Rhodes · Month comparison
August vs May
May ranks #1 overall vs August at #11. The smart-traveller month — 24C, 10 hours sun, almost no rain, hotels at half summer rates.
August
#11 of 12 months
Worth considering
Dekapentavgoustos peak — every European family on the island, prices at annual max, wildfire watches frequent.
- ↑Dekapentavgoustos 15 August — Greek high-holy day, processions and feasts across every village
- ↑Sea hits 26C — warmest of the year
May
#1 of 12 months
Best match
The smart-traveller month — 24C, 10 hours sun, almost no rain, hotels at half summer rates.
- ↑24C and 10 hours sun without summer humidity — best walking weather in the old town
- ↑Beach resorts fully open with 30-40% lower rates than June
| Factor | August | May |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 7 | 9 |
| Value score | 2 | 7 |
| Crowd score | 1 | 7 |
| Events score | 9 | 6 |
| Atmosphere | 7 | 9 |
| Avg high temp | 31°C | 24°C |
| Monthly rain | 1mm | 15mm |
| Daily sunshine | 12hrs | 10hrs |
August trade-offs
- ↓Hotel rates 3-4x May; last-minute availability impossible
- ↓Old town daytime overrun by cruise crowds — visit before 10am or after 6pm only
- ↓Forest fire risk at annual peak — 2023 saw west-coast evacuations
May trade-offs
- ↓Sea still cooler than most expect — 19-20C, viable but no warmer than UK August
- ↓Meltemi wind picks up on the west coast from mid-May (Ixia and Ialyssos windy)
Scores compare months within Rhodes. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →