Would you...

[Deleted]

go to Greece in December?

We are thinking of doing a trip in December to Greece, probably Santorini or Mykonos or something along those lines. Is it cold in Greece in December?

Would it be more worth it to wait until summer or a different time of year? Maybe Spring break time?

If this would not be a good place to go in Dec, where would you go in Dec?

[ktkl09]

I went in early May and though it was too cold to go into the water (it was probably in the low 70's but the water temps were cold!). It was a nice time to go to walk around the villages, see ruins, etc. but if you're looking for a true beach vacation, I think it's better to way until the summer. Maybe September if you want to beat the crowds?

[ktkl09]

And if you don't go to Greece are you looking for a place in Europe?

If you want a beach vacation I'd suggest the Caribbean islands, they are never too cold. If you want to go to Europe in December, one of my favorite vacations was with H to Venice at Christmas. It wasn't too crowded, the weather was warm enough to walk around and see everything. Rome and Florence would probably be fine then, just pack boots, coats and scarves!

[Deleted]

We went in late May and the weather was perfect. It wasn't exactly swim-at-the-beach weather, but it was very warm and sunny. The islands were relatively windy. We did Santorini, Mykonos, and Corfu.

[anna7602]

I haven't been to Greece in December, but I've been to other European islands at the same time of year (my birthday is in December and I like to celebrate by traveling)- the Canaries and Madeira. Even though those are off the coast of Africa, it still wasn't really beach weather. Perfectly nice to walk around and explore, even to have a meal outside some days, but I wouldn't put on a bathing suit and go in the water. Or, rather, I did put on a bathing suit and tried to go in the water and was freezing.

So, if you're set on a beach vacation, I would focus on another part of the world, like the Caribbean. (Both Cuba and Puerto Rico have been lovely in December when I've been there, but have also experienced the odd cold front that time of year.)

If you just want to hang out and explore, southern Europe is quite mild in December (Portugal, Italy, Spain). I can't speak to many points north that time of year besides Paris, which I prefer in the spring or early fall.

[Deleted]

We just want to do something close to Egypt to keep the costs lower. (We are moving to Egypt in just a few days) Because it costs only approx $300 for both of us to fly round trip to Greece from Cairo....

We aren't going specifically for the beaches, but we would like to be able to use them...

Maybe we will just do a trip to Jordan. Or something else nearby. Hmmmm.....

[scout8]

I was in Greece in late Nov/early Dec. The weather was nice, but not beach weather. We also found that the ferry schedule was limited during the off season, so we stayed more on the mainland.

We spent time in Athens, on the island of Hydra, and a couple of towns in the Peloponnese. We had a great time, but if you are hoping for beach, I would go another time.

[mdgirl]

That actually sounds kind of nice. It would probably be way less crowded, expensive, and sweaty than the summer. Now you've got me thinking about going to Greece in the winter!

[Deleted]

We went to Istanbul for Christmas two years ago. That was an awesome time to go because the weather was still nice in the 60s. There were barely any lines for any of the attractions.

We went to Santorini in the off season (but June - not December) and never set foot in the water. We stayed on the black beach side and the rocks hurt our feet so we did swim in the pool and didn't go near the beach except to take pictures). Our time was definitely filled even without relaxing on the beach or swimming.

The only down side to our vacation was the day we were supposed to leave, the Greek airline union went on strike and we got stuck in a big fat field outside of the tiny tiny Santorini airport trying to get on our place. That was a hot mess!

[mariafromnj]

I have lived in Greece and I will tell you, if you have never been don't waist your first impression on a December trip. The Greek Islands are some of the beautiful places to visit but my suggestion is always late may to end of September.
It is not as easy to get around the rest of the year. There are hardly any ferries and the tourist population is low so some places are not even open. It will be too cold for the beaches.

[msamyfarrahfowler]

I wouldn't go to the islands. What about flying into Istanbul instead? I've never been to Jordan, but that sounds like a fun idea too.