Planning a family trip to Greece is, undeniably, an exciting and fun process for everybody involved, including the little ones! With such an incredible plethora of places to visit featuring family-oriented activities and options, tempting kid-friendly locations, sugary beaches, calm and tranquil waters, water sports-filled spots, and a countryside dotted with pristine valleys, towering mountains, lush forests, delightful gorges, scenic lakes, ancient ruins, and soils drenched in legends, heroes, ancient gods, and mythological creatures, your only dare would be to choose where to begin this fantastic adventure.
From the rugged mountains of Crete and the off-the-beaten-track villages and towns of the enchanting Peloponnese to the whitewashed hamlets of the Cyclades complex, the Venetian fortress of the Ionian islands, and the historic ruins of Athens, there are numerous Greece family vacation packages available per your heart’s content.
All these, combined with the mouth-watering (and super-healthy) Mediterranean cuisine and the different dining experiences you can have while enjoying your luxury family holidays in Greece. Plus, lots of dancing, singing, and enjoying life to the fullest through the many festivals and events that take place annually across Greece (mainland and the islands), each inviting to once-in-a-lifetime endeavors!
Challenging as it might be, we tried to create a list with the best family destinations in Greece, though, you can always add more as you explore the blessed, sun-kissed land that gave birth to democracy and has profoundly shaped the entire Western civilization.
The Peloponnese – Kids’ playground
If visiting some of Classic Greece highlights and joining interactive cultural tours designed for kids and teens to meet the world’s ancient past while also signing up for a beach vacation with fantastic food feels like a gentle caress to your senses, then the hospitable and rich Peloponnese is where you need to stay with the rest of the family, even for a few days. Here, you can:
– Have farm-to-table meals starring authentic local products.
– Enjoy the mountains and the sea through hiking, snorkeling, and other activities.
– Visit the olive oil capital (aka Kalamata city) and go on a scavenger hunt at an olive grove.
– Let the children taste grapes (also grape juice, a traditional dessert called moustalevria, made from grape juice, and others) at ancient Nemea as you pamper yourself with the infamous Agiorgitiko local wine variety
– Watch the dolphins via a boat trip in the Corinthian Gulf or go on a sea kayaking and snorkeling expedition to explore imposing shipwrecks and the magnificent marine life
– Swim on kid-friendly beaches on Messenia coast, such as Pylos, Voidokilia, and Divari.
– Cherish the views from the Paleokastro medieval castle and take in spectacular seascapes or take a road trip to Navarino or Mani to climb the towering walls of Koroni, Methoni, Pylos, or Mystras castles.
– Join a bird-watching tour by bike, go river trekking in Neda waterfalls, have a hands-on workshop at an organic farm, and/or hike the Menalon Trail at Arkadia region.
– Cross the Corinth Canal and head to scenic Naflpio with the beautiful pedestrianised streets, delicious pancakes, classy boutiques, and respected art galleries and museums, including the Koboloi Museum and the Museum of Childhood.
– Visit the ancient theatre of Epidaurus, where you can easily hear a pin drop, and let the little ones experience drama games and activities related to ancient theatre through kid-friendly tours organized by highly experienced pedagogues, while you attend a performance!
– Step foot on the stadium that hosted the first Olympic Games in the world at the ancient Olympia.
Crete – Hospitality and natural adventures
A family trip to Greece that involves spending a few days in Crete is one of the most rewarding things you can do. The more you spend time on the largest Greek island, you will feel an intense and unique sense of social inclusion that has no match. Other than that, expect lots of cultural experiences, homemade cooking, and a very different, yet totally genuine and appealing, approach to catering to children.
Among the countless things to do in Crete, visiting the palace of Knossos via a guided tour will introduce you all to the island’s ancient past through interactive games and puzzles, and even pottery workshops! Speaking of workshops, Crete will make your heartbeat faster with the stunning range of hands-on experiences it offers, including cooking and silk printing classes!
