The Best Places in Greece for Families

Why should I go on a family vacation to Greece?

Greece is astonishingly beautiful – and that alone is a reason to visit. Idyllic islands, white-washed villages, olive-tree covered mountains – everything you picture in your mind proves to be true here. Dig a little deeper and you’ll discover a nation with a long and fascinating history; this is the birthplace of Western Civilization after all.

For kids, a family trip to Greece is an educational experience, with carefully curated immersive experiences making lessons come alive. But whatever your age – parent or grandparent – there’s something to learn from your Greece family vacation. It may be learning to slow down and relax – listening to the new sights, smells, and sounds that surround you.

Direct flights to Athens and all of the major islands make it an easy escape for spring break, when the weather is mild and the islands blissfully crowd-free. But with Black Tomato, you don’t need to worry about flights, or timetables, or routes. We’ll take all of the arrangements and plot your family’s own Greek odyssey.

What are the best vacation spots in Greece for families?

Traveling with your family – especially if there are young kids or grandkids with you – can often mean traveling practically. But with our expertise, being practical never, ever means boring. Instead, our list of the best places in Greece for families is centerd around the cities and islands that will create the most excitement, but all experienced in an entirely hassle-free way. Take the Acropolis and its neighboring museum, which even the most unenthusiastic teen will be taken by on our bespoke after hours tour. Or the site of the Olympic Games, where you can sprint around the race track in your own family competition. It’s seeing the sea caves of Paros by sea kayak, and the idyllic beaches and tranquil mountains of Crete by boat and Land Rover. Here we have just a handful of our best vacation spots in Greece for families, but as always this list is mostly about you. Your family. Your vacation. Your memories.

Athens

There’s an intoxicating energy to Athens. Few cities have such a heady mix of old – very very old – and new. You’ll see it everywhere you go, from ancient archeological sites like the Parthenon and the Acropolis, to the creative energy in the neighborhoods, where galleries and innovative new restaurants are bringing new life to worn-out buildings. It’s here that history lessons really come alive: with the kid-friendly exhibits in the Acropolis museum, sculpture-dotted grounds of the tranquil National Garden, and interactive experiences like Greek pottery workshops or walking tours that tell the tales of the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology.

For the younger kids, you’ll find shaded playgrounds scattered across the city – find a spot on a bench and sip an iced coffee, before being enthusiastically welcomed into a restaurant – your kids are treated like VIPs wherever they tread here. And if you’re traveling with your older children, they’ll love vibrant Psirri, where people spill out onto the street until the early hours, sipping craft beer and listening to live music. You may choose to stay right in the city center – with Acropolis views from your bedroom or hotel’s rooftop bar – or perhaps you’d prefer the sublime beaches of the Athens Riviera (with some sensational hotels). This Greece family vacation will take you on a relaxing journey through the mainland – but as always, we’ll plan something that suits you and your closet.

Santorini

Some of the simplest pleasures on family vacations are long sun-dappled days at the beach – kids playing happily in the sand and shallow waters while you steal a chapter or two of a book. Really, it is possible. Santorini, in the Cyclades, is one island we return to again and again for just that. You can stretch out on famous black-sand beaches like Kamari and Perissa, happy and relaxed, knowing the water is calm and clear, with handy amenities like sunbeds, bathrooms and tavernas just meters away making everything easy (a crucial element of any family vacation).

Older kids will love the chance to peer into a famous volcano or play archaeologist at the historical store of Akrotiri, home to some incredibly preserved ruins of the Minoan period. And your grown up kids? Who wouldn’t love a visit to a winery, sampling Santorini’s distinct blends and learning about its unique viticulture, or a boat trip, diving into the Aegean’s famously fluorescent waters and appreciating the island’s tiered cliffs and sublime sunsets from the deck of your own private yacht. You’ll get a taste of that – and much more – on this Journey into Greece, which pieces together some of the best vacation spots in Greece for families into one beautiful itinerary.

Crete

It’s Crete’s largest island, a do-it-all destination where you can wrap up beaches, history, and adventure into one idyllic vacation. We’d be reluctant to name a favorite Greek island for families, but this may just be it, with its dozens of incredible family hotels – places that don’t compromise on luxury and anticipate your needs, and your children’s. As beautiful as they are, it’d be a shame to not explore beyond your resort: this island is brimming with options. There’s history, so much history – but the fascinating, tell me more kind, from the ancient site of Knossos, the center of Minoan civilization and Europe’s oldest city, dating back to 7000 BC, to the Venetian castles that dot the hillsides. There’s the myth: the fabled Minotaur, the half-man half-bull that was imprisoned in a labyrinth on the island. And there’s the warm hospitality. Head into the hinterlands to meet local farmers, producing some of the finest olive oil in Europe.

