How hot is it in the mountains in Greece in August?

[sergeantmajor]

We've got a real craving to go to Greece this summer, but the kids get bored on the beach. So we'd like to include some hikes in the mountains too. I'd imagine that the temperature is more bearable for walks if you go high up. Does anyone have any first hand experience of what sort of temperatures we can expect?

Not necessarily cooler, and the air has less pollution so you will all need strong sunscreen and hats. August is usually the hottest month and I wouldn’t be walking up mountains in that sort of heat.

You could try Crete? But if beach, walk the Samaria Gorge, lots of mountain walks etc but also lots for downtime too.

Crete is good in August. It's hot but with a breeze (a wind on the south side of the island and not really recommended tbh) The Samaria Gorge is a very tough day for kids and the unfit. There's an easier one called Imbros as an alternative or a practice.

Thanks all!

Top of the Samaria gorge at 8am at 1250m is indeed cold. By the time you reach the end you will walk straight into the sea with a loud fizzing sound. Remember it well!

We've done a couple of holidays in the mountains in Greece (we live in Crete but sometimes want a break from the heat too!) - highly recommend it! Anywhere off the beaten tourist track will show you a completely different side to Greece. We've been to Vikos in Epirus in August and it was lovely and cool - cardigans were needed in the evening, which was a novelty for us in August! We also enjoyed a short holiday in Vitina & Dimitsana in the Peloponese, fantastic area for hiking, and again high enough to be cool - we went there during a very hot early September.