Thanksgiving Weekend in Oia, Greece – Blue Domes, Greek Cuisine, & More

We have a way of always visiting places in the offseason and heading to Greece for Thanksgiving was no exception. People thought we were crazy when we told them we were going to spend our holidays in Santorini, but I think it may have been our best decision yet!

Last Christmas vacation we spent a week in the Arctic Circle of Norway, where it was definitely the offseason. Snow was knee deep and driving was an adventure in itself. But we got to see the Northern Lights and experience the country without tourists around every bend. Similar to that vacation, Greece was a stress-free, relaxing, and tourist FREE experience and I highly recommend visiting during this time of the year.

While I kinda sorta had a plan for things I wanted to see, do, eat, and more, I didn’t have high expectations because I figured that most things would be closed for the offseason – which ended up being accurate. This trip was actually very slow paced and relaxing for us…something that we’re not used to, but it was refreshing. We not only celebrated Thanksgiving but also our one-year (vow exchange) anniversary, and Greece was the perfect place to do that.

First Impressions

Let me describe my impressions of Greece for you and a few bits of information to start off this post:

It’s picturesque. You cannot take a bad picture of any place in Oia, Santorini, or anywhere on the island. By the way, Santorini is the entire island, and Oia is the very northern village. Oia is pronounced Ia (ee-ah). The “o” is silent.

It’s a cat haven. Dog’s don’t rule here. I’m not a cat fan, but these ones are pretty cute and don’t bother you too much.

“I am Steve, the cat whisperer”

Greek women are outspoken to a fault. I prefer the sweet ol’ Greek men in this case.

It’s extremely romantic. You can probably see why many people honeymoon, take their anniversary trip, or just come here as a couple.

Food is expensive. Wine is even more expensive – and we bought the local wine (because it was the cheapest). Italy has completely spoiled me when it comes to the price of a bottle of wine.

I loved Greece and everything about it. I want to go back and go island hopping, explore Rhodes and the medieval castle, visit Athens, and so much more! But for now, let’s discover more of Oia and delve into our long Thanksgiving weekend on the island of Santorini. At the end of this post, you will find a map that I’ve put together to consolidate the main attractions and places to eat!

How to Get There

We flew from Milan Malpensa (MXP), which is 2.5 hours from our home in Vicenza, Italy. In the end, it may not have been worth the drive, autostrada tolls, and the amount of gas used, but it saved us money up front. From Malpensa to Athens we flew on Aegean Airlines – luxury compared to RyanAir! Without paying extra we were seated together and were allowed a normal sized carry on plus a personal item. Our flight to Athens on Aegean Airlines was so nice. We were given a full meal and drinks which were completely unexpected. I didn’t think European flights even had those perks in economy anymore!

The airport parking that we used, and one that I use at most airports that we fly out of, is Ciao Parking. It’s unsheltered parking but it’s only 8€ a day and there is a free shuttle to and from the airport. However, you will have to give up your keys, which is more convenient for us anyways. You can reserve spots in advance online here.

Our flight from Athens to Santorini was less than 45 minutes long and we were given light snacks during this time. It was around 4 pm when we left Athens and the view of the sunset, the colors, and the contrasts were breathtaking. When we arrived on the island of Santorini, we exited the plane and immediately noticed the whitewashed buildings. The Santorini Airport is very (very) small. We walked out of the airport and found our private transfer, which was booked in advance through our hotel. He was patiently waiting for us with a sign that said Mr. & Mrs. Bowers and with a friendly smile as we walked up!

Where to Stay

I booked our flights and hotel stay as a package through Expedia. I’m not usually a package type of gal, but this was by far the cheapest option for our trip and the one with the best flight times. Delfini Villas in Oia exceeded my expectations. During the season the prices are outrageous, and I feel so lucky to have visited during November when the prices are much more reasonable. Plus, it’s a prime location! Our room was right off the main road, meaning there weren’t too many stairs to be climbed up or down (you’ll know this is a big deal once you see a picture of the side of Oia)! The balcony of our villa overlooked the Aegean Sea with a fantastic view to the west for sunsets and in the distant a view of the volcano and just the tip of the lighthouse at the south end of Santorini. The room was equipped with everything we would need during our stay: robes, slippers, flip flops, a refrigerator with complimentary water, a water kettle, tea, coffee, and a bottle of local white wine with glasses (cork opener included)! There were a table and chairs inside as well as outside for sitting and enjoying said glasses of wine, coffee, or tea. Our bathroom had a super nice shower with different settings, including rainfall and jets. The bed resembled the Tempurpedic one that we have at home; soft and comfortable. Also included in the room was a radio, tv, and a laptop – none of which we used though.