And after all that exploring there’s always one place you can guarantee that the family will be happy: the beach. Out east on the Elounda peninsula you’ll find endless sandy stretches with calm shallow waters that are perfect for younger kiddies and older, enthusiastic sand-castle builders, or if you’re looking for something livelier you can take scream-inducing trips at speed across the sea on waterskis or inflatable donuts, or jump on day-long sailing trips to idyllic snorkelling spots where the water is teeming with marine life – with a delicious Greek lunch on deck. We’ve included Crete on this Family Getaway to Greece – a trip that can act as inspiration for your family trip to Greece, or perhaps you consider it perfect exactly the way it is. Either way, we’re here to take the pressure of your planning and make your Greece family vacation work for you.

Paros

Pint-sized Paros quickly woes all that step foot on its pine tree-fringed shoes. It’s more relaxed than its Cycladic neighbors – just one of the reasons that celebrities come here to hide-out from the paparazzi, knowing there’s any number of secluded coves they can visit, unbothered by fans or camera lenses. For those who picture those beautiful white-washed Greek villages in their vacation daydreams, this is the place for it: bougainvillea-draped fishing villages lined with tavernas, cobalt-blue window shutters the same shade as the sea, arid-landscapes, trampled by mountain goats, bells tinkling around their necks, inland.

As you’d hope, it’s also the perfect spot for a family trip to Greece. Kids are truly celebrated here, and you’ll spend long afternoons on the beach, sipping chilled beers and wines as your little kids paddle in the water, or your teens bat-and-ball away the hours. We love Parasporos beach for the seafood tavernas within touching distance, Kolimbythres beach for its granite rock and natural pools, and Faragas beach for snorkeling. The others? They’re a secret, best explored by private boat. Naturally, we’ll be arranging this.

What are the best family-friendly activities in Greece?

Think “Greece” and you may think “beaches”. And you’d be right to – this nation is home to almost 9,000 miles of coastline, spread across its thousands of islands and mainland. But beyond those long days languishing in the sunshine, your kids or grandkids taking their first unsupported swim strokes in the shimmering sea, there’s so much more to see and do. History. Food. Adventure. Traveling with Black Tomato on a family trip to Greece isn’t just about eating a delicious seafood supper, or strolling around archeological sites. It’s about immersive experiences that allow you all to uncover so much more, from cooking lessons with award-winning chefs, to paddling across dazzling blue seas in search of hidden bays, to hearing the mythical stories of the Gods and Goddesses that make a trip here so unique. It’s about learning and experiencing – together.

Uncover mythological stories in Athens

Perhaps you’ve read about the turbulent tales of the Greek gods and goddesses in books. Perhaps your kids have studied them in college. Perhaps you know nothing about them at all. Whether you’re a casual appreciator or a classical scholar, there’s no better way to understand the sheer drama of Greek mythology than on an interactive historical tour of Athens. With a mythology expert by your side, you’ll meander your way around the city’s most magnificent ancient sites, from the Acropolis (including the Parthenon, the Theater of Dionysus, the Temple of Athena Nike and the Erechtheion) to the Hill of Pnyx (birthplace of democracy and a hangout spot for nymphs and muses). It’s an immersive excursion that cleverly combines sightseeing and storytelling to give you and your family – whatever their ages and level of interest – a whole new appreciation for Greek mythology and the ancient sites that scatter Greece today.

Pedal along the peaceful pathways of Santorini

It’s one of Greece’s most popular islands for good reason, with spectacular sunsets, sheer cliffs, and blue-domed villages providing the backdrop to your stay. But beyond that, there’s a quiet side to the island, where village life ticks on slowly and where few tourists tread. Hop on a mountain bike and we’ll take you on a tailor-made tour to see it – venturing far, far off the beaten path to pedal along the peaceful, empty trails that crisscross the island. Along the way you’ll pitstop in sleepy villages, rehydrating with freshly squeezed orange juice, before heading off on a downhill joyride. It’s an activity that’s suitable for all abilities, but as always, we’ll be taking your wants and needs to craft a route that works for your ages and interests. It’s just one day out that we recommend on our Greece family vacations, but you’ll find plenty more on our rigorously tried-and-tested family trip, Journey into Greece.

Rustle up an organic lunch with an award-winning chef

Bringing a whole new meaning to the term “farm to table” is this culinary workshop, which explores the rich bounty and delicacies of Crete. In a garden that’s blooming with wildflowers, medicinal and aromatic herbs, olive trees and fruit trees, you’ll learn to cook with a world-famous Cretan chef who also happens to be the owner of the most awarded restaurant on the island. You’ll pluck vegetables and collect eggs from the farm, getting to appreciate their scent and flavor raw, before cooking a selection of dishes that are decided on the daily, according to the weather, seasons, your wishes and the chef’s whims. It’s a brilliant activity for young kids, tweens and teens who’ll become curious about ingredients, tastes, and textures they may have previously rejected for months if not years, leaving with a new appreciation for a rainbow diet. For adults? A delicious multi-course lunch with some all-important Cretan wine to try with. We’ve already mentioned that Crete is one of our best places in Greece for families, and this leisurely afternoon out only adds to the authentic Cretan experience on this luxury vacation.

