Santorini in August is not so great to visit because it’s arguably the busiest month of the year for the island and you will be facing crowds and delays everywhere. This is all you need to know about August in Santorini.
If you are planning to visit Santorini island in August, you should know that the weather will be sunny and very warm and it will definitely be possible to swim in the sea. In fact, you MUST swim in the sea in August. However, August is considered the heart of the “high season” in Santorini and it’s the busiest months of the year on the island, along with July.
BEST HOTEL IN SANTORINI IN AUGUST: San Antonio
BUT ALSO CHECK:
- For Couples: Canaves Oia
- For Families: Nissia
- For Sunset Views: White Pearl
- For Honeymoon: Andronis
- With Private Pool: Katikies
- With Caldera Views: Perivolas
- Cave Hotel: Divine Cave
- Budget: Stelios Place
- In Oia: Canaves Epitome
- In Fira: Cosmopolitan
- In Imerovigli: Astra Suites
- In Perissa: Anastasia Princess
- In Kamari: Amara Suites
In August, the temperature ranges from 25 to 35 degrees Celsius on the island, and the weather is always very warm with brilliant blue skies that you are going to love. August in general is one of the hottest months in Greece and the day temperature may even reach 40 degrees if there is a heatwave (which is not uncommon nowadays).
READ ALSO:
Where to Stay in Santorini
Best Hotels in Oia
Best Hotels in Fira
Santorini in June
Santorini in September
Don’t get me wrong: August is an extremely busy and crowded month for the island and it will be packed everywhere, so get prepared for that if you decide to visit Santorini that month. Avoid August if you can!
All the businesses will be open as usual in August with no exceptions but most importantly all beachfront businesses, beach clubs, and sea restaurants will be buzzing and be fully operational in August.
Let’s put it this way: August is 120% busy for Santorini
Keep reading…
REAL QUICK
- All businesses, restaurants, hotels, bars and shops are 100% open in August in Santorini; in fact, it’s their busiest month of the year
- August is considered “high season” for Santorini and it will be busy and packed with people everywhere you go; get prepared for long queues in the airport, in the port, in restaurants and main attractions
- The weather in August in Santorini is usually hot (25-35C) and very dry with almost no chance of rain (actually I cannot recall the last time it rained in August in Greece). It would feel nothing like the western European summer you may have heard or experienced but instead it would be very hot, sunny and dry. Also, most of the heatwaves in Greece happen in July and August and you may experience temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius (100 F)
- The seawater will be very nice and very warm making it ideal for swimming.
- If you are looking for the awesome famous Santorini volcano/caldera views stay in Fira, Oia, Imerovigli, Firostefani but if you want to be closer to the beach you should stay in the beachfront resort towns of Perissa, Perivolos or Kamari.
- All of the beach bars in Santorini will be open in August
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How is the weather like in Santorini in August?
August in Santorini is very hot and dry. The temperature can be anything between 25-35 degrees Celsius (but if there is a heat wave, which is pretty common for Greece in June, July and August you may get more than 40 degrees Celsius – 100F). Honestly, if it rains in August it’s going on the news in Greece since it is as common as finding dinosaurs in Santorini!
August is generally a very stable month weather-wise, and you should get prepared for very hot temperatures in general, day and night.
In August, you’ll be able to walk the streets of Fira and Oia or the beaches of Kamari and Perissa in t-shirts and shorts during the day, but you may need a light jacket in the evening (usually not even that…).
Where should I stay in Santorini in August?
August is the heart of the summer and the high season in Greece, so prices are high, and availability is very limited if you don’t book early enough. You may have to book at least 1 year in advance if you are looking for a specific hotel in Santorini in August.
In August, you will definitely be seeing lots of crowds on the streets of Oia around sunset time and I can guarantee it will be packed everywhere you go pretty much, all day long.
August is also a month that most greeks go on holidays and it is the “official” holiday months for Greeks.
It’s also good to know that the 15th of August, is one of the biggest holidays in Greece “Mary’s Birth”, also called “Dekapentavgousto”. Things are shutting down completely in the country as it’s a public holiday but you should expect no disruptions in Santorini in general and it wouldn’t actually feel like any other day as it’s the heart of the season and most businesses rely on that “sweet” summer revenue.
August is also the busiest month of the year in terms of Cruise Ships Arrivals in Santorini on a daily basis and in my opinion this is the worst thing that can happen for the island. I hate cruises and big cruise ships. They are bad for the environment, they are bad for tourism and they are bad for the locals as the people coming from the cruises don’t really contribute much to the local economy to be honest, but they are really flooding the island in the summer.
