Athens weather in May
Temperature, sea and sunshine in May: long-term averages from 30 years of weather data, not a forecast.
Holiday weather in May
Excellent
Best time to visit: April – May, September – October
What is the weather like in Athens in May?
In May, Athens is warm: daytime highs average 26 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. The sea averages 18.8 °C – bracing, so a wetsuit helps for longer swims. With around 10 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is rare: about 5 days bring 21 mm in total. All in all, May is an excellent month for a holiday in Athens.
May compared
How the weather changes from April to June. Tap a month to open it.
More details for May
- Daylight
- 14 h 12 min06:15 – 20:27
- UV index
- 10 · very highclear sky, noon (estimate)
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or more
- Wind
- 15 km/haverage daily peak
- Cloud cover
- 34 %on average
- Hot days
- 4 days30 °C or more
- Snow days
- 0 days1 cm or more of fresh snow
- Time zone
- UTC+3Europe/Athens
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %100 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %100 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %95 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in May
- Wetsuit for longer swims
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses & sun hat
- Light, breathable clothes
- A jumper for the evenings
Athens in May: quick answers
Is Athens hot in May?
Warm rather than hot: in May, daytime highs in Athens average 26 °C and nights cool to about 16 °C. On about 4 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more.
Can you swim in Athens in May?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in May the sea averages just 18.8 °C. Comfortable swimming is possible from June to November.
Does it rain much in Athens in May?
Rain is rare: about 5 days bring 21 mm in total.
Athens month by month
The whole year in AthensAll destinations: Greece
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)