Athens · Greece
December
Wet and cold, but Christmas in Athens has genuine local warmth and empty ancient sites.
Strong option
#7 of 12 months
There are better months for Athens — see the full ranking below.
See when to go instead →Climate
High
14°C
Low
8°C
Rain
75mm
Sun
4hrs/day
30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5
How December scores in Athens
Weather
Average
Value
Outstanding
Crowds
Perfect
Events
Above average
Atmosphere
Good
What you gain in December
- ↑Syntagma Square Christmas tree and lights draw Athenians rather than tourists — the city in its domestic, uncurated mode
- ↑The Acropolis and all major sites completely uncrowded: you can stand alone in front of the Parthenon on a December morning
- ↑Budget travellers' best Athens window: accommodation prices at annual lows, local tavernas at neighbourhood prices
What you sacrifice
- ↓75mm of rain and only 4 hours of daily sun make December the worst weather month — outdoor Athens is genuinely uncomfortable
- ↓Christmas Eve and Christmas Day closures affect restaurants and some sites — research opening hours in advance
- ↓The short days (sunset by 17:00) leave very limited time for outdoor photography at the Acropolis in decent light
How December compares to April (best month)
| Factor | December | April ★ |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | 4 | 8 |
| Value | 9 | 8 |
| Crowds | 10 | 8 |
December in other destinations
Lisbon (14.4°C)Barcelona (13.8°C)Tokyo (12°C)Bali (30.3°C)Santorini (14.5°C)Paris (6.9°C)New York (5.1°C)Marrakech (18.1°C)Amsterdam (6.4°C)Maldives (30°C)Rome (11.7°C)Bangkok (30.4°C)Istanbul (9.4°C)Vienna (3°C)Seoul (3.7°C)Dubrovnik (11.6°C)Rio de Janeiro (29.5°C)Kyoto (11.3°C)Phuket (31.8°C)Cape Town (25.6°C)Prague (3°C)Amalfi Coast (13°C)Mexico City (21°C)Medellín (28°C)Fiji (30°C)London (8°C)Sydney (26°C)Iceland (2°C)Tulum (28°C)Dubai (25°C)Singapore (30°C)Hoi An (24°C)Chiang Mai (27.5°C)Miami (25.6°C)Florence (9.8°C)Queenstown (21°C)Madrid (9.5°C)Porto (14°C)Edinburgh (7°C)Copenhagen (5°C)Budapest (5°C)Kraków (2°C)Tbilisi (7°C)Palawan (29°C)Hanoi (20°C)Osaka (11°C)Goa (32°C)Cusco (20°C)Buenos Aires (29°C)Mykonos (14°C)Zanzibar (31°C)Sri Lanka (30°C)Costa Rica (25°C)Cancun (28°C)Krabi (32°C)Seville (15°C)Cartagena (31°C)Siem Reap (28°C)
Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Athens, not across destinations. Methodology →