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Guide · Athens

Athens with kids

Athens with children is a question of timing more than anything else. From late spring to early autumn the middle of the day is genuinely too hot for walking around exposed archaeological sites, and the Acropolis has very little shade. Go at opening time or in the last two hours before closing, and treat the middle of the day as indoor time.

The compensation is that Greek life runs late and children are welcome in it. Restaurants fill with families at nine, playgrounds are busy after dark in summer, and nobody minds a child at the next table at an hour that would raise eyebrows further north. If you shift your day later, the city becomes much easier.

For the sites themselves, small children respond to objects rather than architecture. A museum case with a helmet or a toy from two thousand years ago lands better than a view across a ruined agora.

Open Athens on the map

Family places in Athens

🎠Activities 14

  • AnafiotikaA small Cycladic-style quarter above Plaka, with whitewashed houses, narrow lanes and resident cats.
    FreeOutdoor space
  • Ancient AgoraThe site of the ancient Athenian marketplace and civic centre, with ruins, the well-preserved Hephaisteion temple and a museum in the restored stoa. Free for EU citizens under 25 and non-EU visitors under 18.
    Outdoor space
    Official website
  • CitySightseeing AthensHop-on hop-off sightseeing bus with commentated routes around Athens. Free under 6.
    IndoorOutdoor space
    Official website
  • Kerameikos Archaeological SiteA quieter ancient cemetery site with a small museum, away from the busier Acropolis crowds.
    Indoor
    Official website
  • MonastirakiA busy square with a flea market, street food and views of the Acropolis. Good for an afternoon wander.
    FreeOutdoor space
  • Mount LycabettusAthens' highest hill, reached on foot or by funicular (paid), with panoramic views over the city. Better for older children.
    Ages 6+Outdoor space
  • Odeon of Herodes AtticusA Roman-era open-air theatre at the foot of the Acropolis, still used for concerts in summer.
    Outdoor space
    Official website
  • PlakaAthens' oldest neighbourhood, with cobbled streets, souvenir shops and child-friendly tavernas throughout.
    FreeOutdoor space
  • Pnyx HillThe hill where the ancient Athenian assembly met, with good views of the Acropolis. Free to visit.
    FreeOutdoor space
  • Roman AgoraA smaller ancient marketplace near the Agora, with the Tower of the Winds, an early water clock and sundial. Free for EU citizens under 25 and non-EU visitors under 18.
    Outdoor space
    Official website
  • Syntagma Square & Changing of the GuardThe ceremonial Evzone guard change in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Arrive about 10 minutes early for a clear view.
    FreeOutdoor space
  • Temple of Olympian ZeusA large ancient temple with 15 of its original columns still standing. Easy to combine with Hadrian's Arch next door.
    Outdoor space
    Official website
  • The Acropolis & ParthenonAthens' ancient hilltop citadel, with the Parthenon, the Erechtheion and the temple of Athena Nike. Go early in summer to avoid the heat and crowds. Free for EU citizens under 25 and non-EU visitors under 18.
    Outdoor space
    Official website
  • Varvakios Agora (Central Food Market)Athens' main food market, open since 1886, where the sights, sounds and smells make for a lively stop with curious children.
    FreeIndoor

🌳Parks 4

  • Flisvos ParkA seafront park by Flisvos Marina in Palaio Faliro, with playgrounds, a small train, cafes and room to cycle.
    FreePlay area
    Official website
  • National Garden AthensA central park with a small zoo, duck ponds, a playground, a botanical garden and a children's library. Free entry.
    FreePlay areaPetting farm
  • Pedion tou AreosOne of the largest public parks in Athens, with broad avenues, statues, open lawns and a playground.
    FreePlay area
  • Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural CentreA cultural campus with the city's largest park, plenty of open space to run, and free events and concerts.
    Free
    Official website

🏛️Museums 7

  • Acropolis MuseumA modern museum holding over 4,250 finds from the Acropolis, with family activity sheets and children's trails available. Free for EU citizens under 25 and non-EU visitors under 5.
    Games
    Official website
  • Athens PlanetariumA large planetarium with IMAX dome films about space and the solar system, shown in Greek and English.
    Ages 5+
    Official website
  • Benaki Toy MuseumOver 20,000 toys from Roman times to the 20th century, from hand-painted dolls to model trains, in a 19th-century villa in Palaio Faliro. Free under 22.
    Indoor
    Official website
  • Goulandris Natural History MuseumA natural history museum in Kifissia with a 7-metre Triceratops replica, life-sized animal models and the Gaia environmental centre. Free on the first Saturday of each month, and free under 2.
    Games
    Official website
  • Hellenic Children's MuseumA hands-on museum in Plaka for ages 2 and up, with themed rooms including a grocery store, bakery, construction site and water-play area. Free entry.
    FreeAges 2+Games
    Official website
  • Hellenic Motor MuseumA collection of vintage and classic cars over several floors, good for children who like vehicles.
    Indoor
    Official website
  • Museum of Illusions AthensAn interactive museum of optical illusions, with hands-on exhibits that work for the whole family. Free under 3.
    Indoor
    Official website

🎡Theme Parks 3

  • Allou Fun ParkThe largest amusement park in Athens, west of the centre, with rides and arcades grouped by age from a toddler zone to bigger thrill rides. Temporary closed, so call ahead.
    Play areaGames
    Official website
  • KidomThe younger-children's section beside Allou Fun Park, with gentle rides and play areas aimed at under-tens. Temporary closed, so call ahead.
    Up to age 10Play areaGames
  • Playmobil FunPark AthensAn indoor Playmobil play park with large playsets, rides and activities. Ages 2-12, around 8 euro per child and free for adults.
    Ages 2-12Games
    Official website

🦁Zoo & Animals 1

  • Attica Zoological ParkA zoo near Athens airport with over 350 species, including many endangered animals.
    Outdoor
    Official website

🛝Playgrounds 1

  • Apostolou Pavlou PlaygroundA playground on the Thiseio pedestrian walkway, a handy spot to let children run between sights.
    Free

🏖️Beaches 2

  • Lake VouliagmeniA natural thermal lake on the Athens Riviera where children can swim year-round in warm water.
    Outdoor
  • Yabanaki BeachA family beach in Varkiza with bouncy castles, banana rides, pedal boats, windsurfing lessons and lifeguards.
    FreePlay area

🍔Kids Restaurants 3

  • HoocutTraditional pita wraps and gyros at low prices in the tourist centre of Athens.
    Terrace
    Official website
  • Iroon SquareTavernas serving traditional Greek food on and around Iroon Square, a handy spot for families.
    Terrace
  • Little KooKA heavily themed cafe in Psyrri that redecorates each season, from a Christmas setting to a Halloween one. The surrounding streets are themed too and free to walk through.
    FreeTerrace

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Practical tips

  • The Acropolis at opening or not at allIt is uncovered, the marble is slippery when polished, and by midday in summer it is punishing. First entry is much cooler and much emptier.
  • Shift the whole day laterRest in the afternoon and go out in the evening. It is what local families do and the city is built around it.
  • Carry more water than you thinkShade is scarce on the sites and the climb is steeper than it looks. Refill before you go up rather than after.

The National Garden behind parliament is the reliable escape: shaded paths, ponds and a small playground, right in the middle of the city.