What to See and Do in Greece in May: A Traveler’s Guide

If you are wondering what it is like in Greece in May, the answer is that it is the perfect time to be in Greece! May is the best month (along with September) to visit mainland Greece and the Greek islands and have a wonderful vacation.

Sifnos island

The fields and the valleys are still green and fully blossomed wherever you go to the country, making the outdoor activities magical.

Nafplion

The weather in Greece in May is almost summerish, sunny, and warm with little rain and the seawater is warm enough for swimming (especially towards the end of May).

Other great reasons to visit Greece in May are the shoulder season hotel bargains and the lack of huge crowds in the sites, as it happens in July and August. So, all that adds up to perhaps the most perfect month of the year!

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Best Things to Do in Greece in May

My Latest Video on the Acropolis of Athens

1. Visit Athens, the Ancient Capital of Greece

Plaka, Old Athens under the Acropolis Hill taken from a drone.Greece in May.
Plaka, Old Athens under the Acropolis Hill

Athens is a large, modern metropolis, adorned with famous monuments such as the UNESCO Acropolis Citadel and with thousands of history behind it.

Strolling Athens streets is a wonderful experience as you come across relics of the civilizations and religions that have passed through the city during the centuries. The most prominent ancient Greek sites go back to the Mycenean era, all the way to the Classical, and Hellenistic times, a little before the invasion of the Romans.

An alley of Athens Old Town Plaka with two people walking and view to Acropolis Hill.Greece in May.
Athens Old Town Plaka

Athens’ picturesque areas like Plaka, house beautiful monuments from Empires such as the Roman, the Byzantine, the Ottoman, and everything in between.

May is a perfect month to visit Athens’ numerous sites and museums, in a much less crowded fashion, and also to hit the nearby beaches! You can see the Athens Monuments in two days and organize day trips to nearby Saronic islands or sites.

Related Posts for Athens in May:

2. Go to Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, Rhodes

May is the best time to go to the super-popular Greek Islands for several reasons:

Rhodes Island, Prasonisi Beach
Scarpa bar on Mykonos island in front of sea with many people sitting.
Scarpa Cafe at Little Venice Mykonos
  • If you visit Paros and the other Cycladic Islands in early May, they will be covered in wildflowers, and herbs like wild oregano, and thyme, and they will be at their greenest
  • The ferries from Athens in May run frequently between the islands check FerryScanner for rates and timetables

3. Explore Pelion Mt Unique Villages

Pelion  mountai Village in sunset taken from a drone.
Pelion Village

Greece in May is lovely in the countryside and particularly on Pelion Mt. or the Mountain of the Centaurus. Pelion is a deeply forested and fertile peninsula 336 km from Athens (3 hours and 45 minutes) and 219 km from Thessaloniki.

Main square Portaria with tables and chairs and plants  and beautiful flowers in pots.
Portaria Village in Pelion

Pelion has 28 traditional, and picturesque villages and some of them are by the sea with amazing sandy beaches. Pelion villages are very popular for visitors who wish to experience authentic Greece and visit centuries-old monasteries, folklore museums, and old libraries.

Plaka Beach in eastern Pelion. Credit: giorgos.kzs

Some of the best things to do in Pelion in May are to swim in the warm waters of the Pagasetic Gulf, take a cooking class, sea Kayaking, or e-bike tour of South Pelion.

Read more about some of the Pelion Villages of Portaria, Makrinitsa, Zagora, and Milies.


4. Enjoy a 3-Day Trip to Delphi and Meteora

Delphi Archaeological Site

Greece is a mountainous country so some sites are much more difficult to get to them than others especially if you are visiting during the heat of the Greek summer. Two great examples are the steep uphills of Delphi and the endless steps to get to some of the Meteora Monasteries.

Delphi and Meteora are best visited in May and on a 3-day trip, spending a night in Delphi and one night in Meteora. A draft of the itinerary can be:

Day 1: Athens – Ancient Olympia in the Peloponnese – Galaxidi seaside town, 30 km away from Delphi. Spend your evening in the beautiful Galaxidi and stay at the best Boutique Hotel in town with the most delicious handmade marmalades: Ganimede Hotel, Galaxidi.

Meteora Monasteries

Day 2: Visit the Delphi Archaeological Site, stroll Arachova town, go to UNESCO Hosios Loukas Monastery, drive to Meteora, and stay overnight in Kalambaka town. The best Hotel to stay at in Kalambaka is Archontiko Mesohori Suites & Apartments.

Day 3: Visit Meteora Monasteries.

Hassle-free 3-day tour to Delphi and Meteora organized by Get Your Guide Operators


5. Discover Peloponnese’s Archaeological Sites

Mycenae

If you love the combination of history and stunning landscapes, then you should visit the Peloponnese in May, where everything is still blossoming. Peloponnese houses some spectacular Archaeological sites which are wonderfully located near beautiful towns and lovely seaside villages.

The most important archaeological sites in the Peloponnese, separated into the regions they belong to are:

Ancient Messene stadium taken from a drone.
Ancient Messene

The best way to visit the sites is by renting a car and driving to the areas.


6. Explore Mamma Mia’s Destinations

Skopelos Island, Kastani beach

This is probably the most fun adventure you can indulge yourself in while visiting Greece in May! The popular film ‘Mamma Mia’ was filmed on the islands of Skopelos and Skiathos in the Sporades group and Damouchari village in eastern Pelion.

The main shooting of the film took place in Skopelos: the wedding chapel is Agios Ioannis in Kastri, and the beach is in Kastani.

Skiathos Island

Mamma Mia in Skiathos was filmed in the old port next to the picturesque Bourtzi (the scene with the boat at the beginning of the film). The third location is in Pelion, in Damouchari’s tiny port village and this is where Meryl Streep dives from the platform, while all the ladies sing with her the ‘Dancing Queen’ while walking down the steps.

Damouchari in Pelion

To visit the Sporades islands you need to go to Volos port and from there take the ferries to Skopelos or Skiathos. Book your ferry transfer with FerryScanner.

Read here How Best to Tour Mamma Mia’s Locations in Greece

Events to Participate in May

  1. Athens Street Food Festival, with recipes from Greece and all over the world.
  2. Every May at Skiathos the popular match race sailing of the Skiathos Palace Cup takes place.
  3. City Athens Festival.

What to Wear in Greece in May

Young woman sitting in front of sea in Milos island.
Plaka village on Milos Island

May’s highest temperatures vary between 22.8 and 30.2 C and the lowest between 11 and 18 C. For this kind of weather, you need to pack a smart combination of summer (t-shirts and shorts) and warmer clothes for cooler nights or a sudden change of weather.

I would suggest a smart bikini bottom that you can combine with different tops for the beach. Another essential item is the Spyder Women’s Encore Fleece Jacket (amazon), warm, classy, and convenient for any outdoor activity or the chillier nights in Greece.

Read my Detailed Summer Packing List for Greece here

For more travel to Greece tips and beautiful destinations in the Greek islands please join my FREE Facebook Group or SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel for amazing videos of Greece, I would love to welcome you! Until then happy and safe travels, Evgenia.

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About the author
Evgenia Mataragka
Hi! I am an Athens-based Greek obsessed with exploring Greece and bringing you the best travel experience ever!

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