November is when Athens gets its rain back. After months of dry heat that peaked at 35°C in July, the city cools to daytime highs around 19°C (67°F) and lows near 12°C (53°F). Good weather for walking the Acropolis, not for swimming at Vouliagmeni. About 85mm of rain falls across roughly 9 days, often in short afternoon bursts that clear within an hour, though the occasional all-day grey spell does settle in. The air smells different in November. Wet stone and roasting chestnuts from the vendors who set up near Syntagma Square.
November has one genuine headline event. The Athens Authentic Marathon, typically held on the second Sunday, follows the original 490 BC route from the town of Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium in Pangrati. Around 20,000 runners from over 100 countries register most years. Even if you are not running, the race-weekend energy shifts the city's rhythm, with road closures across central Athens and spectators lining the final stretch through Koukaki.
Beyond the marathon, November settles into a slower pace that rewards curiosity. The Benaki Museum on Koumbari Street runs its winter exhibition programme, and small galleries in Metaxourgeio tend to open new shows as the cultural season picks up. Taverna kitchens pivot to heavier dishes. Trachanas soup and braised goat appear on chalkboard menus in Exarchia. The laiki street markets in Pagrati and Kypseli fill with pomegranates, fresh-pressed olive oil, and wild greens pulled from the hillsides of Attica after the first rains. It is a month that feels lived-in rather than performed for visitors.
Why visit in November
- Accommodation rates drop significantly from summer peaks, making central neighborhoods like Monastiraki, Koukaki, and Psyrri far more accessible for budget-conscious travelers.
- The Acropolis and other major archaeological sites have minimal queues. A 10-minute wait in November replaces the 60-90 minute summer lines.
- Daytime temperatures around 19°C (67°F) are comfortable for walking Athens's hilly terrain without the dehydration risk that July's 35°C brings.
- The Athens Authentic Marathon on the second Sunday draws 20,000+ runners and gives the city a focused, international energy for race weekend.
- Seasonal food peaks. New-pressed olive oil, roasted chestnuts, wild greens, and pomegranates appear at markets across the city.
Worth knowing
- November's 85mm of rainfall is the second-highest month after December's 101mm. You will almost certainly lose 2-3 days to grey skies or steady rain.
- Daylight hours are noticeably shorter. Sunset arrives around 17:15, cutting afternoon sightseeing short, especially at open-air archaeological sites.
- Sea temperature drops to around 18-19°C. Beach infrastructure along the Athens Riviera shuts down for the season.
- Ferry schedules to popular Cycladic islands like Mykonos and Santorini switch to winter timetables in early November, with some routes down to 2-3 departures per week.
Best for
Think twice if
November marks the start of Athens's wet season after the near-bone-dry summer. Daytime highs average 19.2°C (67°F), dropping to 11.8°C (53°F) overnight. Humidity sits around 73%. The 85mm of rainfall tends to arrive in concentrated afternoon bursts rather than all-day drizzle, though you might get 2-3 consecutively grey days. Morning fog occasionally rolls in from the Saronic Gulf. The 9 rainy days still leave roughly 21 days that are dry or partly sunny, and those clear November days in Athens feel some of the city's most pleasant, with warm-enough sun and cool-enough air to walk for hours without overheating.
Year-round climate
Averages from the last 5 years.
| Month | Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | 6 | 62 |
| Feb | 14 | 6 | 45 |
| Mar | 16 | 8 | 34 |
| Apr | 20 | 11 | 38 |
| May | 25 | 16 | 36 |
| Jun | 31 | 21 | 25 |
| Jul | 35 | 24 | 8 |
| Aug | 33 | 24 | 16 |
| Sep | 29 | 20 | 18 |
| Oct | 23 | 15 | 27 |
| Nov | 19 | 12 | 85 |
| Dec | 15 | 9 | 101 |
Headline events
Athens Authentic Marathon
Second Sunday of November
The original marathon, following the 490 BC route from the town of Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens, covering 42.195 km through eastern Attica. Around 20,000 runners from over 100 countries take part, with 5km and 10km events for shorter distances. The finish inside the 1896 Olympic stadium is one of the most iconic in road running.
Best things to do in November
Walk the Acropolis and south slope without summer crowds
sightseeingNovember's low visitor numbers mean the Parthenon, Erechtheion, and the Theatre of Dionysus on the south slope can be explored at your own pace. The Propylaea entrance that backs up for over an hour in July tends to clear in under 10 minutes. Late-morning light hits the Caryatid porch from the east, which photographers prefer.
