Greece in autumn
Autumn is perhaps Greece's best-kept secret. The light turns golden, almost coppery by late afternoon, and the sea (still 24 degrees in September) invites the most serene swims of the year. The vines redden, olives begin to ripen, and tavernas serve the first seasonal dishes in an intimate atmosphere. This is a Greece to savour, on foot along paths that have fallen quiet again, by bicycle between drowsy villages, on a guided journey or in complete freedom. Our favourite season, without hesitation.
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Why visit Greece in autumn?
September and October are blessed months in Greece. The sun remains generous (25 degrees on average) without the intensity of summer. The sea retains its warmth from the long summer months, and swimming becomes an even greater pleasure in the gentle autumn air. The light, lower on the horizon, wraps every landscape in a golden hue that enchants every moment.
It is the season of the grape harvest and the first olive picking. At the markets, pomegranates, figs and muscat grapes abound. Restaurateurs, freed from the summer rush, take time to share their recipes, recommend a local wine, offer a homemade dessert. Many travellers consider autumn the finest season to discover Greece, and we share that view.
Our suggestions for autumn
Crete is sumptuous in autumn. The highland plateaux take on warm colours, villages celebrate the harvest, and gorges offer shaded walks in a grand mineral landscape. This is the moment to taste fresh olive oil, pressed before your eyes.
The Cyclades, bathed in that golden light that has inspired so many painters, recover their serenity. The lanes of Paros, the hidden paths of Naxos, the coves of Amorgos: everything returns to a gentle rhythm, that of authentic Greece.
The Peloponnese unfolds its olive groves as far as the eye can see, its ancient sites bathed in low-angled light, and its stone villages where time seems to stand still. Further south-east, the Dodecanese still enjoys pleasant warmth and a crystal-clear sea, ideal for closing the season in style.