseeing rates good (6.2/10).
What matters most?
Weather 50% · Crowds 30% · Cost 20%
#10 of 12 months here · Balanced mix
Weather2.8/10Poor
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 54°F (12°C): a sweater and a light jacket; nights around 39°F (4°C): a warm coat. About 9 hours of daylight. About 7 rain days in a typical December.
Can I swim in December?
The sea averages 61°F. Our swimming guide: cold: short dips, or a wetsuit. 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 9 hours of daylight.
The sun rises about 07:45 and sets about 17:02 (local time, mid-month). Mornings start around 39°F (4°C); afternoons reach about 54°F (12°C). Expect rain on about 7 days in a typical December.
Typical afternoon
54°F (12°C)
average daily high, 15 recent Decembers
Night low
39°F (4°C)
average daily minimum
Sea
61°F (16°C)
cold; open water near the coast, NOAA satellite record 2011–2025
Daylight
9h 17m
on the 15th, computed from latitude
Early, middle or late?
Early or late December?
Early December is typically warmer. The afternoon high averages 56°F on the 1st, versus 52°F on the 31st. Historical wet-day frequency falls from 38% to 18% between those dates.
Mid December 15 December
53°F
Typical afternoon high
22% historical wet-day frequency
Late December 31 December
52°F
Typical afternoon high
18% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 156° | 256° | 356° | 455° | 555° | 655° | |
| 755° | 855° | 955° | 1054° | 1154° | 1254° | 1354° |
| 1454° | 1553° | 1653° | 1753° | 1853° | 1953° | 2053° |
| 2153° | 2253° | 2353° | 2453° | 2552° | 2652° | 2752° |
| 2852° | 2952° | 3053° | 3152° |
Afternoon high rain likely (25%+) local school holidays public holiday event
Afternoons cool from about 55°F (13°C) in the first week to 52°F (11°C) in the last. The chance of a wet day runs 14–40%. 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 8% of August's overnight stays per day. Similar overnight stays to November. Check seasonal accommodation and activity openings.
Overnight stays across Kentriki Makedonia 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?
A little 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 50°F (10°C) and 57°F (14°C); in 10 of them they were within 3°F (1.5°C) of the typical 54°F (12°C). Rain days ranged from 0 to 14; half the years had 5–10.
Rain days in each December
Rain days
7
at least 1 mm, typical year; about 13 in a wet year
Mostly sunny days
9 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
3 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 | 53°F | 7 |
| 2012 | 50°F | 9 |
| 2013 | 52°F | 5 |
| 2014 | 53°F | 14 |
| 2015 | 55°F | 1 |
| 2016 | 50°F | 0 |
| 2017 | 55°F | 7 |
| 2018 | 51°F | 3 |
| 2019 | 54°F | 7 |
| 2020 | 56°F | 13 |
| 2021 | 53°F | 10 |
| 2022 | 57°F | 7 |
| 2023 | 57°F | 6 |
| 2024 | 54°F | 14 |
| 2025 | 55°F | 7 |
Checked against official climate averages for Thessaloniki Mikra. How we check
Compare dates
November, December
or January?
