What to Know When Visiting Athens, Greece With Kids

Last Updated on November 19, 2024 by Leslie Stroud <!– %AUTHOR_NAME% –>

As an incredible collection of over 2,000 islands boasting ancient history, mythology, crystal clear waters, and stunning sights, Greece draws millions of visitors a year.  Take one visit, and it’s not hard to see why!

Seeing Greece with kids can present some challenges, but the history and the food truly make it worth the trip!  The food in Greece is seriously some of the most delicious we’ve ever had, worldwide.  I’m drooling at the memories.

We visited Greece, with our five kids in tow, in August of this summer, when it was blazing hot… and we learned a few things! Despite the heat, we had a great time visiting this ancient epicenter and think it’s a wonderful place to visit as a family.

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Why to Visit Athens as a Family

Like many Mediterranean countries in Europe, the Greeks are family-centered and love kids. Thankfully for our family of seven, youngsters are welcome everywhere and get lots of passes from the locals. Other tourists might not love your little ones running around, but locals are going to love your children!

Athens is often the starting point of a Greek vacation. You can enjoy stunning beaches, fabulous food, and mind-blowing history in Greece, so it’s certainly worth a visit as a family.

Athens, and Greece in general, is usually more affordable compared to other European countries, which only adds to its family-friendly atmosphere.

Visiting Athens With Kids

Chances are you are going to fly into Greece’s main airport, Athens, to begin your journey through the country.  Be sure to take some time to enjoy Athens with kids, even if you are headed out to some of the world-famous Greek islands.

Immersing into history in one of the oldest cities in the world doesn’t top most children’s lists of favorite things to do, but Athens, Greece, is not to be missed when traveling around the world.  We just wrapped up our Greek tour with our five kids as our 48th country! 

We’ve been traveling with kids around the world for a few years and knew our kids were now old enough to appreciate some of the magic of Athens.

Athens is layered in ruins upon ruins.  Like Rome, you really can’t dig anywhere without uncovering ruins of some kind.  While kids don’t get super excited about ruins and history lessons, I’ve got some tips to make your trip more successful with kids in Athens.

When You Should Visit Athens With Kids

Tourist season in Greece generally goes from April to October, lasting even longer on some islands. August is the warmest month, with HIGH temperatures and loads of tourists. However, once the season ends, many hotels close, and islands become practically deserted.

We visited in August and still had a good time, but next time I’ll pick a different month or a more remote island resort to enjoy a less crowded experience.

How to Make Athens More Enjoyable With Kids

1. Hire a Guide.  It’s impossible to know everything a local expert would know about Athens unless you are some kind of significant history buff.  If you’re a regular parent like us, hiring a guide is invaluable!  Not only does it solve the driving issue (I’ve had several people tell me NOT to drive in Athens), but you can relax bit and learn along the way. 

We hired Aristotle Travel for a private, half-day tour in Athens.  They specialize in tours for universities and lean into a Christian approach to tours, which we appreciated. 

We’ve been studying the New Testament this year and were excited to walk where Paul the Apostle did!  Amalia and Dino gave us amazing insight into Athens and the religious history of this famous city. 

Side note: They also do food and wine tours through Gastronauts Greece if this is more your style!  We love traveling through food as well.

2. Prep The Kids With Some Knowledge.  YouTube is my best friend when traveling somewhere new to us that is famous for its history.  In this case, watching a few videos about Greece, kid-friendly Greek Mythology, the Acropolis, etc helps to build excitement to experience these things firsthand.  The night we arrived, we spent about an hour enjoying some YouTube in our hotel room.  The next day, the kids remembered several things we had learned about the night before.

3. Plan Kid-Friendly Activities.  Finding the right balance between adult-oriented and kid-oriented activities can be tricky, but we tend to lean more towards the adult things we want to do and then add some kid-geared “reward activities”.  These can include a children’s museum (Athens has both the Hellenic Children’s Museum and the Museum of Illusions), a museum with child-friendly exhibits (like the Acropolis Museum), or even swimming at the hotel for a few hours.