There are big savings when you book a flight + hotel together. Check them out using my affiliate link code here through Expedia! 

The best part of the entire room was the private hot tub that sat outside on our balcony overlooking the Aegean Sea. We enjoyed many hours in the hot tub, watching the sun set, drinking the local wine, and soaking our muscles by the jets.

In the mornings, the lady of Delfini Villas will bring you breakfast in your room or on your balcony. You have a few selections to choose from and we enjoyed the Greek breakfast the most. It was a very nutritious breakfast and included yogurt with bananas, ham, cheese slices, feta, cake, bread, honey, coffee, and tea. For mornings that you are in a rush and must leave before 8:30, you can request a breakfast “to go”, which means she will bring it the night before and place it in the fridge so it’s ready for you the next morning.

How to Get Around

To get from the airport to Delfini Villas and back, we scheduled a private airport transfer with our hotel for 30€ each way. Oia is a good place for a short stay, in our case a 4-day weekend, but I think anything longer than that amount of time, you’d want to rent a car. During one of our transfers, the roads were under construction since it was not peak tourist season, so keep that in mind if you go in the offseason and rent a car. We opted to stay local, walk around and basically just move at a slower pace. If you’re wanting to get out and see the island more and you have longer than a weekend to spend there, I’d definitely consider renting a car. I personally recommend using rentalcars.com, they’re my one stop shop for car rentals!

During the offseason, the buses were on no set schedule and we were told it could be hours before they ever came. Everywhere we went in Oia was within walking distance. Any tours that you book should also provide hotel pickups. Other than that, I would recommend calling a taxi.

What to Eat

Okay, let’s get to the nitty gritty part here. I know this is what you all came to read. THE. FOOD. Greek food is AMAZING. Sometimes I crave gyros and I know that’s not just me! The food in Greece is even better than you could have imagined. It’s so incredibly fresh and well seasoned.

Typical dishes you will find in Greece include:

• Greek salad
• Gyros
• Moussaka – very traditional layered dish with eggplant, lamb, custard
• Seafood, especially octopus
• Souvlaki, chicken or lamb
• Anything with a side of tzatziki sauce
• Anything covered in olive oil and oregano, maybe with feta cheese sprinkled on top (I’m NOT complaining)

Greek Salad

Gyros Plate

Moussaka

Here are some places I recommend and their dishes that we tried:

• Thalami – dinner, reservations weren’t needed during November
  • Fantastic Greek Salad, Octopus Appetizer
  • Chicken Souvlaki, Pork Souvlaki
  • Free WiFi
    

    Greek Salad

    

    Octopus

    

    Chicken Souvlaki
• Terpsi n Oia – dinner
  • More upscale
  • Incredible seafood risotto
  • Chicken Salad First Course
  • Mussels Appetizer
  • Very expensive cocktails, but amazing Prosecco
  • Free WiFi
  • Fantastic wait staff
• Alkyona Sunset – lunch and dinner, reservations not needed
  • Greek Salad
  • Gyro Special with Chicken
  • Mythos Beer
  • Moussaka Traditional Dish
  • Cheap Cocktails
  • Free WiFi
  • Inexpensive, easily eat for two people under 50€
  • Only accepts cash

• Meteorcafe
  • Cute café in Oia
  • Very expensive cocktails
  • Try the coffee frappe!
  • Great view, seating also across the walkway

• Passaris Bakery
  • Coffees, Iced Frappe
  • Homemade bread and sweet treats
  • Has similar items to a grocery store
  • Good wine here
• Places not open in November, but that I tried to make reservations to and they came highly recommended
  • Lotza for dinner
  • Sunset Taverna Ammoudi
    • Reservations: email info@sunset-ammoudi.gr
    • Operates seasonal from April til beginning of November
    • Down by Ammoudi Bay
  • Santorini Melitini – Authentic Greek Tapas
    • Reservations: email melitinioia@gmail.com
    • Open til 31 October

What to See and Do in Oia

Oia itself is something to marvel over. There are picturesque places everywhere you turn. It’s extremely easy to get lost when you’re walking in the town of Oia. But that’s the beauty of it and during the time that you’re wandering around aimlessly, you’re going to find some magnificent sights. We stumbled upon the most prominent windmill at the north end of the island by total accident. I had no idea it was so significant until I noticed it on every.single.postcard the following days. It’s absolutely beautiful and there was not a soul in sight when we walked up to it.

