The Athenian Riviera with Kids
Visiting the Athenian Riviera with kids? Don’t stress! We have created a list of the top thing to do with kids during your vacation in the majestical Athenian Riviera.
Let’s start with the basics. The neighborhoods of the Athenian Riviera are all very family-friendly as they are one of the safest in the capital, which has driven a lot of families with kids moving to the South Coast in the past years. Blessed with crystal clean coasts, blue flagged beaches, large parks, playgrounds, an abundance of kid-friendly restaurants, all together make the Athenian Riviera the absolute destination for families all year round.
The Athenian Riviera with Kids – Top Things to do
Fantastic Beaches
The Athenian Riviera is blessed with an abundance of beaches, sandy coasts, crystal clear waters, perfect for families with kids. Enjoy a perfect sunny day with your family on one of the beautiful beaches of the Athenian Riviera hassle-free, where both parties can enjoy themselves to the maximum. Adults relaxing and kids doing what they do best – play!
There are 12 blue flagged beaches in the Athenian Riviera. A Blue Flagged beach is an “international award” given to beaches, marinas, or sustainable boating tourism operators that meet the following criteria: accessibility, cleanliness of coast and waters, safety, environmental management and have adequate information regarding the beach, marina, or boat. Check our list of the Blue Flagged beaches in the Athenian Riviera.
If you are looking for a totally organized beach, where you and your family can spend the whole day, from early morning to evening, you might want to consider visiting one of the amazing organized beaches in the Athenian Riviera. All organized beaches are equipped with sunbeds, umbrellas, clean WC, food and beverages menus, lifeguards, while some might even have boutiques and food outlets, changing rooms and showers. Organized beaches usually charge guests and prices vary depending on the location of the beach, its distance from the center of Athens, the extra services they provide and more. Kids under 12 in most of the organized beaches pay half tickets, while infants are free of charge.
Yabanaki in Varkiza, Voe Ammos Beach club in Alimos, Balux House Project and Plaz Vouliagmenis also have inflatable parks inside the water where kids can play under the surveillance of lifeguards.
Parks and Playgrounds
The South Coast of Athens has a plethora of large green parks with playgrounds perfect for the little ones to play out in the fresh air. If you take a walk in any of our beloved Athenian Riviera neighborhoods like Glyfada, Voula or Vouliagmeni you will see it for yourself.
The perfect destination is Voula’s Park located on the beachfront, which is known as Notos. Originally Notos is the large cafeteria bar-restaurant that is located in the area, which has been a very loved and popular destination for families for decades now. While adults can enjoy a coffee or a drink at the cafeteria, the children can either play at the large and safe playground located next to it. During spring, autumn, and winter an additional park with trampolines and arcade games.
There are also a few unorganized little beaches/coasts in the park where you can have a refreshing swim, play with the sand or beach tennis. You do not have to worry about your kids’ safety as these regions as mentioned before are extremely safe.
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center is a multifunctional and environmentally sustainable complex in Kallithea, a neighborhood of Athens. The whole Center, which consists of the National Library of Greece, the Greek National Opera, and the 210,000 m² Stavros Niarchos Park, was a donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation to the Greek state and for all Greeks delivered in 2017. The purpose of the Center was to provide a space where everyone, regardless of disabilities, could have free access to education, recreation, arts, music, culture, sports and nature.
One of the Center’s missions is to locate a safe, creative and educational environment for kids to play and have fun. The Stavros Niarchos Park’s playground aims to bring children to close to nature and encourage creative and educational play. The playgrounds scattered around the Park are all wooden, the floors are made of a special soft cement to avoid injuries and are surrounded by trees, inviting the little ones to explore for themselves.
In the Park’s center, there is a large field built for the purpose of hosting summer concerts, sports practicing, and picnics. The surroundings of the park give you a feeling that you are out in the wild in a forest somewhere in Greece, minus the wildlife. Discover more activities that can be enjoyed in the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.
Attica Zoological Park
The Attica Zoological Park is a perfect destination for families visiting Athens. Located in the Athens suburb of Spata, this 20-hectare private park is open 365 days a year, welcoming kids and adults every day to discover the 2000 animals of 320 different species that live in the park. Discover the world of reptiles, the Greek fauna which includes species that are in danger in Greece or the African Savannah where you can admire beautiful reticulated giraffes, Grant’s zebras, Kafue lechwes, and the South African ostrich. There are also dolphin and sea lions shows held daily which can be attended by all of the zoo’s guests.
If you are seeking to include some educational activities to your holiday program the Attica Zoo also offers Educational Programs for the kids, which bring them closer to the animals and teach them about the wildlife. Such Programs include Animal feeding, the Marine Mammal Program, the Birds of Prey Program, and the Asian Elephant Program. To attend these events you need to book in advance a slot, as the numbers of participants are limited. You can check their website for daily events or book an educational program by clicking here.
Allou Fun Park
Located in the neighborhood of Renti, just a few minutes drive from Palaio Faliro, Allou Fun Park is a huge amusement park, perfect for kids of all ages and adults as well. There is a wide choice of impressive games for those seeking thrilling experiences, but also for those who have a light stomach. There is also a separate park, the Allou Kingdom which is precisely designed for the little ones and includes fairs such as Carousel, Bongo Flying Elephants, and mega colorful inflatable toys.
Bonus: Enjoy a ride in the Big Apple from where you can get incredible views of the Athenian Riviera and of the urban area of the city. During the evening hours, you can also enjoy the view of the beautiful and brightly lit Acropolis and the mount of Lycabettus.
Discover the Ancient World of Athens
The history of Athens is amongst the oldest in the world. The city has been inhabited for more than 3,000 years and is established across seven historic hills. This makes Athens a highly interactive city, ideal for holidays with kids.
One of the best ways to sightsee Athens’ monuments with kids is by hopping on the bright red Athens Happy Train. This toy-like street train takes you on a full-ride beginning from Syntagma Square to Monastiraki square to the historical center where you can see the most important monuments including the Acropolis, Plaka, the Ancient and Roman Market, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus to the new Acropolis Museum. Additionally, you can hop-on and hop-off as much as you please, giving the opportunity to stop and pay a visit to the attractions you wish. The Athens Happy Train operates all year round, starting every day from 9 am until 12 pm, every thirty minutes from the Syntagma Square. The tour guide comments in Greek and English and they narrate it in a fun and easy way for kids to keep up with the tour.
It is recommended for those visiting tourist attractions in Athens with kids to book tour packages that skip queues, including a private tour guide who can narrate in various languages, offer special prices for larger groups or families with toddlers and kids.
Check out these recommended tours:
The Acropolis Museum Ticket & Access to Ancient Excavation
