For years, my husband and I dreamt of visiting Greece. When we started to plan our Greece trip during Summer 2021, a lot of people discouraged us from going, because they felt that it was not an ideal place for our young kids. We ended up proceeding with the trip and visiting Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos. In retrospect, it definitely wasn’t the easiest experience of our travels. This was one of the trips that was more of a bucket list item for my husband and I, than a relaxing vacation with our kids. Still, I feel truly grateful that we have been able to experience it as a family. Maybe one day our kids will appreciate the photos I forced of them 🙃 Ultimately, we did a second trip (with our third baby in tow!) to Greece in summer 2024 to Naxos and Crete. All of these places were amazing, but I can see why people say that Naxos and Crete are more family friendly.

I describe each town in order with a suggested itinerary to do all of these places in one trip (if someone wants to). 

We loved staying in the city center of Athens, only a 15-minute-walk to the Parthenon and in the heart of shops and restaurants. If you are there for a short time like we were, I recommend the location! The Athens Cypria Hotel is where we stayed, and although the rooms were on the small side, we were happy to stay there for one night for the location.

Once we took the taxi into our hotel in the city center, we were able to walk everywhere from the hotel to the Parthenon to the shops.

We only had one full day in Athens, and per my blog “3 Vital Tips When Traveling with Toddlers and Babies”, that means we only had time for one big activity! We visited the Parthenon. Our tour guide had us leave our stroller downstairs, and my husband escorted our two-year-old (combination of walking and carrying him), and I used our Baby Bjourn baby carrier for our six-month-old. On these trips, when possible, we LOVE our toddler to walk around, explore, and exert energy as much as possible (in a safe way). It helps increase his appetite for meal times and sleep better during his nap/bedtime.

Overall, this activity was absolutely doable with both of our kids, but we had to have the stamina to carry both kids as needed. Our son has gotten very into walking up and down steps, and he held up a bit of foot traffic as he walked down the steps within the Parthenon – but no one seemed too bothered (that they made us aware of 🙂). After we knocked out our ‘big activity’ of the day, we spent the afternoon browsing shops in the City Center, walking nearby to admire the architecture, and enjoying food.

Two of the main towns in Santorini are Oia and Fira.

Cruise: Our favourite activity in Santorini was the Catamaran Sunset Cruise! The nice thing about the cruise is that it was child/baby friendly. Speedboats, especially on trips of substantial distance, aren’t generally recommended for young kids or pregnant women. The Catamaran Cruise provides a great alternative, and even better if you can request to sit with your kids in the captain deck to sit more comfortably.

Hike: An activity that we were not able to partake in was the hike between Oia and Fira, which is considered very beautiful. It is quite lengthy and more importantly, not stroller friendly. It would not have been feasible walking that distance with our toddler and baby in our arms the entire way in the July heat.

Sunset Views: We ended up traveling by car from Fira to Oia and enjoyed the views and sunset in Oia.

Photoshoot: I also arranged a professional photoshoot on Air BNB experiences, and thoroughly enjoyed it! Because of the narrow roads and large groups of tourists, it was great having a professional photographer guide us to private areas with the best views, and supporting us manage the kids for pictures. Now, I just need to convince my husband that we need professional photoshoots on the rest of our trips for the rest of our lives.

Taxis in Santorini are expensive. Bus’s are significantly cheaper. That being said, with kids, the luxury of a cab is sometimes worth it. Definitely check Viator.com, GetTransfer.com, or your hotel if they have a discounted rate on a cab or private transfer service.

Greek food is delicious for adults and kids! We loved an endless number of gyros, fries, and greek salads. Some of our favorite spots are:

Similar to Oia, the challenge with the pathways was that a stroller was tricky to manoeuvre. This is probably why Ornos Beach is suggested as the family friendly location to stay in Mykonos. And while I agree with that, we also came to the realisation that we are not as much of a beach family as a walk on nice cobblestone sipping on a good juice or eating ice cream kind of family.