See the Cyclades by sea kayak

One of the best places to appreciate the beauty of Greece? It’s in the water. This sun-soaked expedition will take your family to the remote northern coastline of Paros, to a peninsula so beautiful that it’s under local protection. You’ll be traveling by sea kayak, paddling over vodka-clear waters to remote beaches that are barely accessible by road. Pulling your kayak up onto the sand, you can head back into the water for a swim, or, at your next stop, you can snorkel with the candy-coloured marine life around the granite boulders of Kolymbithres beach. Settle in for a snack on the sand, as your guide tells the tales of ruins of the ancient acropolis that dates back to 12000 BC that sits at the top of the hillside. We’ll leave plenty of time for appreciating the magic of this part of Paros. Still, quiet, and peppered with the laughs of your kids – whatever their age – as they gleefully leap into the water. We can include this adventurous day out on this luxury Journey Into Greece, but if you’re craving something similar in another part of the country, we can arrange that, too.

Explore the new Acropolis museum – after hours

The Acropolis museum sits at the foot of the Acropolis, an ancient Greek citadel that dates back to the 5th century BC and is considered one of the most archeologically important sites in existence. We love to see the museum at any time of day, but our Greece family vacations are known for experiences that are truly extraordinary. In this case, it’s not just touring the Acropolis museum with an expert guide, but getting the chance to marvel at the artefacts within its halls after the doors have been shut and bolted. Your family will be just a handful of people inside, with room upon room of ancient history to yourself. On this field trip experience you’ll get to stroll at your pace between the exhibitions, getting the chance to hold artefacts that were discovered on the sacred rock of the Acropolis, and hear the thousands of years worth of stories that exist in that stone. To follow? Cocktails and an intimate supper, accompanied by a live harpist and violinist, while overlooking the illuminated pillars of the Acropolis and the land where the philosopher Plato founded the Academy, one of the first schools in the Western World.

Tackle the mythical challenges of Hercules

You’ve seen the day to day activities, but how about an entire trip of challenges and missions across the country? This eight-night Greek adventure is inspired by the story of legendary Hercules, the son of Zeus, famous amongst the gods for his incredible strength and courage. We’ve pieced together a trip that is brimming with Hercules-style challenges – like hunting for clues and treasure in ancient Athens and learning to sail across the sparkling seas, with Hera’s sea creatures in hot pursuit. You’ll run in an ancient Olympic stadium before crossing the Dikit mountains in Crete, tracking the elusive Cretan bulls, and finish up at the Labyrinth of Knossos, facing the mighty Minotaur. More than just a family trip to Greece, this journey encourages kids to use their imagination, and wraps some of the best places in Greece for families into one extraordinary adventure.

Go off-roading in Crete

It regularly tops our list as one of the best vacation spots in Greece for families, but it’s not just the glorious selection of beaches that makes Greece’s largest island so special. Head inland and you’ll experience an entirely different side to your family trip to Greece, where rugged mountains are scattered with sleepy villages where time virtually stands still. It’s about evoking the senses – the melodic tinkle of goat bells and the call of cicadas rolling across the mountains, the rustle of the wind in the trees and the scent of oregano and wildflowers. We’ll take you to see it on an off-road Land Rover tour that takes you deep into the hills and olive groves, to high-up viewpoints with panoramas better than any you’ll have ever seen. It’s the “are we really here” moment with your family, and just one part of this family trip to Greece.

Sprint like an Olympic athlete

The ancient Olympic Games: it was the sporting and social highlight of life in Ancient Greece, when crowds would come together to watch athletes compete in dozens of events, from boxing and running to chariot racing and jumping. On this tour of the Zappeion, the first modern purpose-built Olympic space, you’ll hear about the history of the games, how athletes trained and competed (naked – no biting allowed), and what the games meant to the Greek people at the time. But you’ll also hear about how we are where we are today: with the Olympic Games being one of the biggest sporting events on the planet. It’s not all fascinating facts though; in the vast Panathenaic Stadium, home to the 1896 Olympic Games, where the very first modern Olympic games was held, you’ll be part of the action. You and your family take your spots at the start line and learn the tips and tricks to run like a champion, crossing the finish line in a blaze of glory. For more fun like that, we suggest this Hercules-inspired trip, full of physical and mental challenges that’ll bond your family better than anything else.

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As always, this is just a little inspiration for your Black Tomato family vacation. We’ll be fine-tuning the details to make sure they’re perfect for you.