What's the weather like in Crete in September
With the summer behind us, September feels more like springtime than autumn in Crete thanks to the fair weather and the rare rainfalls.
This is a fairly predictable month, weather-wise, as the winds that can cause sudden changes are much less pronounced during September - and the subsequent autumn months.
Temperatures drop slightly and occasional clouds dot the skies above the island, bringing about expected showers.
Temperature
September is still high season and the island is brimming with tourists catching some sun. During this month, average daytime temperature drops slightly to 24 degrees Celsius, with high peaks reaching 27 degrees and lows dropping again to 19 degrees Celsius.
The sea remains warm, despite the changing weather and tourists can expect average seawater temperatures to be around 24 degrees.
Sunshine and Rain
Frequent, light clouds block the sun, resulting in 10 hours of sunshine each day on average. Some days are clear and sunny while others are rainy during September, with 2 days of the month expected to have rainfall during the month.
This rainfall amounts to 10 mm total precipitation, which doesn't seem much but it is ten times more than August's rainfall, and three times more than all the summertime rainfall in Crete combined.
The African-borne winds are far less prominent during September, another factor that contributes to the island's climate gradually cooling.
Crete Hotels in September
Creta Blue Suites
Creta Blue Suites offer quality suites for families who seek top notch quality without breaking the bank. The hotel is able to offer affordable luxurious suites while maintaining high standards of service and quality, which has earned it a spot in the finalists of the World Luxury Hotel Awards.
Kastro Beach Apartments
Kastro Beach Apartments in Malia offer affordable self-catering accommodation. The complex is family run and focuses on brilliant service. Each apartment offers a great view over the ocean and is sun-bathed throughout the day thanks to the hotel's smart architecture.
Pazinos village studios
The Pazinos village studios offer traditional Cretan hospitality infused with a tangible Latino touch. The studios are well-furnished and squeaky clean. Compared to most similar studio hotels in Chania, Pazinos manages to stand out from the crowd with low prices and great quality.
Castello Boutique Resort & Spa
Castello Boutique Resort & Spa is a swanky hotel in Sissi, perhaps the most popular tourist destination in Crete. Situated in a newly built complex, Castello boasts a fantastic spa along with several other award winning facilities, including limousine services.
Crete Beach for September
Ierapetra City Beaches
Perfect for all the family, the Ierapetra City Beaches are 3 blue-flag beaches next to each other, including the naturist-friendly beach, Peristeras. Each of the three blue flag breaches boasts excellent facilities and offers a host of water sports. The western and southern beaches are fairly crowded and have fine white sand, while the third beach, known locally as St. Andrews, is a pebbly beach that is often less crowded.
Bars and Restaurants
Neromilos
A family friendly, Greek themed restaurant in Sissi. Neromilos serves local delicacies and specialises in seafood dishes produced with fresh fish caught in Sissi the very same day.
Vegera
An authentic Greek restaurant that is not afraid to innovate and experiment with its dishes. The restaurant opens every day except Sunday and starts serving food after 18:30, catering mostly to evening diners and peckish late-night partygoers. David Vegera's menu pushes the boundaries on what is considered "traditional" Greek cuisine to serve some innovative dishes not found anywhere else on the island.
Avalon Metal Cafe Chania
This popular rock and heavy metal bar is located in the heart of the old Chania harbour and is one of the few places where you can enjoy this genre of music. The drinks are cheap and from time to time the bar also attracts start-up rock musicians who happen to visit the island.
Things to do in Crete in September
Archaeological site of Phaistos
A Bronze Age settlement with a grand Minoan palace. It attracts history lovers and archaeology enthusiasts with its eerie charm.
The Phaistos disc, one of the most famous mysteries in archaeology, is an ancient clay disc that no amount of research has been able to decipher yet.
There are lots of other unique and mysterious artefacts in Phaistos, too.
Festival of St Savros
On 13th and 14th of September theFestival of St Stavros is celebrated at the Aptera village. In the first day of the festival, locals gather from across Crete to celebrate the holy cross.
Stands and outdoors areas are prepared for feasting and when the 14th dawns, the village is transformed into an outdoors folk party area, with lots of food and free drinks (especially tsikoudia) to celebrate the festival of St. Stavros (his name literally meaning cross).
Though the festival is religious in nature, the festivities can get rather wild in nature, especially in the night.
World Day of Tourism
As a quintessentially tourist island, Crete celebrates the World Day of Tourism in 27th of September as very few other places do.
The old harbour of Chania becomes the epicentre of the celebrations that put tourists in the seat of honour.
The day includes local and international music parades along with free food and drinks for tourists as a sign of appreciation for their enduring patronage.
