Best Places to Visit in Greece with Family

Posted on July 24, 2023 | Julie J. |

Last Updated on August 16, 2024

With over two hundred inhabited islands to explore and home to some of the world’s most ancient cities, your family holiday in Greece will be filled with memories to treasure for the rest of your lives!

Whatever your family prefers, Greece will have something to offer, offering some of the top kid-friendly destinations in Europe. If you’re into history, you’ll find ancient ruins and historical sites to explore. But if you prefer to spend fun days at the beach, you’ll find hundreds of family-friendly beaches scattered in some of the most picturesque Greek islands. Perhaps, the only challenge is deciding where to go.

To help make things easier for you, here are some of the best places to visit in Greece with your family.

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Santorini

Given its romantic views, Santorini is often dubbed the honeymoon capital of Greece. However, families looking to relax and take on adventures will find plenty to do in Santorini. You and your kids will have a great time wandering through picturesque whitewashed villages nestled along rugged cliffs and building sandcastles on one of the island’s black sand beaches!

Like the other Greek islands, Santorini has several beaches where you can spend quality time with the family. Visit Monolithos, one of Santorini’s most family-friendly beaches, thanks to its shallow waters and playground area. It’s widely popular among local families and often has a lively vibe making it an even more enjoyable place to hang out with your little ones.

If you have older kids who love adventures, treat them to fun water sports, from jet-skiing to parasailing and paddle boarding. You can also book a boat tour around the caldera, where kids can swim and jump into the water for a more thrilling adventure.

Aside from water activities, Santorini offers adventurous land-based activities like hiking and riding an ATV. You’ll see shops offering rentals for ATVs across the island, although this activity is best suited for teens or older kids.

After all the fun adventures, treat yourselves to delectable Greek delicacies at a Greek tavern. If you have picky eaters, you will find plenty of restaurants around the island that offer kid-friendly menus.

Crete

Best Places to Visit in Greece with Family

Given Crete’s numerous family-friendly attractions, from amusement parks to zoos and beaches, it’s not a surprise that it’s considered one of the top destinations in Greece for a family holiday. In addition, there are some excellent places to stay in Crete with a pool, perfect for those visiting the island with the whole family.

Crete is a safe and welcoming destination for families, especially those with kids. Here, your little ones can play on the soft white sands of Elafonissi Beach or swim in its crystal-clear waters. You will also find secluded coves if you prefer a tranquil place to spend quality time with the kids.

Crete’s rich history is another reason you’ll love exploring it with the kids. It dates back thousands of years, and you can still see remnants of the ancient Minoan civilization around the island.

Make sure to add Knossos Palace to your Crete itinerary, an archaeological site from the Bronze Age and one of Crete’s most popular tourist sites. Visit the Heraklion Archaeological Museum to discover the Minoan arts and learn more about the Minoan civilization.

Your kids will be thrilled to learn that Crete offers numerous outdoor activities to entertain them. From water sports like kayaking and snorkeling to hiking and horseback riding, your adventurous little ones will have a wonderful time in Crete.

A must-do for families with older kids is hiking along Samaria Gorge, a tree-lined gorge with rugged trails taking you to streams and bridges.

Rhodes

Rhodes is a family-friendly island offering exciting activities and attractions for adults and kids. It has gorgeous beaches with shallow waters for your little swimmers to paddle, swim, and enjoy water sports. You’ll also find waterparks offering thrilling rides for adventurous kids. And if you prefer to explore indoors, you’ll find museums and other family-friendly places to bond with the kids.

For a taste of history, check out the Monolithos Castle, a fortress from the 15th century perched on a cliff. It towers over the sea along the island’s west coast and remains relatively well-preserved. Getting to the castle requires hiking and may be best suited for older kids.

Rhodes has many amusement parks, such as the Faliraki Water Park, offering the perfect place for families to enjoy a refreshing day away from the beach. It occupies a vast area with numerous thrilling rides, slides, and kiddie pools for the little ones. Older kids can have fun at the lazy river and wave pool, while the smaller kids at the pirate ship and shallow pools.

For indoor attractions, your best bet would be the museums. Check out the Rhodes Toy Museum, where kids can play vintage games like arcades and board games or marvel at the miniature cars on display. Located in central Rhodes, the toy museum is a fun place to spend the day with your kids, away from the excruciating heat.

Another fantastic museum worth visiting is the Stamatiadis Mineralogy and Palaeontology Museum, which showcases a fascinating collection of fossils, stones, minerals, and crystals. It’s one of the few museums in the world specialising in mineralogy.

Mykonos

Since Greece consists of many different islands, a great way to see more of the Greek Islands is to take a cruise. Cruising is also an excellent choice for families with kids since it’s more convenient, saving you from all the hassles of booking ferries separately. When cruising around Greece, be sure to visit Mykonos. Even though it has a reputation for being the party island of Greece, it does have plenty of fun attractions for kids of all ages.

One of the most thrilling ways to get around Mykonos is by riding an ATV or quad bike. For those with younger kids, you can drive your little ones around and explore the island. It should be safe, as long as you put on helmets. While exploring the island, drop by beautiful beaches to rest.

Kalo Livadi Beach is great for families. With crystal-clear and shallow waters, your kids will enjoy swimming and paddling in the waves. It’s also a wonderful place to relax and enjoy refreshments from nearby restaurants and bars.

For families with teens and older kids, consider a kayaking expedition. It’s a fantastic way to get some exercise while also exploring the coast of Mykonos. You can rent a kayak at Super Paradise Beach, where you will find kayak rentals for groups – a perfect way to bond with the family.

If kayaking is not your thing, you can try windsurfing at Kalafatis Beach. It has calm waters, offering the perfect place for your kids to learn how to windsurf. But those who are up for some challenge can go to the Ftelia shoreline for its high wind and giant waves.

Boating from Mykonos is another fun activity to try on your family holiday. For this activity, you will sail across the Aegean Seas and visit the neighbouring islands of Rhenia and Delos, stop by some snorkelling spots, and visit secluded beaches to swim away from the crowds. Some boating trips include snacks and refreshments for a more enjoyable bonding moment.

Corfu

Along with Rhodes and Crete, Corfu is among the biggest islands in Greece, offering many fantastic things to do and explore for families. It sits at the heart of the Ionian Sea and is renowned for its magnificent old buildings, gorgeous beaches, quaint seaside villages, and stunning landscapes.

There is plenty to enjoy in Corfu with kids, but nothing beats a fun day at the beach. The island is home to family-friendly beaches, and you will find some of them in Paleokastritsa, a charming seaside village boasting six individual villages only a short, 20-minute ride from the city centre. The beaches of Paleokastritsa are well-equipped and have water sports rental facilities that adventurous kids will love.

Families with curious little kids who want to learn more about Corfu’s history should visit the Achillion Palace and Museum. It’s a fantastic place to learn about the island’s colourful past. The museum occupies a stunning palace from 1890, built by the Empress of Austria. Here, your kids will be in awe at the stunning statues of Greek gods and goddesses, not to mention the building’s marvellous architecture.

Spending a day at the Aqualand Corfu Water Park is another fun activity for the family. The park has rides and attractions dedicated to kids of all ages, including water slides, splash pools, and a lazy river.

If you want to explore the nearby islands of Corfu, consider taking a ferry ride to Antipaxos, Sivota, or Paxos. These islands have a more laidback feel, home to stunning beaches with crystal-clear waters. A more convenient way to explore these islands is to book a private cruise and sail at your own pace.

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Santorini

Crete

Rhodes

Mykonos

Corfu

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