When to Go

Travel throughout Northern Greece is best from May through October. Fall is beautiful; the air is cool and clear and the forests are dressed in burnished hues of orange, red, and copper. Spring is also lovely, especially in Dion, with its blooming fields of wildflowers scenting the breeze. Winters are mild, though there's usually enough snow in the north to keep ski resorts in business. July and August are the most crowded, but best for sunning, swimming, and chatting with Northern Europeans and Greek families on holiday. In summer, Thessaloniki gets hot and humid but rarely reaches the scorching temperatures that sizzle southern Greece. As a whole, Northern Greece is rainier and cooler than the rest of Greece, especially in mountainous areas.

Autumn and winter rains, besides turning some roads to mud, do not enhance the appearance of Thessaloniki, a city designed for the sun.