Santorini in November: Weather, Sunset Times and What’s Still Open

November is the month Santorini changes shape. The cruise ships thin out, the caldera paths empty, and the island settles into the pace the people who live here actually keep. It is also the month most of the big sunset terraces, ours included, close for the winter.

So the honest answer to “is November worth it?” depends on what you want from the trip. This guide covers the weather, the exact sunset times, what stays open and what does not, and how to plan an evening around a sunset that now arrives before five thirty.

Quick Answer: Is November a Good Time to Visit Santorini?

November is a good month for Santorini if you want quiet, low prices and mild walking weather, and a poor one if you want beaches, a full choice of caldera restaurants or reliably calm seas. Expect daytime highs of about 17 to 20°C, a sea around 18 to 20°C, some showers, and a sunset between roughly 5:05 and 5:25 PM. Fira stays open year-round; Oia goes very quiet, and most of its caldera restaurants close until spring.

The rest of this guide is the detail behind that, so you can decide whether November fits your trip or whether you are better off waiting for the new season.

Santorini Weather in November

November is mild rather than warm. The heat of summer is gone, but it rarely turns properly cold, and a sunny November afternoon in the Cyclades is comfortable in a light jumper. What changes most is reliability: the first winter rains arrive, and the wind can pick up quickly.

November average	Typical range
Daytime high	About 17 to 20°C (63 to 68°F)
Night-time low	About 13 to 15°C (55 to 59°F)
Sea temperature	About 18 to 20°C (64 to 68°F)
Rainfall	About 50 to 70 mm across the month, mostly as showers
Daylight	About 10 to 10.5 hours
Sunset	About 5:25 PM on 1 November, about 5:05 PM by the 30th

Weather sources disagree on the details, especially on rain. Published averages for November range from a few rainy days to more than ten, which tells you mainly that it varies a lot from year to year. Plan for at least a couple of grey or showery days and you will not be disappointed.

Can you swim in November? Some people do. The sea holds its summer warmth longer than the air, so early November is still swimmable for anyone used to cool water. By the end of the month most visitors will find it too cold, and the beach bars and sunbed services that make a beach day easy have closed.

What to pack: layers rather than one heavy coat, a windproof jacket, a light rain layer, and shoes with grip. The village paths are polished stone and steps, and they are slippery when wet.

For how November compares with every other month, our guide to the best time to visit Santorini covers the whole year.

Sunset Times in November, and the Five O’Clock Rule

The clocks in Greece went back on Sunday 25 October, so by November the sunset has already jumped an hour earlier. Through the month it keeps creeping back, from around 5:25 PM on the 1st to around 5:05 PM by the 30th. By the end of November it is one of the earliest sunsets of the year.

That changes how you plan the evening, and it is the one thing we would most like November visitors to know. We call it the Five O’Clock Rule: in November, the sunset is an afternoon event, not a dinner event. Be at your viewpoint by about half past four, watch the light go, and treat dinner as what happens afterwards, not the frame around it.

In summer, a caldera dinner and the sunset happen together, which is why we wrote the 45-Minute Rule about timing a table to the light. In November that pairing mostly falls apart. A 5:10 PM sunset would mean a dinner starting around 4:30, which nobody wants, and most of the terraces built for that moment are closed anyway. Plan the sunset on its own and you lose nothing.

For exact times in every month, see our Santorini sunset time guide.

What Is Open in Santorini in November

Santorini does not shut in November, but it shrinks. Most of the businesses that close for winter do so in the last days of October and the first days of November, so the island you find on 5 November looks very different from the one in mid-October. If you are arriving in late October instead, our October guide covers that changeover.