| Typical conditions | Nov | Dec | Jan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 62°F | 54°F | 51°F |
| Sea | 65°F | 61°F | 58°F |
| Rain days | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| Overnight demand | 8% | 8% | 6% |
November: Warmer afternoons and warmer sea than December. 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 8% 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 | 54°F | 62°F |
| Nights | 39°F | 48°F |
| Sea | 61°F | 65°F |
| Rain days | 7 | 8 |
| Visitor season | Off season | Off season |
| Overall / 10 | 4.8 | 5.7 |
| Month rank | #10 | #8 |
Every month, in detail Show detailsHide details
| Month | Overall | Rank | High | Low | Sea | Rain days | Weather | Visitor season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4.4 | #12 | 51°F | 36°F | 58°F | 7 | 2.5 | Off season |
| February | 4.7 | #11 | 55°F | 39°F | 57°F | 7 | 3.1 | Off season |
| March | 5.5 | #9 | 61°F | 44°F | 57°F | 10 | 4.7 | Off season |
| April | 8.0 | #5 | 69°F | 50°F | 60°F | 6 | 7.5 | Low season |
| May | 8.6 | #1 | 78°F | 58°F | 66°F | 5 | 9.1 | Low season |
| June | 8.1 | #4 | 87°F | 66°F | 74°F | 6 | 9.8 | Busy season |
| July | 7.4 | #6 | 92°F | 71°F | 79°F | 3 | 9.7 | Peak season |
| August | 7.3 | #7 | 92°F | 70°F | 80°F | 3 | 9.7 | Peak season |
| September | 8.3 | #2 | 83°F | 64°F | 77°F | 4 | 9.9 | Busy season |
| October | 8.3 | #3 | 72°F | 54°F | 71°F | 4 | 8.1 | Low season |
| November | 5.7 | #8 | 62°F | 48°F | 65°F | 8 | 4.8 | Off season |
| December | 4.8 | #10 | 54°F | 39°F | 61°F | 7 | 2.8 | 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.
Western MacedoniaGreece · about 80 miles
Balanced Overall 6.4 · Good weather, 49°F (9°C) · Busy season · Cost moderate
North Macedoniaabout 90 miles
Balanced Overall 7.5 · Good weather, 48°F (9°C) · Low season · Cost cheap
Meteora, Pelion & the SporadesThessaly · Greece · about 90 miles
Balanced Overall 5.0 · Fair weather, 55°F (13°C) · Low season · Cost moderate
Sofia & the southwestBulgaria · about 110 miles
Balanced Overall 6.7 · Good weather, 46°F (8°C) · Steady all year · Cost cheap
Eastern Macedonia & ThraceGreece · about 120 miles
Balanced Overall 4.3 · Poor weather, 53°F (12°C) · Off season · Cost cheap
Elsewhere in Europe
Better December weather than Thessaloniki & Halkidiki
Thessaloniki & Halkidiki's weather ranks 36 of 77 beach regions this month. These beach regions outside Greece have clearly better weather on your dates, nearest first, each compared with Thessaloniki & Halkidiki.
SicilyItaly · about 520 miles
Good weather (5.5): 7°F warmer afternoons, pricier
Maltaabout 570 miles
Good weather (6.7): 11°F warmer afternoons, busier for its season (moderate season), cheaper
Cyprusabout 680 miles
Good weather (6.8): 11°F warmer afternoons, 2 more rain days
French Riviera & ProvenceFrance · about 890 miles
Fair weather (3.8): 2°F warmer afternoons, pricier
Valencia & the Costa BlancaSpain · about 1240 miles
Good weather (6.4): 9°F warmer afternoons, 5 fewer rain days, busier for its season (moderate season)
How we knowSources, regional scope & scoring method Show detailsHide details
It's off season, 8% of the busiest month and 76% below its average month. That means about 12,000 overnight visitors on a typical December night across the region, 72% of them from Greece itself. Rentals booked through Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor add up to 7,100 more: 58 for every 100 counted above. Some are the same properties counted twice.
| Climate suitability (HCI:Beach, 0–100) | 49 |
| How our weather was checked | Official climate averages for Thessaloniki Mikra from the national weather service, every month: afternoon highs typically within 1°F (0.5°C), night lows within 2°F (0.9°C). |
| Tourist nights per 1,000 residents per day | 7 |
| Busiest month here | August · 83 |
| Visitors as share of people present | 0.7% |
| Rank among Europe's regions this month | 41st percentile |
| Domestic share of nights | 72% |
| Platform rental nights per 100 counted nights | 58 |
| 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 | 1.8 million |
| Statistical region | EL52 · Kentriki Makedonia |
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.