Sunniest Greek islands

Sunniest Greek islands

Sunniest Greek islands are the southeast Dodecanese and southeast Crete where cloud is rarest year-round. Rhodes with Rhodes Town and Lindos, Karpathos with Pigadia and Olympos, Kasos, Kastellorizo off Kas, Symi, Chalki, Kos with Kos Town and Kardamena, Crete especially Ierapetra, Sitia and Makry Gialos, and Gavdos as the southernmost point in Greece average over 3000 hours of sun per year with 10-13 hours daily in summer. Rhodes, Karpathos and south Crete consistently rank as the sunniest islands.

Known for almost guaranteed sun from May to October, with Lindos Acropolis and Tsambika Beach on Rhodes, Apella Bay on Karpathos, Vai palm beach and Elafonissi on Crete, and clear-water harbor swimming on Kastellorizo. Central Cyclades like Mykonos, Paros, Naxos and Santorini are also very sunny but with more Meltemi cloud and wind in July and August, while Ionian islands like Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos and Lefkada are noticeably cloudier and greener with more winter rain and lower annual sun totals.

IslandDescription
KastellorizoAnnual 3000+ hours sunniest band same as Rhodes 2774 hours per year July 372 hours 300 days sun 3400 hours actual automatic – farthest SE 36.1N bare rock least cloud sunniest sea.
RhodesRhodes is sunniest destination 2774 hours per year July brightest 372 hours Rhodes sunniest of Greek isles around 300 days average 3000 hours sun year Rhodes claims crown sunniest over 300 days year Rhodes expected 3400 hours actual annual sunshine automatic heliograph Rhodes receives around 2774 hours per year July sunniest 372 hours December cloudiest 108 hours Kallithea Rhodes total 2781 hours July 372 hours December 108 hours Rhodes Town receives 2774 hours July 372 hours December 108 hours Rhodes Town total 2781 hours July 372 hours December 108 hours – Lindos bare rock sunniest.
KarpathosAnnual 2791 hours same as Crete total 2791 hours peaks 375 hours July drops 117 hours Jan – Apella sheltered south sunniest Carpathian sea.
KasosAnnual 2791 hours same as Crete 2791 hours July 375 hours – flat dry near Karpathos sunniest.
CreteAnnual 2791 hours total peaks 375 hours July drops 117 hours Jan Litsardha Plaka Loutro Karés Skaleta Sellía Melissouryíon Sfinárion Néon Khoríon total 2791 hours July 375 hours Jan 117 hours – Elafonisi sand sunniest part Crete Libyan Sea 300 days.
GavdosAnnual 2791 hours total 2791 hours July 375 hours Jan 117 hours southernmost 34.8N sunniest Europe.
ChrissiAnnual 2791 hours total 2791 hours July 375 hours Jan 117 hours south Crete cedar island sunniest.
StrongyliAnnual 3000+ hours same as Rhodes 2774 hours 3400 hours actual bare rock easternmost Greece sunniest rock.
RoAnnual 3000+ hours same as Kastellorizo Rhodes 2774 hours 3400 hours actual bare rock near Kastellorizo sunniest.
KosAnnual 2791 hours same as Rhodes Town 2774 hours July 372 hours December 108 hours total 2781 hours – flat Dodecanese sunny 300 days.
SymiAnnual 2774 hours per year July brightest 372 hours Rhodes is sunniest destination 2774 hours near Rhodes enclosed harbor sunniest.
ChalkiAnnual 2774 hours per year July brightest 372 hours near Rhodes flat sunny.
TilosAnnual 2774 hours per year July brightest 372 hours Livadi flat sunny south.
NisyrosAnnual 2774 hours per year July brightest 372 hours volcano crater sunny.
KoufonisiAnnual 2781 hours total July 372 hours December 108 hours low flat sand reflects sunniest Cycladic sand same as Kallithea Rhodes 2781 hours.

Sunniest Greek islands are Rhodes 9.1 hours, Kos 9 hours and Crete — most sun in Europe

Sunniest Greek islands ranking clear. In Europe best performance comes from two Greek islands. Rhodes ranks fifth overall, with 9.1 hours sunshine per day, while Kos follows sixth place 9 hours. Also included top 10 Langkawi Malaysia and Cyprus 8.9 hours, Malta also 8.9 hours, and Bali 8.8 hours. Rhodes and Kos among sunniest choices for off-peak — TUI data.

Kos gets more sunshine than anywhere else in Europe in May, average 11 hours per day. That puts it ahead hotspots like Malta, Cyprus and even Canary Islands — according travel experts 101 Holidays. Europe’s sunniest place May beautiful island with 11 hours sunshine and 23C heat — that’s Kos. Want see Greece’s sunniest isle for yourself? Browse Rhodes holidays — Rhodes sunniest isle.

Sunniest month July reaches impressive 376 hours Agios Ioannis Kaspaka Limnos Greece total annual amount sun 2667 hours, Halikounas Corfu sunniest month July 365 hours total 2550 hours daily sunshine peaking 12.2 hours July. Sunniest places world Discover TUI Rhodes Canaries 2800 hours total London only 1574.

Sunniest by month — Kos 11 hours May, Rhodes 12 hours July

Guide nuance: while there are plenty destinations choose from few can rival sunniest spot Europe during May month often described one best times travel — exactly what you find Greek island Kos 11 hours per day ahead Malta Cyprus Canary. Rhodes 9.1 hours per day average overall, Kos 9 hours per day average overall.

For sunniest Greek islands list: Rhodes 9.1 hours daily average sunniest isle, Kos 9 hours daily 11 hours May sunniest Europe May, Crete similar 12 hours June 12.5 hours July, Karpathos between Crete Rhodes similar high, Zakynthos Corfu 12.2 hours July peak. Total annual sun Rhodes 3000+ hours expected.

So sunniest Greek islands order: Rhodes 9.1 hours overall sunniest isle, Kos 9 hours 11 hours May sunniest Europe May, Crete 12-12.5 hours July peak, Karpathos similar, Zakynthos 12.2 hours July. Pick Rhodes for year-round sun, Kos for May sun, Crete for June-July sun.

Sources

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Last Updated on September 8, 2026 by admin