This might not be the case for everyone, but it is is key to discuss with your travel partner and assess what you want out of the trip/certain expectations specific to your kids. If I could go back, I would have preferred to stay walking distance from Old Town Mykonos and visited Ornos Beach via bus or cab for one day. To look for a spot in Old Town Mykonos, visit Booking.com.  

We loved walking through the Old Town, grabbing good juice, and enjoying the views of the Windmills and Little Venice. Try to catch the sunset by Little Venice – the water is lovely! Several of these sights are walking distance, which is convenient since you probably won’t have a stroller with you. Check out GetYourGuide for ideas on activities in Mykonos.

The cabs add up between Ornos Beach and Mykonos, so it might be good to plan ahead for how the public transportation works or factor in taxi fare into your budget.

We loved staying in Old Town Naxos for a few reasons! The narrow, winding streets of Naxos Old Town are mostly pedestrian-only, providing a safe environment for children to explore. The friendly local residents often go out of their way to make families feel welcome. The town has a laid-back, welcoming vibe that’s ideal for families, and is full of shops and restaurants.  There are several beaches within driving distance.

We loved our apartment in particular. We loved having a kitchenette, separate bedroom, cot for the baby, and fridge. We also appreciated how proactive and helpful the host was! He was very attentive and would reply to any message, before or during the trip, immediately.

Uber does not work in Naxos. Taking taxi cabs is one option, but if you are planning on taking any driving day trips, it might be more economical to rent a car.

Stroll through the new town, which is right on the harbor and filled with restaurants and shops. There are great options for everyone to enjoy!

I love cobbestone streets full of shops and restaurants – so the old town was perfect to explore. I could have spent even longer aimlessly walking around. One of the best parts was that even though we went in late July, there were not a ton of daytime crowds (perhaps they were at the beach?), so we had many spots basically to ourselves.

We found a small bar that had a rooftop bar with a nice view, and we had the whole floor to ourselves!  That is not usually what is imagined when you think of Greece during the summertime. It was very pleasant for our family.

The temple is a short walk from the Old Town. It is a historical monument, and serves as a great viewpoint of Naxos. It’s a great spot to watch sunset.

There are several beaches in near proximity to Naxos city center.

We opted to visit Plaka Beach, specifically Caya Beach Club. We were able to get a a sunbed in the front row, and it was honestly a perfect day for our family! The sand was clean and soft, and the ocean was beautiful shades of blue. We were also surprised at how accommodating the beach club staff were to our kids.

I mentioned we had forgotten sand toys for our kids, and the waiter ran around and found some extra toys they had. When we needed a taxi, they made the effort to arrange it for us. They were attentive to our high effort family, and it definitely made the day even more pleasant!

Additional beaches near to Naxos Old Town include: Agios Prokopios and Agiios Anna.

Getting from Naxos to Paros: We took a 30 minute ferry from Naxos to Paros, and booked through a local ferry agency we found in the new town. However, because we waited until the day of, the ferry we preferred was sold out. I suggest during peak season to always book in advance. You can check sites like Ferry Hopper. The port in Naxos is walking distance to the Old Town.

Towns to Visit in Paros: We explored as much as we could on our limited time. Of course, Paros is a place where you could spend several days exploring the different towns, but we wanted to get a taste of it and opted to take our day trip to explore!

Transit within Paros: Be prepared that taxis between the towns add up, so it is a good idea to get a cost estimate for a car rental to compare the pricing.

We were surprised at how much we enjoyed all our meals! We did a standard brunch in the mornings, and portions were always much bigger than anticipated! We would do snacks throughout the day, usually gyros/gyro plattters for dinner, and then a high calorie dessert to end the day on a high note.

Crete is a huge island. We opted to stay in the city of Chania, specifically in the Old Town, which was great for several reasons! The narrow, cobblestone streets of Old Town Chania are mostly car-free, making it safer for young children to walk and explore. Parents can feel more relaxed as their kids roam the area without the worry of traffic.