From this windmill we saw Ammoudi Bay, where I assumed that at least one lunch spot would be open, but to no avail. It was, however, a fantastic spot to photograph the Byzantine Castle Ruins amongst the layers of red volcanic rock and whitewashed buildings at the edge of Oia. While we were down at the bottom, we met a couple from North Dakota and struck up a conversation about the weather, Thanksgiving, and our travels. It felt good to talk to someone from America before heading back up the 250 steep steps to the town. In the summer and during the season, I guarantee Ammoudi Bay is fantastic. The water is so clear you can see the formations at the bottom of the sea. They were doing renovations, but I could see where the restaurants, dive shops, and sailboat and yachts tour offices were.

The many blue domes throughout the village are very popular with visitors, as well as the church that is an iconic landmark at the beginning of Oia, Saint George Church. It stands out as being one of the few buildings that aren’t whitewashed.

Like I mentioned before, this weekend was all about relaxing so we really enjoyed exploring the streets and stopping in at the few open shops to purchase souvenirs for our friends and family. If you’re looking to get out more and explore by foot, there’s a very famous hike along the Caldera from Oia to Fira or vice versa. I did all the research for it, but we ended up not having enough time. Check out all the details here from this blog about the hike. It can take anywhere from 2-5 hours depending on your pace and where you stop along the way. I’ve heard it’s extremely popular!

On Saturday we took a half-day catamaran cruise around the island to explore the various beaches. But I’ll save all that information for another post! We booked it through Get Your Guide if you’re interested. You can find that same tour here.

Atlantis Book Store is a quaint, quirky little shop that wasn’t open during the day when we walked through, but finally opened later that night. Inside are English books of Greek stories and so much more. The main storekeeper wasn’t there as he was out traveling. I overheard his assistant telling another customer that every book in this store has been collected from places all over the world. It’s a fascinating place with not just books, but also journals, postcards, and little knick-knacks.

While walking through Oia, we passed many donkeys, mules, and horses carrying loads of supplies on their backs. I was paying particular attention to the way that they were handling the animals and they all looked extremely healthy and I never once saw any signs of abuse or anyone riding them the entire time we were there.

And last but definitely not least of all, the best thing to do in Oia is to watch the sunset. People come from all over the island to watch the sunset in Oia, but we had the best view from our hot tub at Delfini Villas, and we didn’t have to fight the crowds. No matter where you are in the village, you’re guaranteed to have an amazing view of the sunset.

Why White?

You can spot Santorini, and especially Oia from far away thanks to its distinct whitewashed buildings. These buildings are made up of volcanic materials from the volcano that lies on the western side of the island. Some think that the blue doors and domes mixed with the white walls resemble the flag of Greece, and while that’s not wrong, they simply painted the buildings white to keep them cool on the inside. And because it was the cheapest paint color at the time.

Why Blue?

You’ll undoubtedly notice the numerous blue domes, blue doors, and blue eyes hanging in doorways and plastered on walls as you walk down the paths. The blue eyes are evil eye amulets. An amulet is a protection from anyone who doesn’t have your best interest and intentions at heart. It helps to safeguard you against envious people. The evil eye amulet originated in Turkey and is very common in the surrounding countries. The color blue is not only a calming color, but also a color symbolizing protection, which is why you will see many doors, church domes, and entrances of buildings painted blue.

Oia is a beautiful place, perfect for a getaway trip. You can’t go wrong with spending your holidays in Oia Santorini. I can’t wait to go back and explore more of the island as well as the rest of Greece. I hope you’ve found some great information throughout this guide and learned some interesting things about the island of Santorini! If you did, please let me know in the comments below or give us a share!

XOXO