If your image of Crete is beaches lined with sweaty bodies roasting during long days of blasting sunshine, well you’ve got summer correct. But the island is seasonal, and in winter it can get cold, windy and wet.

Sights and businesses set their schedule to the tourist season. While summer sees endless festivals and people enjoying long nights on taverna terraces, by winter, much of the island is closed, with residents hunkered down indoors. In shoulder season, when things are open, temperatures are mild and crowds are moderate. This can be an ideal time to visit Crete.

Join the masses reveling in high-season heat during July and August

Everything is open in high season and there are non-stop parties wherever visitors gather. The temps are sweaty but the Med offers temperate relief. Book everything far in advance as flights and hotels fill up quickly.

Average summertime highs are 29ºC (84ºF), with higher temps on the beaches and hillside trails. Rain is rare.

Crete is open and uncrowded in shoulder season (April to June, September and October)

Most businesses and attractions are open, which means you can rent a beach umbrella, enjoy a seaside taverna lunch and visit a remote church on a mountain pass. Prices are moderate and the availability of flights and rooms is good. You may even find last-minute deals.

Average daytime highs range from 20ºC to 27ºC (68ºF to 80ºF) depending on your proximity to summer. Most days have less than a 10% chance of rain.

• Have the beaches to yourself during the low season of November to March
• Because almost every tourist-focused business is closed, a lack of visitors also means there is a lack of available places to stay. Still, people ready to explore wintertime Crete, when the waves pound desolate beaches and most Cretans prefer the comforts of a well-stoked fire, will find rooms for rent in larger towns and cities. And note: the world-class ruins at Knossos are open year-round.
• Average temps during the short days of weak sunlight hover around 15ºC (59ºF), and storms off the Med can drop large amounts of rain and blow chilly winds for days on end.
• January is the month for museums and churches
• Few visitors ply the winding roads of Crete during January when the tallest peaks are often capped with snow. It’s cold so bundle up for bracing walks on the deserted beaches and seek out warmth and intellectual stimulation in museums and churches. The big days for Cretan families are New Year’s Day when people eat vasilopita (golden glazed cake) and January 6, the day of the Epiphany when priests bless the waters.
• Key events: New Year’s Day (Feast of St Basil), Epiphany (Blessing of the Waters).
• February equals fun, from country hikes to Carnival
• The brisk temps continue into February, although hillsides show flashes of green and speckles of color from the very first wildflowers. Families venture out for walks in the hills, especially on the first Monday of Lent. Life in towns and cities is punctuated by Carnival, a thrilling three-week pre-Lenten celebration featuring masquerade balls, street parties, treasure hunts and more. The final Sunday sees spectacular parades that devolve into mass frivolity. Rethymno