Beyond Athens with kids

Things to do if you have more than 2 days to spend in Athens with kids

Athens is not only among the European capitals for a city weekend break with kids, but definitely a destination you will always appreciate for longer vacations. Being not only an “urban” city, Athens is embraced by beautiful mountains with a wide variety of flora and fauna, ideal for hiking or biking families and nature lovers, and by a stunning coastline that has much more than child friendly beaches to offer!

Explore the Attica Mountains

Visit the Kessariani Monastery, explore with the guidance of tourist guides and hike the child friendly trails with mountain guides and professional childcarers to enjoy the panoramic views of the city from Up the Athens Mount Imittos.

On the other side of Mount Imittos, you can visit the Koutouki cave in Paiania, Attica’s one and only prehistoric cave and the Vorres Museum of Contemporary Art offering art classes and seminars for children throughout the year. Continue to Donkey’s Land (Gaidourochora) where you can get acquainted with the donkeys or even take part in their care and the life of the farm.

In the north, Attica’s most imposing mountain, Parnitha is the top destination for locals when the first snowfalls arrive. Take the cable car, enjoy your pic nic in the Mpafi or the Flambouri mountain refuges and arrange mountain activities, survivor games and treasure hunts for your children with the guidance of expert trained professionals for children and mountain guides.

Pendeli, Attica’s third mountain used to be covered with pine trees before the great fires some years ago. The typical childhood memory of every Athenian was the Sunday drive to the eastern coast for swimming through the forest of Mount Pendeli. For us, locals, the importance of the rare ecosystem of eastern Attica and the rebirth of the forest is of great importance. To learn more about this ecosystem, take an eco-tour with expert geologists and pedagogues and enjoy your swim on Marikes beach afterwards!

For nature lovers

Away from the mountains and on your way to Elefsis and the Peloponnese, lies the most important Botanical Garden in Greece. Take a mythology and botany tour at the Diomidous Botanical Garden, and find out, among others, what connects the pine trees with Pitys and what is the relationship between the first feminist Rodanthe of Corinth and the roses!

In the north of Athens, visit Kifissia and the Goulandris Natural History Museum and live a farming experience learning more about bio products at the Aristi estate in Halandri.

Enjoy the Athens Riviera all year round

Exploring the city’s south, you cannot miss the opportunity to visit the Stavros Niarhos Cultural Center and Park and visit Faliro, the most lively southern suburb of Athens with excellent taverns and restaurants with Asia Minor and Istanbul cuisine spread from the refugees and migrants residing in this part of the city. Walk along the Esplanade, which is ideal for strollers and all kinds of toy cars; enjoy the Flisvos Park with its playgrounds and the Flisvos Marina with its family friendly restaurants and coffee shops; visit the Park of Naval Tradition and the “Neraida” Floating Museum and do not miss the opportunity to disclose the Benaki Toy Museum’s hidden treasures in a private child-friendly tour.

Spend a day at Greece’s most important port of Piraeus. Visit its unique Archaeological Museum that includes extremely rare ram and decorative elements from the ancient triremes, bronze statues and theatrical masks with the guidance of a licensed tourist guide experienced in kids and explore the city’s market quarters and hidden gems for urban crafting, for seafood and fish in a private guided tour.

If you are about to continue to the south towards the Attica beaches, spend some time Glyfada and visit the the Archelon Rescue Centre to learn more about sea turtles, their rescue and rehabilitation; swim in the Vouliagmeni lake and visit the Temple of Poseidon and Cape Sounio.

Archaeological sites of great importance in Attica

Athens’ archaeological importance cannot be perceived without a visit to Lavrio, famous for its for its silver mines, which was one of the chief sources of revenue of the Athenian state; Eleusis, the site of the Eleusinian Mysteries and the birthplace of Aeschylus; and Marathon, the battlefield where people first fought for their political ideas, democracy and freedom. Another excursion that can be combined with a family swimming is Vravrona, Loutsa to the Sanctuary of Artemis.

Some of the best places to be with kids in Athens and beyond

• The Digital Planetarium, in Faliro to enjoy a ride in the stars!
• Kipopedia, natural playground in Pallini
• The Playmobil fun park, in Kifissia
• The Adventure Park, in Makalasa
• Dentrospito, (Tree-House) playground for toddlers and the very young in Vrilissia

Day trips from Athens with kids

Located in the centre of the country, Athens can serve as an ideal base for a day trip to various destinations of interest. Visit Delphi and Parnassos Mountain to explore the Oracle and the “naval” and to enjoy mountain kid friendly activities, hiking, biking, painting, as well as cooking and dancing! Or visit the Peloponnese, the birthplace of Greek mythology, the land of grapes and the extra virgin olive oil.

Take a day trip to the cradle of the Mycenean civilization, mythical Argolis; visit Mycenae and the ancient theatre of Epidaurus, the Corinth Canal and Nafplio (the first capital of Greece), accompanied by a licensed family-oriented tour guide.

Indulge yourselves in gastronomy and wine tours in Corinthia: explore the Nemean vineyards and live the journey of the grape, travel back in time from Ancient Diolkos to the Corinth Canal or take the journey of Pausanias from Ancient Corinth to Ancient Sicyon. Follow the journey of the water in Mountainous Corinthia, Lakes Stymphalia and Doxa and cave Kapsia.  

Hike in the family friendliest paths of the Menalon Trail and explore arts and crafts, like silversmithing and woodcarving in Arcadia.

Rejoice the journey of the olive tree: take a tour in Ancient Messene, participate in an olive oil tour and seminar and explore the gastronomical gems of the Mediterranean diet in the olive oil capital of the world, Kalamata.

Further Information

Check out MAMAKITA family friendly privately guided tours and child friendly activities in Athens here and let MAMAKITA create for you and your family your own tailor-made trip itinerary making your request here.

If you need some space and time without kids in Athens, trust Professional Childcare “Kids in Greece“ and make your request here.

The family friendliest and happiest hotel in the city center with the most unique family graffiti rooms in Athens, is the Grecotel Pallas Athena.