4. Prepare For The Weather.  We visited Athens in August, which is possibly the worst month of the entire year for visiting Athens!  It’s very crowded and scorching hot.  However, we still had a great time.  We did need plenty of sunscreen and hats for everyone (which we bought in the historic Plaka neighborhood), and we indulged in some gelato or ice cream daily!  This often served as the bribe our kids needed to walk a bit longer or go to another site.  Well worth the money spent on treats!

4. Get Around With FreeNow App.  Taxi drivers can and WILL overcharge you in Athens.  We’d highly recommend using the FreeNow app for taxis.  You’ll get a much better price (sometimes half or less), and you can use a credit card.  

5. Ditch The Strollers.  Ancient ruins are NOT the place for strollers.  Streets in Athens are crowded and uneven.  Go for a baby or toddler carrier.

6. Buy souvenirs in Athens.  If you are venturing out of Athens to other parts of Greece, you’ll see many of the same souvenirs at higher costs.  We followed the advice of some of our social media followers and got our souvenirs in Athens.  The Plaza neighborhood was our favorite for both lunch and shopping!

7. Wear Walking Shoes! You’ll walk a lot. Be sure the kids don’t wear new shoes. Everyone should be wearing broken-in walking shoes that can be comfortably worn all day.

Things to Do in Athens With Kids

Acropolis

The Acropolis, which includes several ancient buildings, including the Parthenon, the temple of Nike, and more, is a must-see for the sheer magnitude of its history. This pinnacle of the city (acro means top and polis means city) can be seen from all over Athens. 

It also attracts thousands of visitors a day.  In the summer months, the heat can be unbearable.  Be sure to GO EARLY and bring plenty of water.  It’s almost entirely exposed to the sun and very dry in the summer months.

Tip: The stones here and on Mars Hill are extremely slippery. Wear shoes with good grip, or you’ll probably end up on your bum! I loved my Chacos.

You can book a guided walking tour in advance with GetYourGuide, or save some money and buy your tour the day of your visit on-site. Bring the passports so you can prove the kid’s birthdays. We booked our walking tour for 20€ each for adults.

Acropolis Museum 

Once your walking visit of the Acropolis is done, head to the Acropolis Museum to explore even more history in A/C! At this museum near the bottom of the Acropolis, you’ll see some uncovered ruins and have the option for family tours. Whether you are traveling with kids or not, you’ll want to note the Lego build of the Acropolis! The young and young-at-heart will find this model so cool to see.

Walk Syntagma Square 

See the changing of the guards, do some shopping, and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city. Our kids loved seeing the unique uniforms of the Athens military, including the clog-like shoes and the almost dance-like movements they perform each hour.

Head Up at Lycabettus Hill 

Take the funicular up and have lunch at Orizontes, as recommended to us by Aristotle Travel.  Explore the church and take in the views.

Walk the National Gardens

In the summer, you can see parrots, which, according to our guide, Amalia, eat trash!  They have flourished here.

Explore the Stavros Marches Cultural Center

The Athens Library and Opera Center combine here in a stunning building with an entire glass wall.

Snack in the Little Kook Cafe

A whimiscal, fairytale-themed cafe that kids will adore! Staff costumes change based on the time of year, and you can enjoy coffee, teas, hot chocolates, cupcakes, and more! Alcohol is also available.

Take a Drive Around the City

We enjoyed seeing the city by car with Aristotle Travel.  You can also drive along the Athenian Riviera all the way to the lake in Vouliagmeni for a dip and a nice meal.

Take in the Sunset

Visit the Temple of Sounio, famous for sunset views and about 1.5 hours from Athens by car.  You can go with a group here.

Go Shopping in Athens with Kids

Our kids love shopping in new places, as do we!  We loved the Plaka neighborhood, but there are Las the Athens Meat and Fish Market, the Monastiraki Flea Market, the Thissio neighborhood, and more.

Channel Your Olympian at the Panathenaic Stadium

Home to the Olympic torch for many years, this stadium will impress your little visitors. For a small fee, you can go inside and run where the Olympians have run!

Side note: There is a public restroom here, but it does cost 0.50€ (like most public bathrooms in Athens).