As for outdoor enthusiasts, you can choose between windsurfing, sailing, and river walks to treks along famous gorges like Samaria and Aradena and mountain biking. Would rather have more beach-related fun? No worries. Simply drive to mind-blowing Elafonisi beach with the idyllic pink sand or any of the tens of family-friendly shores along the Cretan coastline, including Falasarna, Agioi Apostoloi, Pacheia Ammos, and Agios Nikolaos beaches. We strongly suggest you also plan a visit to the infamous Matala Caves, though, for jaw-dropping scenery and natural beauty!
Now, sports (specifically soccer) fans should head toward the Greek National Football Museum (at Chania). Not much of a sports aficionado, but absolutely love animals? The Donkey Sanctuary on the southwest side of the island is home to abandoned and rescued donkeys and welcomes kids and adults to a land full of now-happy creatures roaming around!
Finally, attractions like the Natural History Museum, the Creta Aquarium, Water City fun park, and the Venetian harbour at Rethymno city are certainly worth your time and energy, before you hit a local taverna and pamper yourselves with delicious Cretan dishes and local tastes accompanied by raki!
Athens – A cradle of ancient history and modern-day hub
You can’t possibly imagine of creating a Greece family vacation plan and not spending, at least, a day at its glorious capital, Athens. Myriad landmarks that wow both adults and kids alike, including the mighty Parthenon, UNESCO-tagged Acropolis, Roman Forum, columns of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Zappeio Gardens and its cute turtles swimming in the fountain, and the National Gardens with the mini zoo and duck pond are a few of the child-geared sights await to steal your hearts forever.
For a virtual-reality tour of Ancient Greece and the universe, the Hellenic Cosmos and the Planetarium are both enchanting. As for the War Museum, the Museum of Greek Children’s Art, and the Hellenic Children’s Museum, they all amaze with their exhibits, featuring WWI planes and ancient Greece tours, along with craft and cooking classes the little ones can join and have a blast.
And let’s not forget Allou Fun Park & Kidom, the biggest amusement park on the outskirts of the city, along with the Attica Zoological Park, which offer endless hours of fun and learning the most fun way, while seeing wild animals.
Rhodes
If a family trip to Greece must necessarily include knights, palaces, fortresses, and castles, then Rhodes, along with Corfu, is where you need to be. The Old Town is home to world-renowned landmarks, such as the millennia-old Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes (declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the sublime Hospital. However, Rhodes is also a fine place for snorkeling (Linos Beach and Anthony Quinn Bay) and kite surfing, while it is also home to the marvelous Butterfly Garden that is not to be missed!
The Cyclades
It is impossible to just mention one of the Cyclades islands, as each one has its very own hypnotic appeal. What is given, though, is that the most luxurious family holidays in Greece are experienced in this small area of the Aegean Sea. But, if we had to point out three islands that are more suited to families with children and teenagers, these would be Naxos, Paros, and Milos. They all bewilder with sugary beaches, crystalline waters, a plethora of water sports, from kite surfing and scuba diving to snorkeling, parasailing, and tubes, superb catamaran cruises, and even helicopter tours, spellbinding sunset views, amazing seascapes, and unique sights, including striking temples and iconic windmills.
Northern Greece
Everybody has heard of Halkidiki’s fine sand beaches with an exotic atmosphere and eclectic nightlife. Head a bit to the northwest, and you will come across scenic Ioannina and its picture-perfect lake or drive a bit further toward the quaint Zagorochoria villages (great place for trekking and mountain biking or even cycling) and take a deep dive into Greek history and culture. Speaking of dives, Parga’s crystalline waters and powdery shores are also popular with families!
Although we are still far from even starting to describe the best family holidays in Greece, hopefully, you now know the hues that can adorn this beautiful painting of yours on Memory Lane! Enjoy every second of this wonderful family venture at the world’s most welcoming corner!
At Be A Greek, we help you create your dream Greece family vacation without any hustle. There are countless ways to plan your family vacation in Greece and we are here to provide you with some of the best Greece family vacation packages, tailored to your own needs and keeping up with your own pace.