A kite trip to Greece is really a trip to the Meltemi. It's the dry northerly wind that blows across the Aegean in summer, often for days at a time, and it's why the Cyclades and the Dodecanese are full of kite and windsurf centres from June to September. This guide shows when it blows, which islands catch it best, and what the water and the weather are like each month, using our own data.
How the Meltemi works
In summer, high pressure sits over the Balkans and low pressure over Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean. The air flows between them from the north to north-west, straight down the Aegean. It's strongest in the afternoon and often eases at night. Between the islands it speeds up: the channel between Paros and Naxos, the south tip of Rhodes and the mountains of Karpathos are known for wind that is stronger than the open sea.
Local schools put the Meltemi season at June to September, with the strongest weeks in July and August. One kite guide describes 20–30 knots most days at Mikri Vigla in July and August, with gusts, so bring a small kite. June and September are usually a little lighter and are often the nicest months for intermediate riders.
What our numbers say
Our figures come from five years of GFS weather data (2022–2026; Karpathos from ICON, 2023–2026). A "windy day" has at least two daytime hours at 15 knots or more (how we count).
Windy days: days with at least 2 hours of 15+ knots between 9:00 and 18:00, averaged over recent years. Averages over recent years from weather data; tap a spot for daily detail.
- Mykonos – Korfos is the windiest of our Greek spots: 22 to 24 windy days a month from June to August and 21 in September, with an average wind of about 18–20 knots in June and July.
- Paros – New Golden Beach and Naxos – Mikri Vigla both peak in July with about 19 windy days. June has about 15.
- Karpathos – Afiada has 17 to 19 windy days a month from July to September.
- Limnos – Keros, in the north Aegean, has its peak in August with 19 windy days.
- May is the calm month almost everywhere: 9–10 windy days on Paros and Naxos.
The models also show many windy days in winter (16–17 a month on Paros in January and February). Those are winter storms, not the Meltemi: the air is 15°C, the sea about 17°C, and it rains on 8–12 days a month. Most centres close for the winter, so the season you'll want to plan around is still June to September.
One spot the models don't capture: Prasonisi on Rhodes. They show only 9–11 windy days a month there in summer, because the wind is funnelled and sped up around the sandbar on a scale the grid can't see. The centres there run their season through the Meltemi months, and the Prasonisi page on Best Time to Ride shows June to September as the best months.
Month by month
- May: warm days (about 23°C), sea at 19°C, the calmest month for wind. Quiet and good for lessons if you're flexible.
- June: the Meltemi starts, sea 22–23°C, about 15 windy days on Paros and Naxos, 22 on Mykonos. A good month for beginners and intermediates.
- July and August: the strongest wind, 29–32°C air, sea 24–27°C, almost no rain. The busiest weeks of the year: book early.
- September: still windy (16 windy days on Paros, 18 on Karpathos), sea at 25°C, fewer people. Many riders' favourite month.
- October: sea about 23°C and 14 windy days on Paros, but more mixed weather, and some centres close during the month.
Where to kite
- Paros, New Golden Beach: on the south-east coast, cross-shore Meltemi, choppy water and several centres. Gusty on the strongest days because the wind comes over the land.
- Naxos, Mikri Vigla: wide sandy beaches either side of a headland. Side-shore on the north beach with chop and short wind swell; the south side is a little more sheltered.
- Mykonos, Korfos: the most windy days in our data, a bay close to the town.
- Rhodes, Prasonisi: a sandbar between two seas. Flat water on one side, waves on the other, the same wind on both. Remote, about 90 km from Rhodes town.
- Karpathos, Afiada: next to the airport, wind accelerated by the mountains; Chicken Bay is the sheltered beginner and freestyle area, Devil's Bay and Gun Bay are for experienced riders. Small kites are normal here.
- Limnos, Keros: a long, quiet beach in the north Aegean with a shallow inside for learning and waves further out.
For a kite camp with lessons, pick a spot with a shallow, sheltered area (Keros, Chicken Bay on Karpathos, the flat side of Prasonisi) and go in June or September, when the wind is a little softer. All Greek spots are on the kitesurfing in Greece page.
Water and what to wear
From July to September the sea is 24–27°C: boardshorts and a lycra, or a thin top for long sessions in strong wind. In May and October a shorty or a 3/2 is comfortable. The Meltemi feels cooler than the air temperature suggests, and the sun is strong, so bring a cap and waterproof sunscreen. More in our wetsuit guide by water temperature.
FAQ
When is the best time for a kite trip to Greece? June to September, the Meltemi season. July and August are the windiest and the busiest; June and September have a little less wind, warm water and fewer people.
Which Greek island is the windiest? In our data Mykonos (Korfos) has the most windy days, 22–24 a month from June to August. Karpathos is known for the strongest wind.
Is Greece good for learning to kite? Yes, at spots with a shallow, sheltered area, and in June or September, when the Meltemi is softer. In July and August the wind is often too strong for first lessons in the afternoon.
Can I kite in Greece in winter? There are windy days, but the water is about 17°C, it rains often and most centres are closed. For winter kiting look at winter kitesurfing trips from Europe.
You can see every month for each spot, with wind, water, air and rain, on its page on Best Time to Ride.