Many hotels and guesthouses in Old Town Chania cater to families, offering amenities such as family rooms, babysitting services, and children’s pools. Some accommodations may also provide cribs, high chairs, and other essentials for young children.

These factors make Old Town Chania a convenient, safe, and enjoyable destination for families with young children, ensuring a memorable and stress-free holiday experience. We stayed in this apartment, and although it was on the smaller size, we loved the location and daily cleaning service! There was a set of stairs, so if you have a stroller, it will need to be carried up.

We enjoyed leisurely exploring Old Town Chania very much! The compact layout of Old Town means that many attractions, shops, and restaurants are within easy walking distance, which is convenient for families with young children who might tire easily.

The Old Town is rich in history, with attractions such as the Maritime Museum of Crete and the Archaeological Museum. These sites often have exhibits that can captivate children’s interest and provide an educational experience. Kids can enjoy discovering the Old Town’s Venetian Harbor, with its lively atmosphere, colorful boats, and opportunities for feeding fish or watching street performers. We also enjoyed getting pedicures (the boys of our family had the fish tank pedicure) and going on a horse carriage ride! The mix of sights and sounds can keep young children entertained for hours.

Old Town Chania is close to several beautiful beaches, such as Nea Chora Beach, which is known for its shallow, calm waters ideal for young children. Families can easily spend a day at the beach and return to their accommodation without a long journey.

Overview: Known for its pink sand and shallow waters, Elafonissi is ideal for young children to play and swim safely. We arrived here by 10 am, and all sunbeds were taken! So we laid out our blankets as close to the water, and my husband made the 20 minute RT walk back to the shop at the entrance to the beach to buy an umbrella.

Even though it’s the only beach day we had that we didn’t have a proper sunbed and beach club ordering access, the water was so incredibly beautiful that it was my favorite day. It’s important to note, that the sand definitely look as pink in real life as it did in pictures – but even with that being the case, it was still one of the most fun beach days we’ve had. The shallowness of the water allowed us to be relaxed while the kids explored. There were also tons of small fish swimming close to the shore which was so much fun to see!

How to get there: This beach is about a 90 minute drive from Chania. It is best to rent a car so that you can spend as much time as you would like there and be flexible to leave when you want to. If you are not comfortable with driving, there are buses that run daily between the locations, as well as several private transfer bus tours that go from Chania to Elafonissi Beach. Note that the walk from the parking lot to the actual beach is about 15 minutes with little kids.

Overview: With its wide sandy shore and crystal-clear water, this beach is perfect for family fun and water activities. We went to the beach club, Liokalyvo. Make sure to make a reservation in advance. We arrived at the beach by 9:30, and they were turning people away from the club as it was fully booked! We managed to get a sunbed in the the third row. Although I would have preferred in the front, because it is easier to watch our little kids play near the water, it was still very pleasant! We were able to order food easily and enjoyed the beautiful water.

How to get there: This beach is a little over an hour drive from Chania. We rented a car through our apartment host to drive and be flexible with our times. The parking lot is close to the beach.

Chania is full of family-friendly restaurants and cafes where children are warmly welcomed. Many eateries offer kid-friendly menus, high chairs, and even play areas, making dining out with young children a more enjoyable experience for the whole family.

The magic of the Greek Islands is that you can move at your desired pace. You can either dedicate your whole trip to just one or two islands and thoroughly explore and relax. You can also island hop, and do multiple islands. Of course, with kids, the pace has to be a bit slower to account for all the logistics that come along with traveling with kids – but it is possible to do multiple islands. Please note that we did all that I described above in 2 separate trips (Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos was 10 days and Naxos, Paros, and Crete was 8 days).

For a family who wants to experience all of these places I highlighted above, and have approximately 2 weeks for a trip to Greece, I structured out a a 2 week itinerary.

Greece Itinerary by Shaina Azam

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