Visitor numbers drop sharply after October, and the 19°C daytime temperature makes the exposed hilltop comfortable rather than punishing.Booking tipBuy the combined archaeological sites ticket, which covers 7 sites over 5 days, including the Ancient Agora and Kerameikos.
Run or spectate the Athens Authentic Marathon
sportThe 42.195 km course from the town of Marathon descends through eastern Attica and finishes inside the marble Panathenaic Stadium, the 1896 Olympic venue. The route passes through Rafina, Nea Makri, and Pallini before entering central Athens. A 5km and 10km event run the same weekend for those who want a shorter distance.
The race is held on the second Sunday of November. Registration typically opens in March and sells out months before race day.Booking tipBook accommodation in Pangrati or Mets for walking distance to the Panathenaic Stadium finish line.
Explore the Varvakeios Agora central market
foodAthens's main food market on Athinas Street is loud, wet, and worth the sensory overload. The fish hall smells of brine and iodine. The meat section hangs whole carcasses. The surrounding streets hold spice shops, olive vendors, and dried-goods stalls that have operated from the same spots for decades.
November brings agourelaio (fresh-pressed olive oil), pomegranates, and wild greens to the stalls, all at peak quality and low-season prices.Booking tipGo before 10:00 on a weekday morning for the fullest stalls and the fewest tourists.
Day trip to Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion
day_tripThe 5th-century BC temple sits on a cliff 65 meters above the Saronic Gulf at the southern tip of the Attica peninsula, about 70 km from central Athens. November's clear post-rain light and empty site make for a different visit than the crowded summer sunsets. The KTEL bus from Pedion tou Areos runs the coastal route in about 2 hours.
Summer tour buses thin out dramatically, and November's lower sun angle creates sharper shadows on the remaining Doric columns.Booking tipThe last return bus leaves Sounion around 17:00 in winter. Check KTEL Attikis schedules before heading out.
Visit the National Archaeological Museum
museumGreece's largest archaeological museum on 28is Oktovriou Street in Exarchia holds the Mycenaean gold collection, including the Mask of Agamemnon, plus the Antikythera mechanism and bronze sculptures from shipwrecks. The building itself dates to 1889. A full visit takes 3-4 hours.
Weekday afternoons in November are some of the quietest of the year, giving space to linger in the Cycladic and Egyptian collections without navigating tour groups.Walk the Ancient Agora and Stoa of Attalos
sightseeingThe reconstructed Stoa of Attalos shelters the Agora Museum, with pottery, coins, and a 4th-century BC water clock. The surrounding ruins include the Temple of Hephaestus, the best-preserved Greek temple in existence. Paths wind through olive and pomegranate trees that are still bearing fruit in November.
The 19°C temperatures make the exposed site comfortable, and November pomegranates on the ancient trees add a visual contrast against the marble.Eat your way through Psyrri and the Central Athens food scene
foodPsyrri's narrow streets between Ermou and Evripidou hold a concentration of mezedopolia, ouzeries, and newer restaurants. Karamanlidika, a deli-restaurant on Sokratous Street, serves pastourma and soutzouki from recipes that Cappadocian Greeks brought to Athens in the 1920s population exchange. Nearby Evripidou Street smells of cumin, dried oregano, and mahlab from its row of spice shops.
November's cooler evenings make sitting in these small, warm interiors more appealing than in summer, when everyone eats outdoors and the indoor kitchens overheat.Hike Lycabettus Hill at sunset
outdoorsThe 277-meter limestone hill in Kolonaki offers a 360-degree view of Athens, from the Acropolis and Piraeus port to the Saronic Gulf islands. The footpath from the Kolonaki side takes about 20 minutes at a moderate pace. November sunsets happen around 17:15, so timing the walk is easier than in summer's late-evening light.
Post-rain November skies tend to produce dramatic cloud formations and sharper visibility across to the Peloponnese, conditions that summer haze blocks.What to eat in November
In season: fruit
Rodia (pomegranate)
Peak ripeness in November. Attica-grown pomegranates appear split open at market stalls, their deep red seeds used in salads, squeezed for fresh juice, and scattered on desserts. The fruit also has symbolic weight in Greek culture, traditionally broken on New Year's thresholds.
