Key Takeaways
- The starting point of your visit to Athens with kids should be the exploration of Athens' landmarks and archaeological sites.
- Many museums in the city offer creative and fun activities for young kids, such as the Benaki Museum and the Emotions Museum of Childhood.
- To bring your kids close to nature, stroll the National Garden of Athens, home to 500 different plants from around the world.
- To introduce your kids to nutritious and delicious Greek cuisine, you can book a food tour around Athens customized to you.
Are you visiting Athens with kids? Did you know that Athens offers an unlimited number of family activities that make it the ideal destination for your yearly family holidays?
If not, then get on board and follow us to the amazing kid-friendly world Athens has to offer to your little ones. Explore Athens, and there won't be a minute wasted from the minute you touch foot at Athens airport!
Visit the Athens landmarks
Families admiring the Odeon of Herodes Atticus on the Acropolis of Athens, Greece - credits: Kirk-Fisher/Shutterstock.com
If your kids have read anything about Greek mythology at school, they will be extremely curious to see what this fuss is all about and tell their friends how amazing the Acropolis and the Parthenon are.
The first thing you need to do with your kids when you start to explore Athens is to wander around the city center and visit the landmarks of Athens.
Starting from Syntagma Square, climb the rocky Acropolis hill, visit the new Acropolis museum (both of which are within walking distance from one another and you can enjoy on our Mythology tour), stroll around the Plaka neighborhood, and admire the largest temple in ancient Greece, the temple of Zeus, dedicated to the father of Greek gods.
Moreover, visit the ancient Agora and the impressive Panathenaic Stadium, where the first modern Olympic Games took place.
You can also join our family-friendly mythological walking tour of Athens that includes a visit to the Acropolis Museum, and let your kids -and yourself- be amazed by the enigmatic nature of ancient Athens and the tales of Greek Mythology associated with it.
Of course, it is also worth visiting the Stavros Niarchos Cultural Center, which despite not being a part of ancient Greek history, is also fascinating. The SNCC hosts an impressive library as well as the Greek National Opera, while it hosts cultural events several days a week.
Play and learn in a Museum
How about making the learning process fun while visiting Athens with kids? Many museums in the city offer creative and fun activities for young kids.
Firstly, visit the Acropolis museum to discover the ancient world and take part in any of the family programs or team up with the kids to do the activities from the family backpack provided by the museum.
Then, let your kids admire their peers’ work in 7.000 pieces of children's art in the Children's Art Museum. They can also get the opportunity to cook their own cookies or make huge water bubbles in the Hellenic Children's Museum.
One more thing to add to your museum tour is to walk the oldest street in Athens Tripodon Street in Plaka Area, to discover the Museum of School Life and Education; your kids will go back in time, play old children's games, and make their own pottery toys.
Also, a nice way to spend your Sunday morning is to go to the Hellenic Cosmos Cultural Centre, where you can keep your kids busy with interactive programs that raise awareness about important issues like diversity and recycling.
The next spot on your museum list is the Benaki Museum, which offers a variety of educational programs adjustable to kids with special needs. Of course, don’t forget to pop in the one and only Emotions Museum of Childhood in Greece, where your children can participate in a variety of activities that will help them to explore their emotional world.
Enjoy the Greek gastronomy
Athens is a city with a long and rich history, and its food culture is no exception. Families that visit Athens can enjoy a food tour that will introduce them to the city's culinary traditions. Kids will love trying Greek food, and parents will appreciate the opportunity to learn about the city's food culture. The tour will take families to some of Athens' most popular restaurants and some off-the-beaten-path spots.
In addition to sampling traditional Greek dishes, families will also have the chance to try some of the city's unique fusion cuisines. With so much to see and do, Athens with kids is an experience no family member will ever forget.
Discover Nature
For nature lovers, Athens has some hidden assets to offer. Take your kids and wander through the labyrinth-like National Garden of Athens next to Syntagma Square, where they can play in the playground, feed the ducks and discover more than 500 different plants from around the world.
The Botanical Museum, a small zoo, and a Children’s Library, also located in the National Garden, are worth a visit, too, and are a great activity if you're visiting Greece in winter.
Make sure you visit the Attica Zoo Park and meet animals from all over the world; let your kids live the “Junior Falconer” experience and get a certificate at the end of the experience.
Continuing your love-for-nature-oriented journey, drop by the Goulandris Natural History Museum and let your kids participate in educational activities about the natural environment. It may not be the Aegean Sea, but it is a close second!
Lastly, a must-see attraction is the Planetarium Eugenides Foundation; unravel the mysteries of the universe and walk through the stars!
Visit the Attica Zoo Park
If you're looking for a fun day out with the whole family, Athens has plenty of options to choose from. One of our favorite attractions is Attica Zoo Park. Located just outside the city center, this zoo is home to a wide variety of animals, from tigers and lions to monkeys and reptiles.
Kids will also enjoy the petting zoo, where they can get up close and personal with some of the animals. In addition, Attica Zoo Park offers a number of educational programs and activities, making it a great choice for families looking to learn more about the animal kingdom.
Go Active
If your kids love to be on the move all the time, you should definitely make the most of the beautiful sandy beaches near Athens; prefer more family-friendly beaches like Varkiza and Vouliagmeni with shallow waters so kids can play more safely.
Children and toddlers will also enjoy the Playground Flisvos Park in Palaio Faliro which is also suitable for children with special needs.
For even more fun, don’t miss out on 'Allou! Fun Park'- the biggest fun park in Greece! It is the best place to go with your family backpacks in Athens; kids can go through super-fun activities like 'Bloom Bloom Boats' and the 'Youpi tower.'
Lastly, if your family enjoys dancing, join us for a Greek folk dancing lesson; learn to move in the rhythm of Greek folk music like Zorbas and taste a rewarding Greek dinner at the end of the session.
So many options and so little time! I feel you. So if time is not your ally on this visit to Athens, just make sure you catch a glimpse of the ancient Greek spirit with the Mythology tour.
Alternatively, walk through the National Garden of Athens and watch your kids mingle with the sand and the therapeutic salty water of the Greek seas, or indulge in a street art walking tour, an Athens sightseeing tour, or a food tour that will excite your kids!
Final Thoughts
We hope you enjoyed our Athens for Families guide. Feel free to contact us for any tailor-made family tours or for an amazing treasure hunt that will make your visit to Athens unforgettable!
Get in touch with our travel specialists and design the ideal family trip to Greece, including some of the best beach hotels in Athens, the best luxury hotels in Athens, and family hotels in Greece!
