Weather
November is one of those months that is hard to categorize weather-wise in Santorini. It is officially still autumn, with a 55-66°F/13-19°C average temperature range and lingering dregs of summer sunshine which can make it a very pleasant month, while it is in the top six months of the year as far as sea temperature goes (warmer than April or May).
Then again, it is a month that's prone to increasing bursts of rain as winter beckons on the horizon. Average monthly precipitation is way up this month (2.8 inches/70mm), over four times as much as fell in September, and sunshine hours are down to just five on average per day. Like March, November will be a bit of a lottery where the weather is concerned, and will likely give you some good days and some dreary ones.
For more on weather this month, see Greece in November: Travel Tips, Weather, & More.
Crowds & Costs
It might not be winter just yet, but November is low season. Many flights have stopped for the season (and will not start again until next March/April), and similarly, many restaurants and bars have closed up for the year. Hotels and restaurants that do remain open are already, come November, likely to offer much better deals than they did even last month.
Visitor levels have dropped right off too: you will not need to be concerned about dozens of other people straying into your photo frame and grabbing that last sea-facing restaurant table as you would even two or three months ago.
Where to Go
It is best to prepare yourself for a broad range of trip ideas on a November visit to Santorini. See-saw weather will still throw up the odd dry sunny day when you theme your day out more around being close to the beach and the sea but also, increasingly, damp blustery days best suited for cultural/indoors activities.
Overall, the key destination this month is Santorini's clifftop capital Fira, where you can glean riveting insights into the island's special archaeology at two wonderful museums, Archaeological Museum of Santorini and the Museum of Prehistoric Thera. This way, you are also handily close to the best of the beach resorts at Kamari and Perissa.
You could also head to Oia, high above the caldera slopes of Santorini's volcano. It's one of the most photographed places in all of Greece, with its white-walled, blue-domed architecture especially appealing when free of high season crowds.
Fill up any drab November days tapping into Santorini's winemaking heritage. When visiting the wineries, go for Aidini, Assyrtiko, and Athiri if you are into whites, and Mandilaria and Mavrotragano if reds are more your thing. One of the best wineries to visit is Santo Wines near Pyrgos, whilst the Koutsoyannopoulos Wine Museum just a couple of miles outside Fira gives a fascinating overview of this region's viticultural legacy, and is housed in a cave!
For a longer excursion, the must-do trip is to the ancient Minoan city of Akrotiri in the island's southwest. Sometimes referred to as the “Pompeii of the Aegean,” it stands out as a historic sight of the Greek islands. Its ruins are impressively intact and have yielded extensive pottery finds, plus there are frescoes and a complex drainage system illustrating just how advanced this civilization was for its time.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
What to Do
November is definitely a month for food and drink lovers on Santorini. The island's restaurants one of the best ways of beating any inclement weather: check out highly regarded restaurants like Kokkalo in Fira or Lauda in Oia. When searching for your dinner, seek out tomato keftedes, deep-fried tomato balls that encapsulate the essence of local diet, and the Santorini specialty, spelt pie. Furthermore, the year's wine barrels are just being opened with the latest of Santorini's viticultural offerings as of the end of last month.
This is a good month, believe it or not, for water-based activities, if you like having the water to yourself. There are good opportunities for sea kayaking, as well as some beautiful black and white sand beaches which at this time of year will be almost deserted. If you'd rather stick to dry land, try hiking (the cooler November weather means you won't get unbearably hot) with the cliff path between Fira and Oia a great introduction to the island's trails. Most of Santorini's paths pass an idyllic church at some point: handy if the rain suddenly descends!
And then there are the wet weather options, which are far more numerous on Santorini, fortunately, than they are on the majority of Greek islands. In Fira and Oia alike there are superb museums giving insights into the island's prolific archaeological output and its storied maritime heritage. There are mesmeric ruins to visit, castles to hike to and photogenic windmills to see.
November Events
Feast day of St. Anargyros November 1. Celebrated in Messaria.
Michaelmas (Feast of Synaxis of the Archangels) November 8. This Greek Orthodox tradition features church parades and feasting.
Feast day of St. Minas November 11. Celebrated in Fira.
Feast day of St Ioannis November 13. Celebrated in Imerovigli.
Traveling to Santorini in November? Check out these great itineraries.
Discover Santorini - 3 Days. Hit major hotspots on this quick three-day tour of Santorini's most beautiful and iconic sites. Spend your Greek getaway taking in the white-topped cliffs and caldera views, cruising around the island's shores, wine tasting, and enjoying sunsets to remember.
Best of Greece - 14 Days. Travel for two weeks across a wide span of Greece's top attractions, from the clifftops of Meteora to the Cretan seaside. You'll start by winding your way through the many columns of mainland historic attractions like ancient Delphi and Olympia. Go out to sea to Santorini for a taste of the Cyclades, then end your trip in Crete's second-largest city.
More Information
Santorini in December
Santorini in October
Hidden Gems of Santorini
Best Time to Visit Greece
How Many Days Should You Spend on Santorini?