Summer Heat in the Mediterranean

[dwntwnphx82]

Just how hot is it in the summer months in the Mediterranean? I have looked at the average temps for the ports that I am visiting next summer, but how is it at Sea? 80s? 90s? I am from Arizona, so I am used to 110s. Not used to high humidity though, which can make 80-90 temps worse. Thoughts?

[Essiesmom]

Except for the fact of the breeze created by the ship moving, the temps shouldn't be any different...HOT. EM

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

This year it was in the 90s

[paul929207]

It will be hot

[SadieN]

Our experience is Rome. Much more humid than anything I am used to in the SoCal desert. Comparable to our week in July on St Thomas, without any breeze.

 

For those of us not used to humidity it will feel horrible. Last year, end of August, the temp in Rome rarely went over 90F but the humidity was also hovering around 90. It was intolerable for this SoCal desert girl.

 

DD just spent 10 weeks in Rome and she said the weather was cooler and less humid. But they also had some heavy thunder and lightning storms.

 

There is a reason the people in the southern Med regions traditionally take their vacations in August.;)

[CruiserBruce]

Except for the fact of the breeze created by the ship moving, the temps shouldn't be any different...HOT. EM

 

I disagree. It will be a little cooler at sea, probably 10, maybe 15 degrees. For example, in Athens last summer it was 100, with about 80% humidity. However, as the ocean is cooler than the air, it reduced the temp as soon as we sailed away. Plus the wind, either naturally, or produced by the movement of the ship, will also make it feel cooler.

[breeze123]

It is comfortable on the boat when you are sailing. In port, however, it's pretty darn hot. Like melting hot.

[wwinfl91]

We were there in July 2003 when almost all of Europe was suffering a heat wave. The only two ports we visited that it wasn't very hot was Istanbul and Kusadasi, both in Turkey. I agree with the one poster who mentioned that they get not only temperatures in the 90's or higher but generally because as cruisers we are visiting areas that are near water and there for have high humidifies as well. It also doesn't help if you want to visit many of the historic churches and other monuments you can't wear shorts or sleeveless tops.

 

Hope you enjoy your cruise and that it turns out to during a cooler time than ours was in 2003.

[Langley Cruisers]

Looks like you are sailing late July next year so yes, it will be stinking hot. Sorry. Our Med cruise this past late June/early July was already uncomfortable in several ports, namely Athens and Rome. I'm not sure what else to tell you... you've already booked it, so just be prepared for the heat. August is hotter, but I know in July it will be hot already.

[gingerboo]

There's a Greek word referring to "August wind". (meaning really, really hot and humid! I heard it, but can't remember it). I learned this from former neighbors (he's from Crete) years ago when I asked about a cruise to Greece. The first thing his wife said (she's from the US...lovely woman!) was, "Don't go in August or September! I've been there then, and it's unbearable! Her husband chuckled, kissed her, and said "I'm sorry for that!" Lovely couple, and our daughters were BFF!

[Keith1010]

Just how hot is it in the summer months in the Mediterranean? I have looked at the average temps for the ports that I am visiting next summer, but how is it at Sea? 80s? 90s? I am from Arizona, so I am used to 110s. Not used to high humidity though, which can make 80-90 temps worse. Thoughts?

 

Many ports can be very humid. Think Florida Humidity.

 

Keith

[LittleMissS]

Definitely hot...but I didn't think it was very humid (coming from someone who is experiences the three "H"s every summer here on the East Coast...hazy, hot, and humid). To me, it was more of a dry heat.

[Essiesmom]

Well, you may be accustomed to AZ heat, but think about it - how much time do you spend outdoors in that heat, actively moving about. More active than playing golf...

 

I was in the UK in the summer heat wave of 2003...EM

[Taxguy77]

I lived on the edge of the desert in Calif., and went to school in Phoenix. It took me a year to get acclimated to this (S. Texas) weather. Rome can be very hot! So can France and Spain.

The Gov't. offices in Spain move to the northern coast to get out of Madrid in August. :cool:

[sail7seas]

We had incredible heat and humidity in Athens one August. Thankfully, our hotel had great A/C. Not all hotels in Europe do. We were in Rome that same trip and it was very, very hot there as well.