On menus now
Horta (wild greens)
November rains trigger the first wild harvest from the hillsides around Attica. Boiled, dressed with fresh olive oil and lemon, the greens appear on nearly every taverna menu as a side dish. The slight bitterness pairs well with grilled fish. Common varieties include vlita, radikia, and stamnagathi.
Trachanas
A thick fermented-grain soup made with cracked wheat and sour milk, served when the temperature drops below 15°C. Tavernas in Pangrati and Exarchia start putting it on their menus in November. The texture is porridge-like, tangy from the fermentation, and it typically comes with a crumble of feta and a drizzle of olive oil on top.
Street food peaks
Kastana (roasted chestnuts)
Street vendors set up near Syntagma Square and along Ermou Street in November, selling warm paper cones of fire-roasted chestnuts. The smell of the charcoal braziers is one of the first signs that Athens has shifted into its cooler season.
In markets
Agourelaio (new-season olive oil)
The first press of the November olive harvest produces this vivid green, peppery oil with a bite at the back of the throat. Varvakeios Agora stalls and neighborhood laiki markets stock it fresh. Ask for agourelaio specifically, as the year-old bottles at tourist shops taste nothing like it.
Regular events in November
Thessaloniki International Film Festival screenings in Athens
Several films from the Thessaloniki International Film Festival (held in early November) receive encore screenings at Athens cinemas later in the month, typically at venues like the Danaos Cinema in Ambelokipi or Astor Cinema on Stadiou Street.
Late NovemberPolytechneio anniversaryFree
On November 17, Athens commemorates the 1973 student uprising at the National Technical University (Polytechneio) on Patission Street. A large march proceeds from the campus to the US Embassy on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue. Central streets, particularly around Exarchia, see closures and occasionally tense gatherings. Not a tourist event, but it affects logistics.
November 17Athens Art Week gallery openingsFree
Galleries in Metaxourgeio, Psyrri, and Kolonaki coordinate openings as part of the autumn cultural calendar. The Breeder gallery on Iasonos Street, Bernier/Eliades on Eptachalkou Street, and The Apartment on Dimitrakopoulou in Koukaki typically participate.
Mid to late NovemberBest places this November
Acropolis and Parthenon
archaeological_siteNovember's thin crowds and mild temperatures make the exposed hilltop site comfortable to explore at length. The Acropolis Museum at the base holds the original Caryatids and the Parthenon frieze panels that remain in Greece.
MakrigianniNational Archaeological Museum
museumThe Mycenaean gold collection, Antikythera mechanism, and 1889 neoclassical building. Weekday afternoons in November are notably quiet.
ExarchiaVarvakeios Agora (Central Market)
marketAthens's main food market on Athinas Street. Fish, meat, spices, and the November arrivals of agourelaio, pomegranates, and horta from the surrounding Attica countryside.
MonastirakiAncient Agora and Stoa of Attalos
archaeological_siteThe Temple of Hephaestus, the reconstructed 2nd-century BC Stoa, and the Agora Museum. Pomegranate trees on the grounds bear fruit into November.
ThissioKerameikos Archaeological Site
archaeological_siteAthens's ancient cemetery and city-gate ruins, west of Monastiraki. Far fewer visitors than the Acropolis even in summer. In November you might have the Sacred Way path entirely to yourself.
KerameikosBenaki Museum (main building)
museumGreek art and culture from prehistory to the 20th century, housed in the Benakis family mansion on Koumbari Street near Syntagma. The rooftop cafe overlooks the National Garden.
KolonakiPanathenaic Stadium
landmarkThe marble stadium rebuilt for the 1896 Olympics, and the finish line of the Athens Authentic Marathon. You can walk on the track and sit in the stands. Worth visiting on marathon weekend to catch the race atmosphere.
PangratiAnafiotika
neighborhoodA cluster of whitewashed Cycladic-style houses built into the north slope of the Acropolis by stonemasons from Anafi island in the 1840s-1860s. The narrow paths feel like a village dropped onto the hillside. Bougainvillea still blooms into early November.
Plaka
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Insider tips
The Acropolis combined ticket covers 7 archaeological sites (Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Kerameikos, Roman Agora, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian's Library, and Aristotle's Lyceum) and is valid for 5 days. In November, you have time to visit all 7 without competing for entry slots.
Marathon weekend brings road closures across central Athens on the race Sunday. Vasilissis Sofias, Panepistimiou, and Amalias Avenue close from early morning until mid-afternoon. Plan indoor activities or position yourself near the Panathenaic Stadium to watch finishers.