• Fira is the year-round centre. Supermarkets, pharmacies, the bus station, some cafés and a smaller number of restaurants stay open, many of them serving people who live on the island. It is the easiest base for a November stay.
• Oia goes very quiet. Most of its caldera restaurants, bars, shops and hotels close for the season. The village is still beautiful to walk, and the sunset is still there, but plan your meals rather than assuming you will find somewhere.
• Beach areas such as Kamari and Perissa wind down almost completely. Beach bars and sunbed services are closed.
• Hotels fall to a fraction of their summer number. The ones that stay open are often smaller, locally run places, and prices are far lower than in season.
• Ferries and flights run reduced winter schedules, with fewer fast crossings between islands and fewer direct international flights. Leave slack in your plans in case wind cancels a crossing.
• Akrotiri, the Bronze Age town buried by the eruption, stays open on shorter winter hours, typically closing mid-afternoon. Check the official opening hours before you go, as the days and times change with the season.

The common thread: in November, confirm before you go. A restaurant that was open last November may not be this one, and opening hours online are often left over from summer.

Is the Santorini Sunsets Terrace Open in November?

No. Our 2026 season ran from 1 May to 31 October, and the terrace is closed through the winter. We reopen in spring 2027.

We would rather say that plainly than have you climb to the top of Oia for a dinner that is not happening. If you are visiting in November, the sunset from the caldera edge is still yours to watch, and Fira is your best bet for dinner afterwards.

If you are planning ahead for next season, our terrace sits at the highest point of the Oia caldera, looking out over the open caldera to where the sun goes down.

How to Spend a November Evening in Oia

Even with most of the village closed, Oia is worth an afternoon in November, as long as you plan around the early light.

• Arrive in daylight. Come in the early afternoon and walk the main path while the light is good. The lanes are close to empty, which is the opposite of what you would find in August.
• Pick your sunset spot by half past four. In November there is no fight for space, but the light goes quickly once it starts, and the colour after the sun drops is often the best part.
• Bring a layer. Oia is high and exposed, and the temperature falls fast once the sun is down.
• Plan dinner before you leave. Check which restaurants are open that week, or head back to Fira, where you will have more choice.
• Sort your transport in advance. Winter buses run less often, and taxis are fewer. Know how you are getting back before the sun sets.

November, October or Spring: Which Should You Choose?

If November is flexible, it is worth comparing it honestly with the months either side.

• Choose November if quiet and low prices matter more than anything else, and you are happy with mild weather, an early sunset and a smaller choice of places to eat.
• Choose October if you want the same softer light and thinner crowds, but with the sea still warm and most of the island still open, especially in the first half of the month.
• Choose late April to early June if you want the island waking up rather than winding down: everything reopening, long evenings, and the sunset back at dinner time.

For a caldera sunset dinner specifically, spring and early autumn are the better bet. The terraces are open, the sun sets at a civilised hour, and you can still book a front table without the summer scramble. Our guide to the best restaurants in Oia covers how to choose one, and how far ahead to book.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Santorini worth visiting in November?

Yes, if you want a quiet, inexpensive trip with mild weather and do not mind a smaller choice of restaurants and hotels. No, if you want beach days, a busy evening atmosphere or a full choice of caldera terraces, most of which close from the start of November until spring.

What is the weather like in Santorini in November?

Mild and changeable. Daytime highs are typically about 17 to 20°C and nights about 13 to 15°C. Expect some rain, usually as showers rather than all-day downpours, and windy spells. Sunny days are common, but less reliable than in October.

Can you swim in Santorini in November?

The sea is around 18 to 20°C, so early in the month it is swimmable for people comfortable in cool water. By late November most visitors find it too cold, and beach bars and sunbed services are closed.

What time is sunset in Santorini in November?

About 5:25 PM on 1 November, moving earlier to about 5:05 PM by the end of the month. The clocks go back in late October, so November sunsets are an hour earlier than in early October. Plan to be at your viewpoint by about 4:30 PM.

Are restaurants in Oia open in November?

Some are, but most of Oia’s caldera restaurants close for the winter, usually from the start of November until spring. Fira has more year-round options. Always confirm opening days directly before you go, because online hours are often out of date in the off-season.

Is Santorini Sunsets open in November?

No. Our 2026 season ran from 1 May to 31 October, and the terrace reopens in spring 2027. You can message us on WhatsApp to ask about dates for the new season.

Updated October 2026. Weather figures are long-term averages compiled from several sources and vary from year to year. Opening hours change through the off-season, so confirm before you travel.