Greece in Late November

Frank You're right that a lot of resorts and islands will be dead at that time of year. If you do want to do an island you might try Syros. It is the capital of the Cyclades and busy all the year round. natively a day trip from Athens to Aegena would give a sense of island life. Nafplio is well worth a look. A beautiful little town, lively all the year round, and a good base to visit sites on the Peloponnese. You might like to look at our write up of our visits. http://www.greekramblings.org.uk/Nafplio%20overview.html I love Delphi as a site but the town isn't very interesting. It also depends a lot on the weather. You might be lucky in November but, being further north than Athens and in the mountains, it can get cold and wet. Being in Greece out of season is great - we're going to be there for three weeks over Christmas - and I'm sure you'll have a great time. Cheers Alan

The islands pretty much will be shut down, not just quiet. You could visit a bigger main island, like Crete, but it won't be beach weather at all. The weather can be hit or miss. It can be warm and pleasant or cool and rainy. Be prepared. Tourist sites and museums will be quiet. Many hotels will be shut down, for example in Delphi. So plan ahead rather than just showing up and hoping to find places. Delphi is well worth the visit and it won't be any worse than weather in Athens. The town is pretty awful, but the site is amazing. If you drive there yourself, there is no need for a guide. Nafplio is another excellent choice as the town will have much more open and it is a great base for visit Peloponnese sites like Mycaenae, Epidavros, Corinth, Mystras and even Monemvasia. You will need a car to do all these things. Driving in rural Greece is not that bad, but you MUST have an International Drivers Permit and its a good idea to get whatever CDW coverage that is offered.

Frank,

We were on Santorini in the middle do Oct. Hotels, shops, and restaurants were anxiously waiting for the end of tourist season. Staff workers were ready to go home fora well deserved rest. As Doug said it is not only quiet, it is closed up. One worker said there might be 10 restaurants open in Fira through the winter. The cruise ships stop in Oct. You could get a feeling for the way real life is in Greece. We did not go to the Penninsula, but I would suspect it is better able to survive without the rush of summer tourists. This is true for Croatia as well. The warm weather of summer brings travelers from the North.

Thanks for the great feedback! It definitely helps focus my best options.