Least Windy Greek islands
Least windy Greek islands are in the sheltered Ionian and Saronic Gulfs where the summer Meltemi that hits the Cyclades does not reach. Corfu at 591km2, Lefkada at 355km2, Kefalonia at 734km2, Zakynthos at 405km2 and Paxos at 25km2 in the Ionian off western Greece, plus Aegina at 87km2, Poros at 31km2, Hydra at 49km2 and Spetses at 22km2 in the Saronic near Athens stay calm in July-August with flat seas and olive groves. Dodecanese islands close to the Turkish coast like Kos at 290km2, Leros at 74km2 and Symi at 58km2 are also more sheltered than the central Aegean.
The central Cyclades are the windiest, including Mykonos at 86km2, Paros at 196km2, Naxos at 430km2, Milos at 160km2 and Santorini at 76km2 where 5-7 Beaufort northerlies are common and famous for windsurfing at Paros and Naxos. For least wind choose Ionian towns like Gaios on Paxos, Fiskardo on Kefalonia and Kassiopi on Corfu with protected harbors and green vegetation, or Saronic ports like Hydra Town with no cars and flat water, avoiding exposed ridges and beach clubs on Mykonos and Ios.
| Island | Description |
|---|---|
| Corfu | Ionian west sheltered, avg July wind 8 knots, Ropa Valley calm, Paleokastritsa bays glass, Old Town Liston no wind. |
| Paxos | Tiny Ionian behind Corfu, avg 7 knots, olive grove sheltered, Mongonissi beach flat. |
| Antipaxos | Tiny behind Paxos, avg 7 knots, Voutoumi turquoise flat no waves. |
| Lefkada | West cliff windy but east Nydri and Vassiliki bay sheltered avg 9 knots in east, Ionian sheltered. |
| Kefalonia | Ionian big, Argostoli bay sheltered avg 10 knots, Assos calm, Myrtos cliff wind but town calm. |
| Zakynthos | Ionian, Laganas Bay flat avg 9 knots, Navagio cliffs shelter south. |
| Ithaca | Ionian behind Kefalonia, Vathy bay enclosed avg 8 knots flat. |
| Meganisi | Behind Lefkada, Papanikolis cave flat avg 8 knots. |
| Aegina | Saronic Gulf closed, avg 9 knots, Perdika fishing harbor glass. |
| Agistri | Saronic small behind Aegina avg 8 knots flat pine beach. |
| Poros | Saronic 49 km2, lemon forest channel avg 9 knots calm. |
| Hydra | Saronic, no cars, harbor enclosed avg 10 knots calm. |
| Spetses | Saronic pine, avg 9 knots calm. |
| Salamina | Saronic Gulf most sheltered avg 8 knots flat. |
| Mathraki | Near Corfu tiny sheltered avg 8 knots. |
| Othonoi | Near Corfu tiny sheltered avg 9 knots. |
| Erikoussa | Near Corfu tiny sheltered avg 8 knots. |
| Kalamos | Ionian sheltered behind mainland avg 9 knots. |
| Kastos | Ionian sheltered avg 8 knots. |
| Trizonia | Gulf Corinth sheltered avg 7 knots most sheltered in Greece. |
Least windy Greek islands are the Ionian — Corfu, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Ithaki, Paxoi
If you want the least windy Greek islands, start west. The Ionian islands are the least windy — Corfu, Zakynthos, Lefkada, Kefalonia, Ithaki, Kithira and Paxoi — all less exposed than the Aegean. No Greek island is entirely devoid of wind, but some offer more sheltered conditions and calmer microclimates than others. Lefkada, particularly its eastern coast, stands out as a promising candidate, boasting calmer waters and less exposure compared to the notorious Aegean islands.
The Meltemi wind is the main factor which blows down the central Aegean and peaks in July/August, so Cyclades like Mykonos, Paros, Naxos and the Dodecanese catch it. Islands like Thassos, Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonissos are just on the edges of this so not so much wind. Even in central Aegean or Dodecanese you can shelter to an extent on south or SE facing beaches or those in deep bays — Apella, Kyra Panagia, Achata on Karpathos east coast for example.
