Summer climbing in Greece

Hi.

My future wife and I will be honey-mooning in July. We were thinking about going to Kalymnos for a while and then maybe Meteora for a bit before travelling cross country to finish up in Paris. I realize that it won't be prime climbing season in Greece, but how hot will it be? Has anyone climbed at these places in July?

Also welcome are any suggestions of other locations with the perfect combination of beaches, climbing, romance, culture, and affordability?

Thanks.

Hi Dusty
I´ve lived and climbed in Greece for quite a few years and visited just about every piece of rock they have. July is hot, around 30°C and if there is a warm period up to 35°. At that time of year the nights aren´t so hot so if you climb very early it is just about possible (later in the summer the rock doesn´t cool down enough).
Meteora is worth the trip anyway but tends to be greasy early in the morning and just slippery the rest of the time, near there are a couple of limestone sport areas. Pilli is mostly facing the sun so will be a challenge but Mouzaki would be better.
The best area for summer climbing is in the Argolis (Pelepponese), the cliff at Didyma being perfect, it is over 1000m up and in the shade most of the time. Katafyki Ravine also lies in the shade and gets a good breeze most of the time. www.climbargolis.com
Otherwise it more a question of your tolerance to heat!

Jim

Dusty, please leave KG at home and take me instead...ha ha. I have read (but not been) to a place called "Sektor Afternoon" in Kalymnos, so called because you may climb in the shade. Also I was thinking that if you are climbing the coast there are a lot of deep water solos so who cares about the heat. Are you only bringing the sport gear? If you want to do any alpine climbing, slovenia is the shizzay-izzay-doss-doss, plus KG might be able to use her skills for speakin' there.

The Julian alps are near Lake Bled, which may be devastatingly romantic. Elsewise, Romania might be good for climbing too. rennkuckuck.de/php/klettern… Either place would be more affordable than Greece.
Is your wedding near home? My sister is getting married July 3rd, love to come to your hitchin' too.

Afternoon crag is actually on MP mountainproject.com/v/inter…

Does anyone know of some crags near Athens that have shade in the morning for July climbing? I'll be there July 8-10.

On Kalymnos there is a also the Summertime sector with pretty much all day shade. Pleasant but not the best climbing on the island. Symperglades is a narrow  little gorge, so except right at mid-day, one side or the other will be in the shade, though the walk up there may be pretty toasty. Actually many of the main crags above town have morning shade, including the Grande Grotto, so with an early start you can get in a good number of pitches before the sun comes around, and then escape to Afternoon which is just around the corner ( and sectors such as Spartacus further up the hill). I’m sure that there are other sectors with shade, but those are the ones I know of first hand. Still not an ideal summer venue but I’m sure that you can find enough to keep you happy. Despite what someone posted above, there really isn’t that much DWS, though there is some in Vathty cove on the other side of the island from where most folks stay. Can’t say anything about the other areas in Greece, but Jim, who posted above, has spent a lot of time there ( he is one of the main route developers of the Argolis area) so knows what he is talking about.

Thanks, Alan, I'll be in Athens so am looking around for there. I'll reach out to Jim for pointers. 

Rachelle Street wrote:

Does anyone know of some crags near Athens that have shade in the morning for July climbing? I'll be there July 8-10.

Early morning:

https://www.thecrag.com/en/climbing/greece/area/287615526 (Karavi is also doable late in the afternoon, if the day is not too hot)

https://www.thecrag.com/en/climbing/greece/area/632039205

https://www.thecrag.com/en/climbing/greece/area/949503144 (old school hard routes in the quarry where Acropolis marble was mined)

https://www.thecrag.com/en/climbing/greece/area/264875094

Afternoon:

https://www.thecrag.com/en/climbing/greece/area/264875310

https://www.thecrag.com/en/climbing/greece/area/2635292745

https://www.thecrag.com/en/climbing/greece/area/264875202

Nearly all day(~900m altitude and multitude of aspects)

https://www.thecrag.com/en/climbing/greece/area/512514417

As far as OP's questions, Kalymnos is doable in summer. Climb in shady morning crags, then go to the beach midday and then to afternoon crags late in the afternoon. 

Meteora is nice to visit but probably too hot for summer climbing. You will find lots of routes in the shade, but the area can get quite hot in the midday.