With 227 inhabited islands to discover and one of many world’s most historic cities (only for starters), you can fortunately spend a lifetime discovering Greece with youngsters.
accommodates affiliate hyperlinks*
Vastly family-friendly, with great coast, unspoiled countryside, implausible meals and the possibility to pack a number of locations into one straightforward journey, I’ve been again over and over with my daughter.
So in case you’re questioning the place to start your loved ones journey to the nation, this information to Greece with youngsters provides you concepts on planning a household vacation in Greece, concepts for a metropolis break or an island hop, when to go, the place to remain and extra.
Sensible data
Attending to Greece
There are 15 worldwide airports in Greece. Solely 5 of those are on the mainland, whereas the remaining are positioned on the Greek Islands. An additional 20 regional airports assist join the lesser-visited areas and smaller islands.
Many low-cost carriers fly instantly from European locations to Greece and the Greek Islands.
When you’re coming from outdoors of Europe, most nationwide airways solely fly to Athens airport (ATH). Flights to different areas and the islands will embody a connection in a bigger metropolis similar to Athens, London, or Paris.
When to go
Greece has its deserves it doesn’t matter what time of yr you determine to go to. The very best climate in Greece is from April to November. Wherever you go to within the nation throughout this time, you possibly can count on to take pleasure in sunny days and little or no rain.
Throughout peak summer time, temperatures in Greece can soar to 35C+. That is nice in case you’re enjoyable on a seaside on a Greek island (simply keep in mind to use loads of sunscreen) – however not supreme for exploring cities and wandering round historic ruins.
Keep away from visiting Athens in August until you take pleasure in heatstroke… and large crowds.
The shoulder months of April, Might, September, and October are the perfect occasions to go to Greece for heat however bearable climate and smaller vacationer crowds.
Nevertheless, the Easter weekend can get significantly busy, and costs undergo the roof over this era – keep in mind that that is celebrated in line with the Greek Orthodox calendar, and is normally barely later than in the remainder of western Europe.
Through the winter, you possibly can discover the traditional websites of Athens with out the crowds (supreme in case you’re visiting Athens with a child or youthful youngsters. Or head right down to the extra southerly Greek islands similar to Crete, Kos or Rhodes for a number of the mildest winter climates within the Mediterranean.
It gained’t fairly be sunbathing and swimming climate, however it is going to be heat sufficient for sightseeing. There’s additionally extra open on these bigger islands through the low season than on the smaller islands that shut down after most vacationers go away.
What to see
From the world-famous archaeological websites, together with Unesco World Heritage websites and historic ruins of Athens to the attractive white sand seashores and luxurious vacation resorts of the Greek islands, there’s actually no scarcity of implausible issues to see and do all throughout Greece.
And whereas Greece is greatest recognized for its historic cities and exquisite seashores, 80% of the nation is roofed in mountains so it’s even an ideal vacation spot for mountaineering holidays.
Fancy an island break? The nation consists of 6,000 islands and islets, though solely 227 of those are inhabited.
Plus after all, extra historical past than you possibly can shake an historic artefact at: not simply the Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens, yow will discover extra at Knossos on Crete, on Delos close to Mykonos, on Kos, in addition to elsewhere on the mainland similar to Sparta (though discovering historic Spartans is simply one of many issues to do in Sparta, Greece).
To start out you off, under is a quick introduction to the most important cities, areas, and island teams, and their highlights.
Detailed articles
For extra journey recommendations on visiting Greece with youngsters, take a look at a few of my posts:
Island hopping in Greece – itineraries for the Ionian islands and Cyclades
13 causes to go island hopping in Greece with youngsters
Athens
The very best issues to do in Athens with youngsters
Visiting Athens with a child – a 2-day Athens itinerary
Overview – an Acropolis tour with youngsters
Overview – a avenue artwork tour of Athens with youngsters
Overview – Athens4 lodge with youngsters
Overview – Acro City Suites aparthotel
Thessaloniki & Halkidiki
The very best issues to do in Thessaloniki with youngsters together with concepts in case you’re planning a day journey from the town
The place to remain in Halkidiki – my Cora Resort overview with youngsters
Ionian islands
The very best issues to do in Kefalonia with youngsters
Visiting Kefalonia’s Melissani Cave with youngsters
The very best seashores in Kefalonia with youngsters
The very best issues to do in Corfu City with youngsters
Sooner or later in Corfu – misplaced and located
Sporades
The very best issues to do in Skiathos with youngsters
Dodecanese
The very best issues to do in Kos with youngsters
The very best issues to do in Rhodes with youngsters
Ideas for visiting the Acropolis of Lindos with youngsters
Gennadi Grand Resort – my overview
Crete
The very best issues to do in Crete with youngsters
Visiting Knossos with youngsters – recommendations on exploring the traditional Minoan palace
The very best issues to do in Heraklion with youngsters
North Aegean islands
Sooner or later in Chios
Travelling inside Greece
The easiest way to journey across the Greek mainland is by street. Greece’s rail community is extraordinarily restricted and can solely take you between the principle cities.
The nation’s in depth bus community is operated by KTEL and connects most cities, cities, and main points of interest. Buses in Greece are fashionable, snug, and inexpensive. You should purchase tickets on the stations or on board.
Alternatively, hiring a automobile for your loved ones journey provides you extra freedom to journey at your personal tempo and go to off-the-beaten-path areas. Automobile rent is pretty low-cost and roads are straightforward sufficient to navigate in case you’re planning day journeys. UK license holders don’t want an Worldwide Drivers Allow to drive in Greece.