See also: The 25 Best Restaurants of Santorini
August is NOT A GOOD month for honeymoon in Santorini as it will be packed, busy, crowded and expensive everywhere. You will be better off having your honeymoon in Santorini in June or September.
Here are some handy tips to have in mind when looking for a hotel in Santorini in August (and not only):
For views to the volcano and the caldera: Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli, Oia
For being close to all the bars, restaurants, shops, nightclubs and the buzz: Fira (it’s the capital of the island and the town with the most grocery stores, shops and nightclubs) Oia
For equally beautiful sunsets and views to the caldera and the volcano (without thousands of tourists): Imerovigli and Firostefani
For being closer to the famous black beach (like 5-mins-walk close…) and the best beach bars of the island: Perissa or Perivolos (no famous caldera and volcano views though)
For being closer to the other black beach with lots of restaurants and amenities: Kamari (no famous caldera and volcano views though)
For being close to the famous Red Beach but still have views to the caldera: Akrotiri (but it’s a 20-30 mins drive from Fira-capital)
For being closer to most of the Santorini wineries (but not worried about the famous volcano/caldera views): Pyrgos
For having the best private pools and jacuzzis with caldera views in Santorini: Imerovigli or Firostefani.
What do I need to pack for a trip to Santorini in August?
In August, summer is in full throttle in Santorini! So you will definitely need your swimsuits, t-shirts, shorts, every single summer dress you first saw on instagram and then bought online, sandals, flip-flops, some hiking shoes (yes, you are going to do some hiking in Santorini, sitting on the pool all day with a cocktail is not good for your health 🙂 ) and so on…
You need all the summer clothes you can find BUT you probably need to take a light jacket for the colder nights (which are very rare but they may happen, especially towards the first half of the month)
How hot is Santorini in August?
Santorini can be very hot in August and the temperature is usually anything between 25-35 degrees Celsius (75-100 Fahrenheit) and it will feel hot day and night.
The seawater will be pretty warm and you are going to get the best beach weather you can get. It’s actually the best time to enjoy the awesome beach clubs in Santorini that usually have their best parties of the year in July and August.
The black beaches of Perissa, Perivolos and Kamari are buzzing in July!
See Also: Best Beaches in Santorini
Can I swim in Santorini in August ??
You can definitely swim in Santorini in August and the seawater at the famous seaside towns of Kamari, Perissa and Perivolos will be very warm and all seafront businesses ready to welcome you.
Is August a good time to go to Greece?
Generally speaking, I believe August IS NOT the best time to visit Greece as the weather is nice and warm but everywhere you go it will be super busy and packed. August is also not great for honeymoon in Santorini, but it might be ideal for solo travelers who are looking to meet more people and feel part of a crowd and even enjoy the beach parties.
Is Santorini windy in August?
August in Santorini can be windy and in general summers on Greek islands can be windy and dry. Here is the average wind speed in Santorini during the year:
What things I can do in Santorini in July?
You can literally do everything you’d do during April, May, June, July, August, September or October as all businesses, tour operators and hotels will be open as usual.
- Swimming at the amazing Santorini Beaches
- Wine tasting at any of the Best Wineries on the island (this is the most detailed Wineries Guide on the internet!)
- Visit the Akrotiri prehistoric ruins
- Have a lunch or dinner at one of the best restaurants of the island
- use Santorini as your base to visit other greek islands or…
- do one (or more…) of these things
What are the flights to Santorini in August?
August is a month with tens of flights to Santorini from all over Europe. Here are the companies with direct flights to Santorini usually (these change every year, so please double-check before booking anything):
(unfortunately, there are no direct flights from outside Europe to Santorini…you have to get off in Athens and then take another plane or ferry to Santorini if you are coming from the US or Australia, for example).
What are the ferries to Santorini in August?
Read my very detailed guide for all the ferries in Santorini here:
How To Get From Athens to Santorini
For the latest schedules and ferry timetables, you should always check the best website for booking ferries in Greece: Ferryhopper
CONCLUSION
August is really not a good time to visit Santorini because of the crowds but weather-wise it is perfect. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll have a fantastic time in Santorini regardless of when you arrive, but I feel that May, June, and early October are probably the best times to visit the island. You’ll avoid the crowds, be able to appreciate the beautiful scenery with fewer people around, avoid most of the enormous and unpleasant cruise ships, and perhaps even obtain better hotel and tour prices. Overall, I DO NOT recommend visiting Santorini in August but if this is the only time you can visit the island then you will experience the best weather and best beach life that this place has to offer.