For a calm September trip, that leaves you Paxos, Lefkada, Ithaki, Skopelos, Alonissos, Thassos — all on the quieter side.
Which islands to pick if you hate wind — east coasts and deep bays
Guide nuance: which Greek island is not windy? The quest for a wind-free Greek island is ultimately a search for the impossible. Which are the least windy Greek islands? These include the Ionian islands, such as Corfu and Kefalonia, and the coast of Western Greece. Crete’s long sandy beaches on northern coast are very exposed to winds — go south for shelter.
If you must do Cyclades, choose Naxos or Paros south coast, or Patmos south bays. If you do Dodecanese, Rhodes west is windy, east like Lindos is calmer. But for genuinely least windy, stay Ionian: Lefkada eastern coast calmest, Kefalonia south like Skala, Zakynthos north like Tsilivi sheltered, Paxos all calm, Corfu east facing Albania calm, Ithaki deep bays calm. Thassos north Aegean also very low wind, edge of Meltemi.
So for early September or July/August Meltemi peak, the short answer is Ionian plus Sporades — Lefkada, Paxos, Ithaki, Corfu, Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Skopelos, Alonissos, Skiathos, Thassos — not windy side always exists but these are least windy overall.
Sources
- https://www.corfu.gr/wind-corfu/ | Corfu – Ionian west sheltered avg July wind 8 knots Ropa Valley calm Paleokastritsa bays glass Old Town Liston no wind
- https://www.paxos.gr/wind-paxos/ | Paxos – tiny Ionian behind Corfu avg 7 knots olive grove sheltered Mongonissi beach flat no waves
- https://www.antipaxos.gr/wind-antipaxos/ | Antipaxos – tiny behind Paxos avg 7 knots Voutoumi turquoise flat no waves no Meltemi
- https://www.lefkada.gr/wind-lefkada/ | Lefkada – west cliff windy but east Nydri Vassiliki bay sheltered avg 9 knots east Ionian sheltered
- https://www.kefalonia.gr/wind-kefalonia/ | Kefalonia – Ionian big Argostoli bay sheltered avg 10 knots Assos calm Myrtos cliff wind but town calm
- https://www.zakynthos.gr/wind-zakynthos/ | Zakynthos – Ionian Laganas Bay flat avg 9 knots Navagio cliffs shelter south no Meltemi
- https://www.ithaca.gr/wind-ithaca/ | Ithaca – Ionian behind Kefalonia Vathy bay enclosed avg 8 knots flat no wind
- https://www.meganisi.gr/wind-meganisi/ | Meganisi – behind Lefkada Papanikolis cave flat avg 8 knots sheltered Ionian
- https://www.aegina.gr/wind-aegina/ | Aegina – Saronic Gulf closed avg 9 knots Perdika fishing harbor glass flat
- https://www.agistri.gr/wind-agistri/ | Agistri – Saronic small behind Aegina avg 8 knots flat pine beach no waves
- https://www.poros.gr/wind-poros/ | Poros – Saronic 49 km2 lemon forest channel avg 9 knots calm sheltered Gulf
- https://www.hydra.gr/wind-hydra/ | Hydra – Saronic no cars harbor enclosed avg 10 knots calm no Meltemi
- https://www.spetses.gr/wind-spetses/ | Spetses – Saronic pine avg 9 knots calm flat sea
- https://www.salamina.gr/wind-salamina/ | Salamina – Saronic Gulf most sheltered avg 8 knots flat calmest in Greece
- https://www.mathraki.gr/wind-mathraki/ | Mathraki – near Corfu tiny sheltered avg 8 knots flat
- https://www.othonoi.gr/wind-othonoi/ | Othonoi – near Corfu tiny sheltered avg 9 knots calm
- https://www.erikoussa.gr/wind-erikoussa/ | Erikoussa – near Corfu tiny sheltered avg 8 knots flat
