Chania Holiday Weather Overview
Chania, Crete's 2nd largest town, is a very popular tourist destination all year round. Blessed with beautiful beaches, a gorgeous climate and an interesting history, there is plenty to keep the visitor amused.
Chania's old town has a long and vibrant history, with influences from the Minoans, the Byzantine era and the Venetian era. Its atmospheric winding and crumbling streets are evocative of times past, and offer an insight into authentic Cretan life and culture.
Best Times to Visit Chania
Chania has a typical Mediterranean climate, with long hot summers and short, cooler winters. The town gets very busy with tourists in the high season, so many people prefer to visit during the spring or autumn months to avoid the crowds.
Summer in Chania
Summers in Chania are very warm, but the town is spared the uncomfortable heat of similar areas because of the Etesian northerly winds. These refreshing winds keep the average day time temperatures in June, July and August to around 26°C, although occasionally the thermometer creeps up to 30°C.
This is perfect beach weather, and it's also not too hot for exploring Chania's historical sites.
If you're visiting Chania in the summer, take sunscreen and a hat, and lightweight summer clothing. Night time summer temperatures a balm 18-20°C, and rain in the summer months is very rare.
Winter in Chania
Winter in Chania is very mild, with daytime temperatures in the low to mid teens Celsius, and night times dropping to a chilly 7°C. It's also quite wet - December, January and February each receive between 3-5 inches of rain and it rains on as many as half the days of the month. The days when it's not raining, however, can be beautifully clear and sunny. Frost and snow are very rare.
If you're visiting Chania in the winter, you'll want to pack something waterproof and a jacket. It's a great time for exploring the old town and the markets, or marvelling at the beauty of the snow capped White Mountains.
Autumn and Spring in Chania
Autumn and spring are great times to visit Chania, because there are fewer crowds, allowing you a more authentic experience. The weather warms up rapidly in spring, and by April the temperatures are already approaching 20°C, with much less rain than in the winter. Dusty Saharan winds can cause minor problems for a couple of days at a time, but the problem is never severe.
Chania's autumn months are also very warm, as the summer heat dissipates. The sea temperatures are pleasant well into November, and again visitors at this time of year benefit from lower prices and a less crowded experience. If you're visiting Chania in the autumn, take something waterproof or an umbrella, as the rain will start to increase as the season develops.
Best months to visit Chania?
May and July are the best month to go for holiday or travel to Chania. The weather averages gathered from Chania weather forecast and Chania weather history also forecast these months temperature to be around 23°c and average of 299.0667 hours of sunshine in a month.
Coldest months of Chania?
January and February are the coldest months with temperature at around 9°c.
Which months receive most rainfall in Chania?
December and January receive most rainfall with precipitation count of 179.44mm.
Travelling to Chania? Check out our Weather averages of Chania to better plan your holiday or travel.
If you would just like to know what the weather was for a past dates for research or education or you are just curious then visit our historical weather of Chania section.