November 17 (Polytechneio anniversary) shuts down streets around Exarchia and the march route to the US Embassy. Avoid driving in central Athens that evening, and expect metro station closures at Omonia and Syntagma.
The laiki (street market) in Pagrati runs on Friday mornings along Laskou and Archimidous streets. November's stalls have the year's first agourelaio olive oil, and vendors let you taste before buying.
Athens tap water is drinkable and comes from the Mornos reservoir in central Greece. No need to buy bottled water.
Avoid these mistakes
- Packing only for warm weather. November mornings at 12°C and evening rain catch travelers who assume Mediterranean means permanently warm. Layers and a waterproof jacket prevent miserable afternoons.
- Booking a day trip to Santorini or Mykonos without checking the winter ferry schedule. By early November, routes drop to 2-3 departures per week, and rough seas in the Aegean can cancel sailings on short notice.
- Trying to drive in central Athens on the marathon Sunday or on November 17. Both events close major avenues for hours. The metro stays running and is a better option.
- Skipping the Ancient Agora for the Acropolis. The Temple of Hephaestus inside the Agora is the best-preserved classical Greek temple anywhere, and it gets a fraction of the Acropolis visitors. The combined ticket covers both.
- Assuming all restaurants in Plaka represent Athenian food. Many Plaka tavernas cater to tourist expectations with inflated prices and simplified menus. Walk 10 minutes into Pangrati or Koukaki for kitchens serving locals.
Practical tips for November
Book accommodation in Koukaki, Pangrati, or Psyrri for walkable access to the Acropolis, Panathenaic Stadium, and central dining without Plaka's tourist markup. The Athens metro (Line 2 from Syntagma to Acropoli, Line 1 from Monastiraki to Piraeus) covers most visitor needs. November's reduced daylight means outdoor sites like the Acropolis and Ancient Agora close earlier, typically by 17:00, so start archaeological visits before noon. If you are attending the marathon, spectator spots along the final 3 km from Agia Paraskevi Church to the Panathenaic Stadium are free. Check the KTEL Attikis bus schedule if planning a Sounion or Marathon day trip, as winter timetables reduce frequency. Restaurant reservations are rarely needed in November except on marathon weekend.
FAQ
Is November too cold for sightseeing in Athens?
Not at all. Daytime highs average 19°C, which is comfortable for walking the Acropolis and other exposed sites. Mornings and evenings drop to around 12°C, so bring a sweater and a light jacket. The heat that makes July sightseeing physically draining is gone.
Does it rain a lot in Athens in November?
November averages about 85mm across 9 rainy days. The rain usually falls in short afternoon bursts rather than all-day drizzle, so most mornings start dry. That said, you might get 2-3 consecutively grey days. A waterproof jacket and umbrella handle it.
Can I still visit the Greek islands from Athens in November?
You can, but options narrow. Ferries to Hydra, Aegina, and Poros in the Saronic Gulf run year-round with decent frequency from Piraeus. Cycladic routes to Mykonos and Santorini drop to winter timetables with 2-3 departures per week, and rough-sea cancellations become more common.
Is the Athens Marathon worth attending as a spectator?
The finish inside the 1896 Panathenaic Stadium is genuinely moving. The marble stadium holds about 45,000 spectators, and entry is free. The final 3 km through Mets and Pangrati also draw local crowds. The atmosphere is more emotional than commercial compared to larger city marathons.
What food should I try in Athens in November?
Look for agourelaio, the vivid green first-press olive oil from the November harvest, at Varvakeios Agora or any laiki market. Roasted chestnuts from street vendors near Syntagma are a seasonal constant. Trachanas soup (fermented wheat and sour milk) appears on taverna menus when the temperature drops. Wild greens (horta) dressed with lemon and olive oil show up as a side dish at nearly every neighborhood taverna.
Things to Do in Athens in November
Free cancellation All Day Cruise -3 Islands to Agistri,Moni, Aegina with lunch and drinks included
Day trip — 10 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Best of Athens Half Day Private Tour
Day trip — free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Cape Sounion and Temple of Poseidon Half-Day Small-Group Tour from Athens
Day trip — free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Athens Full Day Private Tour
Day trip — 8 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Athens All Included: Acropolis and Museum Guided Tour with Ticket
Day trip — 3 hours, free cancellation.
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Free cancellation Athens cruise: Agistri, Moni/Metopi, Aegina with lunch & drinks
Day trip — 10 hours, free cancellation.
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