When you’re planning to rent a automobile to discover Greece with youngsters, considered one of my favorite websites is Zest Automobile Rental which I used for our journey to Rhodes
When you’re simply in search of an airport switch to one of many main Greek cities, or don’t want a automobile for daily, take a look at Welcome Pickups which we’ve utilized in Athens.
For hopping across the Greek Islands, boat is the preferred approach to journey – there’s all the time someplace new to find only a ferry experience away. The Ferryhopper web site is an efficient approach to examine routes and costs.
Pedestrian and automobile ferries join the mainland with most of the islands, and usually run between the islands. The farther away islands might be reached by in a single day ferry or regional planes.
Flight assets
Skyscanner is the web site I have a tendency to start out with to check charges for my flights.
Cash-saving tip: Don’t enter any dates to scan the perfect obtainable occasions to go OR merely enter ‘Greece’ as an alternative of a particular airport – chances are you’ll get a less expensive flight!
For extra methods to save lots of on a metropolis break with youngsters, take a look at my high ideas
Lodging assets
Once I journey, I typically want to ebook a villa to offer me loads of house whereas exploring Greece with youngsters, in addition to all of the amenities together with a kitchen which makes life simpler on household holidays (though you’re lacking out in case you don’t go to a couple of native tavernas).
Try Plumguide, which has a spread of lodging that’s been individually vetted, and which you’ll filter in case you’re travelling with infants or youngsters, together with some nice locations to remain in Athens with youngsters.
For a luxurious villa keep, firms like Prime Villas.has properties throughout Greece, together with the mainland in addition to the islands.
There are some nice motels to decide on in Greece with youngsters too – we’ve stayed on the beautiful all-inclusive Ikos Dassia in Corfu in addition to the luxurious Elivi Skiathos and Lagas Aegean Village in Kos, plus Cora Resort in Halkidiki.
Or take a look at a number of the large bundle vacation operators like TUI which has a mixture of self-catering flats in Greece proper as much as all-inclusive motels.
Jet2Holidays additionally has a spread of locations to remain in Greece with youngsters, together with lodging on a number of completely different islands and flights included.
For normal lodge stays, Reserving.com normally provides some good offers, together with free cancellation, or take a look at motels.com.
Security ideas
Greece is usually a really protected vacation spot to go to. Crimes towards vacationers are extraordinarily low and the nation is welcoming in direction of households.
Petty crimes similar to pickpocketing generally happen in busier locations like Athens. Take fundamental precautions and take care of your belongings, particularly when strolling by means of crowded areas, visiting touristy landmarks, and travelling on the metro.
There have been some latest experiences of minor scams towards vacationers at seaside resorts on the Greek Islands, similar to overcharging at eating places.
To keep away from scams, do your analysis upfront, search for menu costs earlier than sitting down, and examine the invoice earlier than paying.
Cash saving ideas
Greece has shifted from a finances backpacking spot to a luxurious vacation vacation spot over the previous few a long time. However there are nonetheless methods it can save you cash in your journey.
Go to throughout low season to save lots of on flights and lodging.
Get off-the-beaten-path slightly than heading to widespread vacationer locations.
Usually, the mainland is cheaper than the Greek Islands.
When island-hopping, ebook the older, slower (generally in a single day) ferries slightly than the high-speed catamarans and hydrofoils.
Go for Gyros and different tasty avenue meals slightly than consuming at costly eating places.
Discover free actions to do, similar to enjoyable on the string of household pleasant seashores or mountaineering.
For extra recommendations on methods to save lots of on a metropolis break with youngsters, together with metropolis passes and discovering low-cost (or free) excursions, take a look at this put up.
Packing for Greece
When you’re visiting Greece through the scorching summer time months, make sure that to pack sunscreen, aftersun, solar hats, and water bottles. Until you wish to return residence with a household of lobsters that’s!
Free, light-weight clothes will likely be your greatest pal on sticky, humid days, though in case you’re visiting in shoulder season, it’s price together with a light-weight umbrella.
When swapping between the mountains and seashores in some areas of Greece, layers are a should. Temperatures can change considerably relying on the terrain and time of day.
And positively don’t neglect your digital camera. The traditional ruins and exquisite whitewashed island cities make implausible backdrops for household photographs.
Try my full household vacation journey planner right here, together with packing lists and extra
Ebook checklist
Lonely Planet guides are all the time my favorite place to begin – the Lonely Planet Information to Greece & the Greek Islands covers the entire nation or attempt the Pocket Athens information in case you’re visiting the capital.
When you’re more likely to be exploring historic websites, there are additionally some nice books for teenagers on Historical Greece to deliver the traditional stones to life, together with So You Suppose You’ve Bought It Unhealthy? A Child’s Life in Historical Greece, whereas the Horrible Histories vary consists of Groovy Greeks.
My daughter additionally has this attractive Usborne Ebook of Greek Myths, excellent for teenagers who love tales of gods, heroes and monsters.
For extra concepts of the perfect youngsters’ books about Greece, take a look at my high picks
Disclosure: This put up accommodates affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee
Boat at Skiathos/Symi/Lagas Aegean Village/Issos seaside copyright MummyTravels, all different Iiages courtesy of Depositphotos
LIKED THIS? SIGN UP FOR MY EMAIL NEWSLETTER