 

Others times we've been in mid September and didn't encounter the same heat but it certainly varies.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

This year it was in the 90s

[agabbymama]

Our first trip to Italy, I wanted to avoid the Summer Heat (I don't tolerate heat well at all), so we went in late May. We were fine in Germany and Austria and all the way down the Eastern Coast of Italy. We crossed to Sicily and it was still tolerable. By the time we hit Naples, then Rome on the way up the Western coast, the heat was so unbearable, we were buying bottles of water to drink and douse our heads. People were splashing in the fountains of Rome. Until we hit the Lake District in the North.

 

So for our second trip on the Med Cruise, I chose late October (didn't want that heat), and the weather was fabulous. I don't know exact temps, but it was cool in the mornings (windbreaker was fine), about 10:00 you could shed it, sunshine the rest of the day. No excessive heat in Rome, Livorno, Naples, Santorini, Kusadasi, Athens, Olympia, Corfu or Venice.

 

I absolutely would not travel to Southern Europe in June/Jul/August, but as I said, I know I cannot tolerate heat. I'm originally from Michigan (think humidity) but have lived in Southern California for the last 50 years (not much humidity) and when you get to Southern Europe, you will have HEAT AND HUMIDITY!

[gingerboo]

A million years ago, during the summer of 1975, my sister-in-law and I had the opportunity to spend the summer in London through a College program for undergraduates, but we had "relatives" , so we got the same cheap deal. (Both teachers..she with 2 kids, me with one). We travelled with college kids who brought ...hmmmm... maybe $100 for 8 weeks? We kind of "chaperoned" them, even though we didn't have to. Stayed in dorm rooms at the Univ. of London. Spent five weeks in London sight-seeing and taking day trips. Spent 3 days in Scotland (lovely!) and then took the ferry from Dover to Zeebrugge, Belgium. Two nights in Brussels, and two nights in Amsterdam. Wonderful!! Cool and comfortable! And then....we went to Paris in August! (How many times can you say "ouch"?) Stayed in a beautiful hotel right smack in the middle of Paris with NO A/C. We were there for four days. We asked for a fan, any kind of fan (we were on the top floor). "Non, non". So, we put our mattresses on the balcony, just to sleep! Horrible heat and humidity! The day before we visited Versailles, we'd gone to the Moulin Rouge for the evening. (Don't drink champagne to this day!) And then. our bus got caught up in some kind of traffic jam in an underground tunnel for a couple of hours, and the heat and non-A/C bus just kind of got to us. Many shopping and flight bags were ruined that day! I think Versailles was wonderful? Bottom line: avoid Paris in August...especially 36 years ago!;)

[GlendaleCruiser]

Just how hot is it in the summer months in the Mediterranean? I have looked at the average temps for the ports that I am visiting next summer, but how is it at Sea? 80s? 90s? I am from Arizona, so I am used to 110s. Not used to high humidity though, which can make 80-90 temps worse. Thoughts?

 

 

I'm from AZ, too (Hi, neighbor!):D

 

We went all over the Med in September and it was in the 80s. Didn't have a problem at all. Just got back from going in May and it was great all around.

I don't think you will have any problems. Yes, in the sun and in the cities it was a little more humid, but we are tough in AZ and we can take it, LOL.

 

More important is taking a hat and sunglasses.

 

We took a light jacket to go to Mt. Etna. Etna makes her own weather at 11,000 feet (think Mt. Humphreys or Mt. Lemmon) so it gets cool to very cold up there. That's the only time we used it.

[aohkay]

I love the heat and we actully chose to go in August.

[CruiserBruce]

I love the heat and we actully chose to go in August.

 

:D:D I love it also. DW just agreed to go back to Rome for our Anniversay in August! :D:D

[dwntwnphx82]

I'm from AZ, too (Hi, neighbor!):D

 

We went all over the Med in September and it was in the 80s. Didn't have a problem at all. Just got back from going in May and it was great all around.

I don't think you will have any problems. Yes, in the sun and in the cities it was a little more humid, but we are tough in AZ and we can take it, LOL.

 

Thanks Neighbor! :D We spent a week in NYC in Summer 2008 when they were going through a hot and humid heat wave. It was pretty awful, but we were constantly walking around the city and in the subways. The two ports that I am particularly concerned with are Rome and Athens, but we will make it. Those are the two places that I know we will be walking around quite a bit in. In the other ports, we will be on the beach, so we are ready for the heat!