Take a Day Cruise 

Aristotle Travel recommends this swimming cruise to three islands, which looks stunning!  If swimming isn’t your thing, check out this three-island cruise for some island exploring.

Try these options:

• Discover the islands of Hydra, Poros, and Aegina on a full-day cruise from Athens. Soak in the views of the Greek coast from the open deck of a cruise ship while relishing a buffet lunch on board.
• Enjoy the sunset in Athens on a half-day Sunset Catamaran Cruise. Spend your afternoon relaxing and sailing on a modern sailing boat from Athens. See a majestic sunset on the Saronic Gulf. Traditional Greek food will be served while you sail.

What to Eat in Athens With Kids

Traveling through our stomachs is one of our favorite modes of travel, and Greece offers some fantastic destinations!

Overall, Greek food is healthy, delicious, wholesome, and yummy.  Think grilled meats, yogurt-based sauces, honeycomb, incredible olive oil, fresh vegetables, cheeses, and more.

Here are a few of the recommended places to eat in Athens with kids. Aristotle Travel offers many more delicious solutions when you do a food tour with them:

• Overall Croissanterie.  Grab some yummy croissants, and don’t forget to take photos of the beautiful food before you eat.

• Annie’s Fine Cooking.  Michelin-rated modern Greek food in an attractive neighborhood.

Other Ideas of Things to Do in Athens With Kids

When traveling with kids, it’s helpful to have a lot of options of destinations and activities to choose from to go with the flow of the moods and schedules. Here are some suggestions!

• Go for a Guided Mythological Walking Tour.
• Day Trip to Delphi and Arachova to discover the Oracle of Delphi and marvel at the Parnassus mountains.
• Enjoy more tastes of Greece by taking the Original Greek Food Tour.

Where to Stay in Athens With Kids

Thinking about where to stay? Here are some top-rated hotels around Athens:

• Sofitel Athens Airport is located in Spata-Artemida and is connected to the airport. It is a 13-minute drive to Attica Zoological Park.

• Holiday Inn Athens Attica Av. Airport West is situated in Paiania and connected to the convention center. It is close to the Acropolis and Parthenon.

• Athens Marriott Hotel is in the business district. Some nearby notable landmarks are The Temple of Olympian Zeus and Filopappos Hill.

Where Else To Visit In Greece With Kids

Outside of Athens, families typically visit these areas of Greece:

The Cycladic Islands

These are the islands you probably picture when you think of Greece. Think Santorini and Mykanos. These islands have darling old towns, beaches, and archaeological sites.

Crete

This large island is a destination in itself. Cruise ships don’t tend to go here, and it hosts some fabulous family-friendly resorts.

Corfu

A beautiful island for families with more mythological sites to explore and beautiful beaches. Be sure to visit the Bay of Paleokastritsa with its massive cliffs and sheltered coves.

Rhodes

This is probably our favorite island, with an incredible old town to explore. You can feel like you are an ancient knight of Rhodes preparing to fight off the encroaching army siege! Visit the Acropolis of Lindos for stunning views, and hit up the 9-D historical film to get the kids into the history of the area.

Mainland Greece: The North

The north of Greece hosts some fantastic sites, such as the Sanctuary of Delphi and the monasteries of Meteora.

The Peloponnese Region

Venetian Castles, historical sites, and bike tours are just some of the plentiful options for things to do in this area of Greece.

Other Tips for Visiting Greece With Kids

• Traveling between islands by ferry is easy and common, but it can really add up. When we were shopping our trip, ferries were running about $100 per pax, which means $700 each time, so we opted for a Greek cruise to see some of the islands. While we don’t love seeing a new place by cruise, it allowed us to see several islands and not have to pack and re-pack repeatedly.

• Athens has older plumbing, and you should not flush toilet paper.

• Public bathrooms cost a small fee. This is common around Europe.

• The old cities are overwhelmed with tourists when cruise ships are in town. If you are exploring these cities, try to avoid sightseeing during the 10 am-3 pm (ish) time period when cruise ships are at port. During these hours, you may prefer to explore other parts of the islands you are visiting to avoid the crowds.

Hope you enjoy Athens as much as we do!

Xoxo,

Leslie

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