Athens weather in December
Temperature, sea and sunshine in December: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in December
Fair
Best time to visit: April – May, September – October
What is the weather like in Athens in December?
In December, Athens is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 17.6 °C – bracing, so a wetsuit helps for longer swims. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 58 mm. All in all, December is a so-so month for a holiday in Athens.
December compared
How the weather changes from November to January. Tap a month to open it.
| NovemberNov | DecemberDec | JanuaryJan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 78 | 50 | 45 |
| Day | 18° | 14° | 12° |
| Night | 12° | 8° | 6° |
| Sea | 20° | 18° | 16° |
| Sun | 4 h | 3 h | 3 h |
| Rain days | 7 | 8 | 8 |
More details for December
- Daylight
- 9 h 33 min07:34 – 17:07
- UV index
- 2 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 15 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 57 %on average
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 0 days1 cm or more of fresh snow
- Time zone
- UTC+2Europe/Athens
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %58 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %0 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %71 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in December
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Athens in December: quick answers
Is Athens hot in December?
No. In December, Athens is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C and nights drop to about 8 °C.
Can you swim in Athens in December?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in December the sea averages just 17.6 °C. Comfortable swimming is possible from June to November.
Does it rain much in Athens in December?
Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 58 mm.
Athens month by month
The whole year in AthensAll destinations: GreeceWhere to go in DecemberSea temperature in December
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)