I raised my family here in Athens and we had quite a lot of fun! There are numerous choices for you and your family. These are some of the days I remember vividly and I encourage you to try them out:
1. Visit the Acropolis and the Parthenon Temple
Climbing the Acropolis Sacred Rock and visiting the temple dedicated to Athina the Goddess who is the city’s patron, is a unique experience. Try to avoid the hottest time of the day and make sure you have comfortable shoes and water with you. The site is also accessible for people with reduced mobility.
The Acropolis is a must-see for any visitor to Athens, and it is also an engaging and educational experience for young children. You can enjoy iconic landmarks, including the Parthenon, the Temple of Athena Nike, and the Erechtheion. Children will love learning about the history of these ancient structures and imagining what life was like in ancient Greece.
Many visitors take advantage of a 30 euros ticket that enables them to visit most of the basic Ancient Athens sites within a five-day period. More info here. If you prefer solely the site of the Acropolis the prices are the following:
- General admission fee: 20 €
- Children up to 5 years: free
- 6 to 25-year-olds: half price
- Winter season (1/11-31/3): half-price for all
2. Enjoy a visit to the Acropolis Museum
This is a beautiful and interesting Museum. The concept behind it is that it will be in a continuous “dialogue” with the actual Acropolis Rock as one views the other. It is extremely visitor-friendly and one can stand in awe as she/he walks among priceless statues of antiquity.
Recently there is a completely new section available to visitors, a part of Ancient Athens right at the base of the Museum.
The restaurant is a must-stop for a snack, a glass of wine, and of course ice cream for the kids! On Fridays, the Museum is open until 22.00! More information and e-buying your tickets here.
- General admission fee: 10 €
- Children up to 5 years: free
- 6 to 18-year-olds: half price
- Winter season (1/11-31/3): 5 €
3. Plaka and Anafiotika: Two neighborhoods to remember
Right underneath Acropolis, as you exit the museum, a fun walk would be into the pedestrian streets of Plaka. Plaka will feel like a small oasis in its quietness and beautiful flower smells.
The Plaka neighborhood is a charming area of Athens with narrow streets, colorful houses, and a lively atmosphere. It is a great place to wander and explore with young children, who will love discovering hidden corners and alleys. There are also plenty of shops and restaurants to visit, so you can take a break and enjoy a snack or a drink.
Right next to it, you will find yourself in a neighborhood that resembles very much being on a small Greek island. This is the Anafiotika neighborhood. Built by carpenters from Anafi, a small island in the Cyclades, who came to Athens in the early 1800s. If you use as a search point the Byzantine church, Agios Georgios Tou Vrachou (Saint George of the Rock) you will not miss it.
Throughout this walk, there are numerous choices for traditional Greek food.
4. Go to Syntagma Square to watch the change of the Guard
Syntagma Square is the central Athens square where the Parliament is located. In front of the impressive building, there is the Presidential Guard and the monument of “The Unknown Soldier”. Engraved on marble is the sign that reads “Glorious people can have a grave anywhere on earth“. This is a phrase that dates back to Thoukidides in 430 B.C.E. honoring unknown heroes.
The change of the Guard happens every hour, every day. It is an impressive sight for all. But children also get to play with the pigeons and maybe feed them with their bagels (koulouri) which you can buy for 0,50 euros at numerous street kiosks all over the city center.
5. Visit National Observatory to watch the stars
The National Observatory was recently moved to modern facilities. This way the original venue was left for us to enjoy. It is now a museum that can lead you to the stars or at least watch them through an impressive telescope.
The scroll up the beautiful, full of trees, and hill, opposite the Acropolis Rock, will also provide a unique panoramic view of the city.
6. Enjoy a walk in the Monastiraki Square
Full of colors, people, street musicians, shops, cafes, and restaurants Monastiraki Square will provide something to everybody.
You can buy your souvenirs, clothes, accessories, used books, and vinyl records most probably “at a better price” if you ask for a discount. Do not expect too many bargaining opportunities.
What you could expect is numerous choices for good traditional Greek food.
7. Do not miss the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre
21 hectares of cultural, educational, athletic, environmental, and recreational activities and events on the coastal side of Athens. With one visit, no ticket is necessary apart from the cost of parking, you will have access to the Greek National Opera, the National Library of Greece as well as the Park where all the time something is going on. Concerts, games, athletic events, and of course the canal.
Various food choices and a high-quality souvenir shop complete the picture. If you find yourself at the SNFCC during the day you will most probably enjoy the Athenian sun. In the evening, the lights and the city’s view are breathtaking.
8. Devote a day for a Visit to the Islands close by
A fun family day can be a full-day cruise to Aegina, Poros, and Hydra. These traditional small islands in the Saronic Gulf are too close to Athens and too beautiful to ignore. Each one with unique suggestions for fun and leisure!
If the weather allows it swimming is right there on the day’s agenda.
9. Hellenic Motors Museum / Attica Zoological Park
According to your family’s preferences, you can enjoy a variety of beautiful vintage cars right in the center of Athens. The building, the car collection, and the atmosphere can make your day! More information about the Hellenic Motor Museum is here.
Or you can head towards the edge of the city and visit the Attica Zoo Park with dolphins snakes and lions!
This is a difficult choice!
10. Open-air Cinema
Finally one of our ways to give the city a summer breeze is the open-air cinemas or summer cinemas as we call them. Greece is not the only European country with this type of cinema, France and Spain have them too. But still, we like them so much, that we feel as if they are an inseparable part of the Greek culture.
As we walk in Dionisiou Aeropagitou Street, back to the Acropolis where we started this little tour of ours, there is Cinema “Thission”, at 7 Apostolou Pavlou street. It can provide an unforgettable night in the city center for all the family, with a snack, a drink, some ice cream, and a movie!