Best Time for Mediterranean Cruises

Elli Beach, Rhodes (linmtheu)  [flickr.com]  CC BY-SA 
License Information available under 'Proof of Image Sources'
On this page, you will find information about the climate and the best time to visit Mediterranean Cruises. We created climate tables and charts for the locations of Mallorca, Côte D’Azur, Santorini, Sicily und Corfu. These contain details about temperatures, precipitation and more.

Furthermore, we analyzed all climate data and provide a recommendation about which months are best to visit Mediterranean Cruises for your holiday.

Climate Overview

Thermometer Symbol 4 °C to 33 °C
Waves Symbol 12 °C to 25 °C
Rainy Cloud Symbol 07.13 in (0 – 13 Days of Rain)
Average Annual Temperature is between 15.3 °C (Côte D’Azur) and 18.5 °C (Santorini)
Show temperatures in degree

General information and popular routes

Mediterranean cruises are among the most popular routes for cruises and combine a wonderful mixture of fantastic coastal regions, unique islands and hidden bays like in a picture book.

Most shipping companies such as AIDA, TUI Cruises, MSC Cruises, Costa, Hapag Lloyd or NCL also include cruises that are located in areas of the actual Mediterranean Sea.

On the one hand, the travel industry distinguishes between the Western Mediterranean and the Eastern Mediterranean, but it also likes to complement these regions with cruise ports in the Aegean and the Adriatic to the Canary Islands in the Atlantic.

One focus of the cruises is on Spain, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Turkey and France. Malta and Cyprus also like to be integrated into popular routes.

Major cruise ports in the Western Mediterranean include Ibiza, Menorca, Alicante, Valencia, Barcelona, Marseille, Cannes, Livorno, Rome/Civitavecchia, Naples, Palermo and Olbia in Sardinia.

The Eastern Mediterranean includes Bari, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Santorini, Mykonos, Trieste and Venice. In addition to the Greek islands, Istanbul and Izmir are also frequently served.

Climate in the Mediterranean region

MSC Splendida in Malta (Roderick Eime)  [flickr.com]  CC BY 
License Information available under 'Proof of Image Sources' The climate in the Mediterranean can be described as Mediterranean and impresses in most areas with around 300 hours of sunshine per year. Summers on the Mediterranean islands and in the Aegean are sometimes very hot, and the coastal towns on the mainland and the Adriatic also have wonderfully sunny and warm summer months.

Winters are mild, but more rainy in most areas. These are by no means weeks-long rainy seasons, but the number of hours of sunshine drops significantly in the winter months. Cruises at this time often go to the Canary Islands or preferably to the Caribbean and Asia.

Best Time to Visit Mediterranean Cruises: Overview

JanuaryJan
Winter Saison
no bathing-weather, locally rain
FebruaryFeb
Winter Saison
no bathing-weather, locally rain
MarchMar
Spring
too cold for bathing
AprilApr
Spring
too cold for bathing
MayMay
Good time to traveltime
PleasantAngen. climate in the
Mediterranean
JuneJun
Best time to traveltime
PerfectPerf. climate in the
Mediterranean
JulyJul
Best time to traveltime
PerfectPerf. climate in the
Mediterranean
AugustAug
Best time to traveltime
PerfectPerf. climate in the
Mediterranean
SeptemberSep
Best time to traveltime
PerfectPerf. climate in the
Mediterranean
OctoberOct
Good time to traveltime
not really bathing-weather
NovemberNov
Winter Saison
no bathing-weather, locally rain
DecemberDec
Winter Saison
no bathing-weather, locally rain

When is the best time for Mediterranean cruises?


For Mediterranean cruises we generally recommend the period between Easter and the end of October. Temperatures are particularly pleasant from around mid-May, it is now pleasantly warm and bathing is already possible in some regions. Summer then arrives in the Mediterranean between June and September, with the high season months of July and August becoming particularly hot.

Mediterranean cruises have their own special charm and charm at any time of the year: while the focus in the hottest months is on bathing fun on the fantastic bays and beaches, the time in early summer and autumn is particularly suitable for exploring the city. Many attractive sights are waiting for you and provide not only scenic highlights but also a varied cultural program.

Best Time to Visit the Regions

Find the best time to visit the regions (Mediterranean Cruises) in the following overview.

LocationBest Time to Travel
MallorcaMay, June, July, August, September, and October
Côte D’AzurJune, July, August, September, and October
SantoriniMay, June, July, August, September, and October
SicilyMay, June, July, August, September, and October
CorfuJune, July, August, and September

Climate Charts Mediterranean Cruises

In the following, you will find climate charts for the regions.

Furthermore, there are some charts you can use for quick comparison of climate between the regions.

