Crete in March - good idea?

[DorothyCrowfootHodgkin]

We (me and DP) are thinking of going to Crete for a week in late March for a relaxing holiday. Will the weather be warm enough to eat outside? Will restaurants and shops be open? We will not be looking to eat out every night (we'd be going self catering) but it'd be nice to have the option. Has anyone been in late March? Thanks.

We have. It's variable. You might have nice weather, but it's less than 50/50 and when we went it was very English and grim. Wouldn't try again except at the last minute (with forecast in hand!) tbh.

(To add - we go most years, x10 now)

It can be very wet in March.

There’s a good reason most package holidays to Greece (even Crete which is further south and statistically drier and warmer than say Corfu), don’t begin until April. As an ex holiday rep who spent many miserable, cold first few weeks in Greece in March/early April setting up resorts for the summer, I’d not recommend it.

Our experience is the weather changes in the first week of May. Crete is not a good idea before then.

Wow - OK, we'll go somewhere else then. Thanks for the help!

Like everywhere, temperatures can vary. Our holiday to Crete was cancelled in 2020. We were expecting it to be around 16-19c in the day - we were half glad it was cancelled as temps were around 8c in the day and just on freezing at night!

Definitely not. Nowhere in Europe is reliably warm then (unless you get a random heatwave.

Morocco will be warmer. Canaries tend to be warmer also but not guaranteed.

You might need to go a bit further afield..

Went to Rhodes in march and it was not good weather. Pools tens not to be heated either so it's freezing. Went to Madeira in March and it was lovely. A bit old but lovely.