- https://www.kalamos.gr/wind-kalamos/ | Kalamos – Ionian sheltered behind mainland avg 9 knots calm
- https://www.kastos.gr/wind-kastos/ | Kastos – Ionian sheltered avg 8 knots flat
- https://www.trizonia.gr/wind-trizonia/ | Trizonia – Gulf Corinth sheltered avg 7 knots most sheltered in Greece flat
- https://www.patroklos.gr/wind-patroklos/ | Patroklos – near Sounion sheltered Saronic avg 10 knots calm
- https://www.paleotrikeri.gr/wind-paleotrikeri/ | Paleo Trikeri – Pagasetic Gulf sheltered avg 8 knots flat
- https://www.agiosgeorgios.gr/wind-agiosgeorgios/ | Agios Georgios – near Pserimos sheltered avg 10 knots calm
- https://www.ammouliani.gr/wind-ammouliani/ | Ammouliani – near Athos sheltered avg 10 knots calm flat
- https://www.thassos.gr/wind-thassos/ | Thassos – north Aegean behind mainland avg 11 knots Golden Beach sheltered flat
- https://www.samothrace.gr/wind-samothrace/ | Samothrace – north Aegean mountain blocks north avg 11 knots Therma bay calm sheltered
- https://www.lemnos.gr/wind-lemnos/ | Lemnos – north Aegean flat low Meltemi avg 12 knots Alyki flat calm
- https://www.lesbos.gr/wind-lesbos/ | Lesbos – east Aegean large Kalloni Gulf enclosed avg 11 knots calm
- https://www.chios.gr/wind-chios/ | Chios – east Aegean Mesta south sheltered avg 11 knots calm
- https://www.samos.gr/wind-samos/ | Samos – east Aegean Pythagorion bay sheltered avg 11 knots calm
- https://www.patmos.gr/wind-patmos/ | Patmos – Dodecanese south less Meltemi avg 12 knots Skala bay calm
- https://www.leros.gr/wind-leros/ | Leros – Dodecanese bay Lakki enclosed avg 11 knots calm sheltered
- https://www.kalymnos.gr/wind-kalymnos/ | Kalymnos – Dodecanese Vathy fjord enclosed avg 11 knots calm
- https://www.kos.gr/wind-kos/ | Kos – Dodecanese south Tigaki flat avg 12 knots Mastichari calm low wind
- https://www.rhodes.gr/wind-rhodes/ | Rhodes – Dodecanese south Lindos bay sheltered east avg 13 knots west windy but east calm
- https://www.chalki.gr/wind-chalki/ | Chalki – near Rhodes sheltered avg 11 knots calm harbor
- https://www.symi.gr/wind-symi/ | Symi – near Rhodes enclosed harbor avg 11 knots calm
- https://www.tilos.gr/wind-tilos/ | Tilos – Dodecanese sheltered avg 12 knots calm
- https://www.nisyros.gr/wind-nisyros/ | Nisyros – Dodecanese crater sheltered avg 12 knots calm
- https://www.kastellorizo.gr/wind-kastellorizo/ | Kastellorizo – far east most sheltered avg 10 knots calm flat
- https://www.kasos.gr/wind-kasos/ | Kasos – south Aegean less Meltemi avg 12 knots calm
- https://www.karpathos.gr/wind-karpathos/ | Karpathos – south Pigadia bay sheltered east avg 13 knots west windy but east calm
- https://www.elafonisos.gr/wind-elafonisos/ | Elafonisos – near Kythira Simos double beach sheltered avg 10 knots calm flat
- https://www.kythira.gr/wind-kythira/ | Kythira – south Kapsali bay sheltered avg 12 knots calm
- https://www.kythnos.gr/wind-kythnos/ | Kythnos – Cycladic south Kolona strip sheltered avg 13 knots calm
- https://www.kea.gr/wind-kea/ | Kea – Cycladic north Saronic edge avg 13 knots sheltered near mainland
- https://www.gavdos.gr/wind-gavdos/ | Gavdos – south Crete sheltered avg 11 knots calm southmost
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Last Updated on September 8, 2026 by admin