Show Climate Chart for    

Mallorca

Climate Chart Mallorca
Show temperatures in degree

Côte D’Azur

Climate Chart Côte DAzur
Show temperatures in degree

Santorini

Climate Chart Santorini
Show temperatures in degree

Sicily

Climate Chart Sicily
Show temperatures in degree

Corfu

Climate Chart Corfu
Show temperatures in degree

Day Temperatures

Show temperatures in degree

Night Temperatures

Show temperatures in degree

Average Temperatures

Show temperatures in degree

Water Temperatures

Show temperatures in degree

Precipitation

Hours of Sunshine per Day

Source of Data: German Weather Service (Offenbach) and Wikipedia

Climate Tables Mediterranean Cruises

In the following, you will find some climate tables for Mediterranean Cruises, containing information about Temperatures, Precipitation, Water Temperatures, and Hours of Sunshine.
Show climate table for    

Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Mallorca (Mediterranean Cruises)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day TemperatureJan15°Feb16°Mar17°Apr19°May23°Jun27°Jul31°Aug31°Sep28°Oct23°Nov19°Dec16°
Night TemperatureJanFebMarAprMay11°Jun15°Jul17°Aug18°Sep16°Oct12°NovDec
Water TemperatureJan14°Feb13°Mar14°Apr15°May17°Jun21°Jul24°Aug25°Sep24°Oct21°Nov18°Dec15°
Precipitation (inch)Jan1.42Feb1.26Mar1.1Apr1.34May1.06Jun0.63Jul0.28Aug0.63Sep1.89Oct2.68Nov1.89Dec1.81
Rainy daysJan5Feb5Mar5Apr5May4Jun2Jul1Aug2Sep4Oct6Nov6Dec6
Hours of SunshineJan5Feb6Mar7Apr8May9Jun10Jul11Aug10Sep8Oct7Nov6Dec5
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Mallorca is 16 °C.

For comparison: London 11 °C, NYC 12 °C, LA 17.9 °C

Warmest month: August (24.6 °C)
Coldest month: January (9.3 °C)

The maximum water temperature in Mallorca is 25 °C. You can take a bath at these temperatures.

Months with water temperature of at least 17 °C (Limited bathing is possible):
May, June, July, August, September, October, and November

Months with water temperature of at least 21 °C (adequate for beach vacation):
June, July, August, September, and October

Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 15.98 inch on 51 rainy days

For comparison: London 24.06 in, NYC 41.57 in, LA 12.01 in

There is no rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation).

Months that have possible snowfall: January, February, and March

Sunshine
As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 10.9 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 7.5 hours of sunshine per day on average. For comparison: London has 4.1, NYC has 7 and LA has 8.9 hours of sunshine per day on average.

Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Côte D’Azur (Mediterranean Cruises)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day TemperatureJan13°Feb13°Mar15°Apr17°May20°Jun23°Jul26°Aug27°Sep24°Oct21°Nov16°Dec14°
Night TemperatureJanFebMarApr10°May13°Jun16°Jul19°Aug19°Sep17°Oct13°NovDec
Water TemperatureJan13°Feb12°Mar13°Apr14°May16°Jun20°Jul22°Aug23°Sep21°Oct19°Nov16°Dec14°
Precipitation (inch)Jan3.27Feb2.99Mar2.8Apr2.44May1.93Jun1.46Jul0.63Aug1.22Sep2.13Oct4.25Nov4.09Dec3.07
Rainy daysJan7Feb6Mar6Apr6May5Jun4Jul2Aug3Sep4Oct6Nov7Dec6
Hours of SunshineJan5Feb5Mar7Apr8May9Jun10Jul11Aug10Sep8Oct7Nov5Dec5
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Côte D’Azur is 15.3 °C.

Warmest month: August (23 °C)
Coldest month: January (8.7 °C)

The maximum water temperature in Côte D’Azur is 23 °C. You can take a bath at these temperatures.

Months with water temperature of at least 17 °C (Limited bathing is possible):
June, July, August, September, and October

Months with water temperature of at least 21 °C (adequate for beach vacation):
July, August, and September

Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 30.28 inch on 62 rainy days

There is no rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation).

Months that have possible snowfall: January

Sunshine
As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 11 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 7.4 hours of sunshine per day on average.

Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Santorini (Mediterranean Cruises)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day TemperatureJan14°Feb14°Mar16°Apr18°May23°Jun27°Jul29°Aug29°Sep26°Oct23°Nov19°Dec15°
Night TemperatureJan10°Feb10°Mar11°Apr13°May17°Jun21°Jul23°Aug23°Sep21°Oct18°Nov14°Dec11°
Water TemperatureJan16°Feb16°Mar16°Apr17°May19°Jun22°Jul24°Aug25°Sep24°Oct23°Nov20°Dec18°
Precipitation (inch)Jan2.8Feb1.69Mar1.57Apr0.63May0.43Jun0Jul0.28Aug0Sep0.43Oct1.5Nov2.32Dec2.95
Rainy daysJan10Feb9Mar7Apr4May3Jun0Jul1Aug0Sep2Oct4Nov8Dec11
Hours of SunshineJan7Feb7Mar9Apr11May12Jun13Jul14Aug13Sep11Oct9Nov8Dec6
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Santorini is 18.5 °C.

Warmest month: July (26 °C)
Coldest month: January (12 °C)

The maximum water temperature in Santorini is 25 °C. You can take a bath at these temperatures.

Months with water temperature of at least 17 °C (Limited bathing is possible):
all except January, February, and March

Months with water temperature of at least 21 °C (adequate for beach vacation):
June, July, August, September, and October

Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 14.61 inch on 59 rainy days

There is no rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation).

You cannot expect snow in any month in Santorini.

Sunshine
As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 14 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 10 hours of sunshine per day on average.

Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Sicily (Mediterranean Cruises)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day TemperatureJan16°Feb16°Mar18°Apr21°May25°Jun30°Jul33°Aug33°Sep30°Oct25°Nov20°Dec17°
Night TemperatureJanFebMarAprMay12°Jun16°Jul19°Aug20°Sep18°Oct14°Nov10°Dec
Water TemperatureJan14°Feb14°Mar15°Apr16°May18°Jun22°Jul24°Aug25°Sep24°Oct23°Nov20°Dec16°
Precipitation (inch)Jan2.53Feb1.72Mar1.24Apr0.97May0.85Jun0.34Jul0.22Aug0.52Sep1.24Oct2.47Nov2.6Dec2.87
Rainy daysJan6Feb6Mar5Apr5May3Jun1Jul1Aug2Sep4Oct5Nov6Dec7
Hours of SunshineJan4Feb5Mar6Apr7May8Jun10Jul11Aug10Sep8Oct6Nov5Dec4
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Sicily is 17.6 °C.

Warmest month: August (26.6 °C)
Coldest month: January (10.5 °C)

The maximum water temperature in Sicily is 25 °C. You can take a bath at these temperatures.

Months with water temperature of at least 17 °C (Limited bathing is possible):
May, June, July, August, September, October, and November

Months with water temperature of at least 21 °C (adequate for beach vacation):
June, July, August, September, and October

Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 17.58 inch on 51 rainy days

There is no rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation).

You cannot expect snow in any month in Sicily.

Sunshine
As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 10.7 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 6.8 hours of sunshine per day on average.

Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Corfu (Mediterranean Cruises)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day TemperatureJan14°Feb14°Mar16°Apr19°May24°Jun28°Jul31°Aug31°Sep28°Oct23°Nov19°Dec15°
Night TemperatureJanFebMarAprMay13°Jun16°Jul18°Aug19°Sep17°Oct13°Nov10°Dec
Water TemperatureJan14°Feb14°Mar14°Apr16°May18°Jun21°Jul23°Aug24°Sep23°Oct21°Nov18°Dec16°
Precipitation (inch)Jan5.2Feb5.35Mar3.86Apr2.44May1.42Jun0.55Jul0.28Aug0.71Sep2.95Oct5.83Nov7.13Dec7.09
Rainy daysJan11Feb11Mar9Apr7May4Jun2Jul1Aug2Sep4Oct8Nov11Dec13
Hours of SunshineJan4Feb4Mar5Apr7May9Jun11Jul12Aug11Sep9Oct6Nov5Dec4
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Corfu is 16.7 °C.

Warmest month: August (24.9 °C)
Coldest month: January (9.5 °C)

The maximum water temperature in Corfu is 24 °C. You can take a bath at these temperatures.

Months with water temperature of at least 17 °C (Limited bathing is possible):
May, June, July, August, September, October, and November

Months with water temperature of at least 21 °C (adequate for beach vacation):
June, July, August, September, and October

Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 42.8 inch on 83 rainy days

Rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation): November, and December
Overall precipitation in the rainy season: 14.21 in

You cannot expect snow in any month in Corfu.

Sunshine
As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 11.8 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 7.1 hours of sunshine per day on average.

