In summer, you can enjoy the sun and beaches in Greece, but winter in Greece also has its own unique charm. Here, we recommend these places for those who wish to visit Greek islands in winter: Hydra, Spetses, Poros, and Aegina. They are all close to Athens and the Peloponnese, so you can travel around by renting a car, taking a bus, or hiring a taxi to visit attractions that remain open in winter, such as Nafplio, Corinth, Mycenae, Epidaurus, and the archaeological sites of the Peloponnese.
Islands like Santorini welcome tourists all year round, as does Mykonos, and almost all islands can be reached by daily ferries or flights. Many foreigners who live in houses they rent on Mykonos, Skiathos, or Rhodes during the summer return in September and stay through May. Many of them insist that the winter months are their favorite. If you are an artist, poet, or intellectual, a Greek island in winter will be a paradise.
Since the town of Hermoupolis became the capital of the Cyclades, people have gone there for business. Syros, which does not rely solely on tourism, has a commercial atmosphere in winter, and the island features large cities similar to other places like Rhodes, Lesbos, and Crete. They do not close down in winter. Life changes. People spend more time indoors, but restaurants, cafes, bars, and clubs remain open. On warm, sunny days, people still dine and drink outdoors, at least during the day. The same applies to Athens.
Athens is a great place to visit in winter. When people ask what they should do in Greece in February, we suggest following your own interests in Athens and experiencing the city's nightlife. Athens begins to awaken in September. It maintains that state until summer, when the crowded sidewalk cafes, restaurants with live bands, and nightclubs rival those of any city in the United States.
During these days, you can go hiking and visit attractions. Take day trips or overnight trips to Delphi, Nafplio, Olympia, and Meteora, and of course, Aegina, Poros, and Hydra.
As for shopping, just like in New York or Paris, everything you need to buy in Athens is within walking distance of your hotel. During the January and February sales, you will find items you cannot find in your local stores (as well as some you can), and the prices will make your annual trip well worth it. If you love shopping, you will fall in love with Athens in winter.
In the off-season, you can go hiking in nature, rafting in white water, kayaking, horseback riding, or cycling through the hills and canyons of the Peloponnese and Northern Greece. Embark on a challenging trek and witness some of the most beautiful and breathtaking places on the planet. In spring, walking through Greece, you will see more wildflowers and wild birds, and you will understand what it means to live. Lesbos can be described as a paradise for birdwatchers and flower lovers, and you could use the same language to describe any similar place on land. Tourists and tour groups traveling by jeep on back roads may not even know these places exist. Most of the time, the weather is suitable for such adventure tours, but it is not ideal in July and August as it is too hot.
Perhaps one of the greatest mysteries is skiing in Greece. In fact, few people realize that almost an entire side of the mountains is a surprisingly huge ski resort, but the popularity of summer tourism makes winter travel and skiing unexpected. Places like Kalavrita, Pelion, Delphi, the Peloponnese, Macedonia, and Epirus have ski centers and mountain refuges that look like Swiss chalets with ski slopes, as well as a variety of downhill and cross-country skiing options.