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The Portara, a marble temple doorway, silhouetted at sunset

Meltemi wind guide · Μελτέμι

The summer wind, and where to hide from it

From roughly July to August a strong, dry north wind blows across the Aegean. Here is what it means for your ferries and your beaches, group by group, and where to go instead.

Portara, Naxos

01The basics

  1. 01

    What it is

    A dry north wind that blows across the Aegean in summer, strongest in July and August. It often builds through the day, peaks in the afternoon and eases at night, and it can blow for several days at a stretch.

  2. 02

    Why it matters

    It keeps the islands cooler on hot days, which is a good thing, but it also brings white-capped seas, sandblasted north-facing beaches and rough ferry crossings. Small fast boats are the first to be delayed or cancelled.

  3. 03

    How to plan around it

    In July and August, pick bases where you can choose a sheltered beach each morning, keep ferry hops short, and leave a buffer day before an international flight. Or go west, to the Ionian, where it does not reach.

02When it blows

An indicative pattern, not a forecast.

Some Junes are calm and some Septembers are not. Wind days come in spells, often of three days or more, and the wind usually builds through the day and eases at night.

Strong meltemi days, Aegean (indicative)
Meltemi

03Group by group

Ordered from most to least exposed.

  1. Cyclades

    Strongly exposed

    This is the heart of the meltemi. Mykonos, Tinos and Andros, and the channel between Paros and Naxos, are among the windiest spots, and the wind blows across the whole group.

    Ferries
    High-speed catamarans are the most likely to be delayed or cancelled on strong days. Larger conventional ferries usually keep running, but crossings can be rough. Build in a spare day before flights.
    Beaches
    North- and west-facing beaches take the wind. South-facing coves are usually calmer.
    Sheltered spots
    • Milos: the south-coast beaches (Firiplaka, Tsigrado, Provatas) and boat trips along the south coast
    • Mykonos: the south-coast beaches, rather than the north
    • Naxos: west-coast beaches south of Chora can be breezy, so try the south-west coves on strong days
    • Paros: the coves inside Naoussa bay; Golden Beach and New Golden Beach are where kite-surfers go
    • Santorini: the east and south-east beaches (Kamari, Perissa) are partly sheltered
    The alternative
    Choose the south coasts, or pair a Cycladic island with Crete’s south coast or the Saronic islands.

  2. Dodecanese

    Exposed, varies by island

    Kos and Karpathos are notably windy, and kite-surfers come for it. Rhodes splits in two: the west coast takes the wind and the east coast is far more sheltered.

    Ferries
    Short hops (Rhodes–Symi, Kos–Kalymnos) usually run, but small boats may be cancelled. Longer catamaran routes are more vulnerable.
    Beaches
    East- and south-east-facing beaches are usually the calm ones.
    Sheltered spots
    • Rhodes: the east coast, including Lindos, Tsambika and Anthony Quinn Bay, rather than the windy west coast
    • Symi: the coves you reach by boat on the east side of the island
    • Patmos: the bays on the south-east coast
    The alternative
    Base yourself on Rhodes’s east coast and take day trips by larger boats only.

  3. Sporades

    Moderately exposed

    The Sporades feel the meltemi but less than the central Aegean. Pine-backed southern bays stay calm on most days.

    Ferries
    Local hops between Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos usually run. Fast boats can be cancelled on strong days.
    Beaches
    South-facing beaches are usually sheltered.
    Sheltered spots
    • Skiathos: the southern beaches along the main coast road
    • Skopelos: the southern bays
    • Alonissos: the east-coast coves and marine-park boat trips on calm days
    The alternative
    Good as is in most weeks. Pair with Pelion on the mainland for shade and mountain villages.

  4. Crete

    North coast exposed

    The north coast faces the Aegean and takes the meltemi head-on. The south coast, on the Libyan Sea, is often calmer, but when the wind is strong it can drop off the mountains in sudden gusts.

    Ferries
    Overnight ferries from Piraeus are large and rarely affected. Fast catamarans to Santorini and the Cyclades are more vulnerable.
    Beaches
    On windy days, Balos and the north-west can be choppy. The south coast is usually the safer bet.
    Sheltered spots
    • South coast: Loutro, Sfakia and the coves you reach by boat
    • Plakias and the Preveli area (check gusts on the day)
    • Elounda’s bay, in the north-east, is naturally sheltered
    The alternative
    Plan the south coast for the windiest weeks and do the north-coast towns in the evenings.

  5. Saronic

    Largely sheltered

    The Saronic and Argolic gulfs are enclosed by the mainland, so they are much calmer than the open Aegean in summer.

    Ferries
    Fast boats from Piraeus usually run through the summer, with occasional disruption on the strongest days.
    Beaches
    Rocky swimming spots and small bays, with calm water most days.
    Sheltered spots
    • Hydra: swimming off the rocks west of the harbour, and boat trips to the beaches on the south coast
    • Spetses: most of the coast
    • Aegina & Agistri: the west-coast coves
    The alternative
    This is the classic short-hop alternative from Athens in July and August.

  6. Ionian

    Outside the meltemi

    The meltemi does not reach the Ionian. Instead an afternoon north-westerly breeze, the maistro, picks up most summer days and dies down at sunset. It is ideal for sailing and rarely a problem for swimmers.

    Ferries
    Summer crossings are generally reliable. Afternoon chop is normal on the open sides.
    Beaches
    East-facing coasts are calm all day. West-coast beaches (Lefkada, parts of Kefalonia and Zakynthos) can have afternoon waves.
    Sheltered spots
    • Corfu: the north-east coast, opposite Albania
    • Paxos & Antipaxos: the east-coast coves
    • Kefalonia: the coves around Fiskardo and Assos, and the beaches on the south-east
    • Lefkada: the east coast and Meganisi, if the west coast is too wavy
    The alternative
    This is the alternative. If your dates are fixed for late July or August and you want calm water, look here first.

04Fixed dates in August?

  1. 01 Calm water matters most Go to the Ionian or the Saronic.
  2. 02 Set on the Cyclades Choose islands with beaches on more than one side, such as Milos or Naxos, and keep ferry hops short.
  3. 03 Island-hopping Prefer large conventional ferries to small catamarans on exposed routes, and leave a free day before your flight home.
  4. 04 Mixing in the mainland Put the mountains (Zagori, Meteora) in the middle of the trip. They are pleasant in summer and not affected by the wind.

This guide describes a general seasonal pattern. For the days you travel, check the Hellenic National Meteorological Service forecast and your ferry operator. We monitor both for clients who are travelling.

Aerial view of a boat over green-blue shallows by a pine-backed beach

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Travelling in July or August?

We’ll plan around the wind: sheltered bases, sensible ferries and a buffer day where it counts.

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