Longest and shortest day in Athens
In Athens, Greece, the longest day of 2026 is around the June solstice on Sunday, 21 June 2026, with 14h 48m of daylight, and the shortest is around the December solstice on Monday, 21 December 2026, with 9h 32m.
| Turning point | Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | Friday, 20 March 2026 | 06:28 | 18:36 | 12h 8m |
| June solstice | Sunday, 21 June 2026 | 06:02 | 20:51 | 14h 48m |
| September equinox | Tuesday, 22 September 2026 | 07:12 | 19:22 | 12h 10m |
| December solstice | Monday, 21 December 2026 | 07:37 | 17:08 | 9h 32m |
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:39 | 17:29 | 9h 49m |
| February | 07:15 | 18:03 | 10h 48m |
| March | 06:36 | 18:31 | 11h 55m |
| April | 06:50 | 20:00 | 13h 10m |
| May | 06:15 | 20:28 | 14h 13m |
| June | 06:02 | 20:49 | 14h 47m |
| July | 06:14 | 20:47 | 14h 33m |
| August | 06:40 | 20:18 | 13h 38m |
| September | 07:06 | 19:33 | 12h 27m |
| October | 07:33 | 18:47 | 11h 14m |
| November | 07:05 | 17:13 | 10h 8m |
| December | 07:33 | 17:06 | 9h 33m |
Why the day gets longer and shorter in Athens
Earth's axis is tilted about 23.4 degrees, so as the planet orbits the Sun, Athens leans toward the Sun for part of the year and away for the rest. When it leans toward the Sun the days lengthen and the Sun climbs higher; half a year later the opposite happens. The size of the swing depends on how far Athens sits from the equator: the further away, the bigger the difference between the longest and shortest day.
Frequently asked questions about day length in Athens
When is the longest day in Athens?
The longest day in Athens falls around the June solstice, on Sunday, 21 June 2026 in 2026, with about 14h 48m of daylight, sunrise at 06:02 and sunset at 20:51.
When is the shortest day in Athens?
The shortest day in Athens falls around the December solstice, on Monday, 21 December 2026 in 2026, with about 9h 32m of daylight, sunrise at 07:37 and sunset at 17:08.
How much does day length change through the year in Athens?
Between the longest and shortest day, Athens gains and loses about 5h 16m of daylight. The change is fastest around the March and September equinoxes and slowest near the solstices.
Every figure is computed from Athens's coordinates with SunCalc, not looked up from a table.