When to Go

To avoid crowds, just before and after peak seasons (May, June, and September) are good times to visit. August is the busiest season on all these islands, when hotel reservations and even spots on inter-island ferries can be hard to come by. Patmos (for its monastery) and Rhodes are popular Easter getaways for Greeks, and celebrations include candlelit processions and fireworks late Saturday around midnight; island bakeries serve tsoureki (sweet braided bread). From November to April, most archaeological sites remain open, but many hotels, restaurants, and shops are closed, and boat travel is limited by curtailed schedules and the weather's whims.