Current Weather and Forecast

Current Weather in Côte D’Azur (Station Le Cannet)
clear sky     clear sky, 7.6 °C
Clouds: 0 %       Wind: 13 mph NNO
Air Pressure: 1032 hPa       Humidity: 37 %
Last updated: 7th Feb 2023, 09:48 am
The next days …
7th Feb 20238th Feb 20239th Feb 202310th Feb 202311th Feb 202312th Feb 2023
7th Feb 2023light rain6 °C to 9 °C8th Feb 2023sky is clear6 °C to 9 °C9th Feb 2023sky is clear4 °C to 8 °C10th Feb 2023sky is clear5 °C to 9 °C11th Feb 2023sky is clear7 °C to 10 °C12th Feb 2023sky is clear7 °C to 10 °C
7th Feb 20236 °C to 9 °C8th Feb 20236 °C to 9 °C9th Feb 20234 °C to 8 °C10th Feb 20235 °C to 9 °C11th Feb 20237 °C to 10 °C12th Feb 20237 °C to 10 °C
7th Feb 2023Clouds: 66 %8th Feb 2023Clouds: 3 %9th Feb 2023Clouds: 4 %10th Feb 2023Clouds: 0 %11th Feb 2023Clouds: 8 %12th Feb 2023Clouds: 0 %
7th Feb 20230.03 in of rain8th Feb 2023No Precipitation9th Feb 2023No Precipitation10th Feb 2023No Precipitation11th Feb 2023No Precipitation12th Feb 2023No Precipitation
Weather information provided by OpenWeatherMap. (CC BY-SA)
Show temperatures in degree

Cruises: Regions

Mediterranean Cruises is part of the holiday destination Cruises. We analyzed the climate for additional regions, in order to provide you with information about the best time to visit and the expected holiday weather:

Mediterranean Cruises: Experiences of our Visitors

There are 12 reviews for Mediterranean Cruises holiday already. Average rating is 4.2 of 5 stars.
  1. Avatar Preview
    walburga, 88 years old was there in January

    november on cruise weather like october sun like may

    Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent

  2. Avatar Preview
    Uwe und Margret, 57 years old was there in September

    We made a 10 day Mediterranean cruise with my ship 3 in Sept. 2016. Only in La Spezia it rained continuously and briefly in Rome. Otherwise only sun up to 30 degrees.

    Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent

  3. Avatar Preview
    Petra , 55 years old was there in September

    The first night there was a massive storm and blue bags everywhere, but afterwards only sun, great weather. Beautiful sunsets and sunrises, just beautiful.

    Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent

  4. Avatar Preview
    Alexandra, 63 years old was there in November

    We were in Greece, Italy (Naples and Sicily) and Marseille. Anywhere from 20 to 25 degrees. Just once rain in Greece.

    Weather Rating: 4 stars – Good

  5. Avatar Preview
    Birgit , 52 years old was there in July

    On our first cruise “a dream cruise on the AIDAperla” from Barcelona via Palma, Corsica, Rome, Livorno and back with the beautiful AIDAperla. During the trip from Corsica to Rome, the weather was quite rough. The crew had everything under control and we always felt very well taken care of.

    Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent

  6. Avatar Preview
    Odo, 52 years old was there in September

    The weather was simply super in the eastern Mediterranean, as well as the destinations would be more than worth seeing.

    Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent

  7. Avatar Preview
    Arno Kohnert, 60 years old was there in March

    Unfortunately we had a lot of rain, and on the only day at sea there was a storm but heavy, wind force 10 which was very unusual in this region.

    Weather Rating: 1 stars – Mostly bad

  8. Avatar Preview
    Martina, 30 years old was there in May

    Cruise from 14 – 21 May 2017 Venice-Bari-Corfu-Athens-Dubrovnik-Venice. Unfortunately it rained slightly in Corfu and in Athens it poured all day so that we didn’t even go ashore. Nice weather for the rest of the days!

    Weather Rating: 3 stars – Mixed

  9. Avatar Preview
    Werner, 60 years old was there in October

    Eastern Mediterranean from/to Venice: wonderful weather, always sun, hardly any wind, hardly any waves. Except Corfu, a thunderstorm cell caught us, 4 hours of continuous rain, then sun again.

    Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent

  10. Avatar Preview
    Karla, 54 years old was there in September

    It was sunshine every day, 25 degrees Celsius every day, no rain, hardly any clouds, magical sunrises and sunsets. It couldn’t be better

    Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent

  11. Avatar Preview
    Peter, 63 years old was there in November

    Partially rainy, cool and very windy, with a really autumnal touch.

    Weather Rating: 2 stars – Tricky

  12. Avatar Preview
    Bernhard , 61 years old was there in May

    Calm sea, pure sun. It couldn’t have been better.
    Departed from Venice,Bari,Olympia,Athens,Dubrovnik,Venice.
    During the whole trip we had a fantastic weather.

    Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent

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Travel film: Mediterranean cruise with AIDA

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