Whether you’re visiting the Athenian Riviera or your family is a permanent resident of the area, these 10 things to do with kids on the Athens Coast are a surefire way to have the best day ever!
We’re lucky enough to live in a city with great weather, amazing beaches and where spectacular fun is around every corner. Use this list as a guide to take it all in.
Picking my top 10 things to do with kids on the Athens Coast wasn’t easy, but I have made sure to include some classic favorites like the Flisvos Park and the Planetarium. Since great new things open every year (Hello Benaki Toy Museum!), there’s no doubt that the Athens Coast is a great place for families!
Happy exploring!
Flisvos Marina
The Flisvos Marina offers an easy breezy day out the whole family will enjoy. This beautiful port located just off Poseidonos Avenue, offers up seaside adventures like boat rentals, sailing, island tours, the Floating Naval Museum Battleship Averof and various food options.
Grab a bench at family friendly TGI Friday’s and admire the many luxury yachts or head over to the Volta luna park for play. The play castle, carousel, train, baby carts, boats, trampolines and the other games will help your kids let go off some energy. Babies can play inside the supervised indoor soft play area.
Easy private parking inside the marina and the large stroller friendly pedestrian area make Flisvos a great place for every age. If you leave the private marina on the southside, you’ll find the Paleo Faliro municipality park with large outdoor playgrounds (check out the 12m. high rope tower over the sandpit!) There are also a dog park, an outdoor cinema, a roller skating rink, bike and baby scooter rental and many family-friendly cafes.
Benaki Toy Museum
Housed in a fairy-tale mansion in Paleo Faliro, the recently opened Benaki Toy Museum is a celebration of childhood. Its private collection of more than 3000 toys with emphasis on Greek ones dating from antiquity, the Roman, and Byzantine eras feature ancient dolls, toys, books, ephemera, clothing and other items related to children. Don’t miss it because this collection is one of the most important in Europe.
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center combines a unique city park with a multi-functional event building housing the National Library and the Greek National Opera.
Being the largest green space in Athens, the park offers playgrounds, botanical gardens, open grass areas for play, festivals, concerts and open-air movies. For little ones, the highlight of your visit will be the labyrinth, the wooden climbing toys, experimental outdoor mirrors, the canal with water jets and the bicycle paths. Rent a kids or adult bike or bring your own. My kids love the herb garden and the exciting ‘Lighthouse’, an impressive elevated glass construction overlooking the entire area.
Sign up for a membership and participate in an endless program of activities; canoe classes, arts & crafts, kids yoga, dance and theatre workshops and more. In the summer, children burn off excess energy in the outdoor sports fields. In winter there is a free of charge ice skating rink. There are five cafes and restaurants here with the best one on top of the Lighthouse (stroller accessible!) offering a splendid view.
Astir Beach
What better kids activity than sand and water play! Looking for the best family beach on the Athens Coast? My absolute favorite beach in Athens is Astir Beach. This all year open private beach club features a long sandy beach, a crystal clear sea , (water) sports facilities and large grass areas. There are even some archeological findings here
A spa, shop and gym will ensure a good experience for the whole family. Thanks to the calm sea with minimal waves, parents can feel at ease with little ones playing at the water’s edge. A beach restaurant and snack corner keep hungry kids happy and the changing rooms, showers and bathrooms ensure that everyone’s sand-free for the ride home.
Oliver Family House
Indoor and outdoor play spaces make this Glyfada based family concept super kids-friendly all year round. A chalkboard wall is perfect for tiny artists in the making, while colorful art and surroundings serve as inspiration. The carpeted outdoor corner with garden cafe is filled with playhouses and toys.
Inside, tots can easily pass the time making their own sweets during baking classes, engage in dance and theatre games or let go of their energy during a treasure hunt. Parents can read a magazine, chill out or enjoy from a large variety of coffees, smoothies, cocktails, health food, burgers and more.
Balux Cafe – The House Project
A unique place built as a large beach house, the House Project- Balux Cafe embraces fun for all ages. Equipped with outdoor playgrounds, a baby playground, a small luna park and lots of grass, this family concept offers endless hours of free play.
Parents can relax at the garden picnic tables or inside at the large sofas and lounge chairs, read a book in the library, watch TV or enjoy some sushi in the restaurant. There is also a supervised soft play area inside as well as a playroom with board games and a pool table. Maybe my favorite part of this laid-back house concept is the beautiful beach. Enjoy a cocktail while your kids play at the waterfront! Valet parking completes the hassle-free experience at this Glyfada based family paradise.
Perivoli Vari
The serene gardens of the urban farm Perivoli in Vari hosts gardening sessions that invite kids to observe permaculture by planting seeds, harvesting vegetables and even cooking up tasty dishes with fresh produce. The Perivoli also organizes sensory play, Mommy & Me gardening and olive and honey tastings to help teach about Greek food sources and get hands-on with nature through gardening.
Your kids will have a blast exploring the sand and water table, climbing the trees, hiding in the tikki or getting dirty in the mud. No need to bring snacks: the farm to fork restaurant serves healthy local produced breakfast, coffee, snacks and lunch.
What my kids love most at this mini-paradise? The many dragonflies!
The Evgenidio Foundation Planetarium
Twinkle twinkle little star….the Athens Planetarium is a great experience for kids starting from 4+ years old. This planetarium has excellent facilities with its main attraction the domed auditorium where a variety of constantly changing films are shown related to space and earth. The planetarium with courtyard cafe is located in Paleo Faliro.
L’Amico
If you are looking for a family-friendly unpretentious beach with great Italian food, a clean sea and easy parking, than head over to L’Amico in Anavissos. The sandy beach is perfect to spend a day splashing in the water and building sandcastles (pictured above in feature photo).
The private gazebos offer extra shade for babies and young children. All kids love pasta and pizza so after a long day at the beach, kids can recharge with their favorite meal. Don’t forget to taste the truffle/prosciutto pizza!
Hygge House
For a well deserved break after a day of shopping or exploring, head over to the latest addition to the Athens Coast family scene. Hygge House (pronounced “Hoo-Guh” and the Danish word for ‘coziness’!) is a brand new family friendly daytime restaurant in Glyfada that quickly became popular with the local parenting community. It offers a supervised indoor playroom with lots of daylight and creative toys, a baby room for changing or nursing and children’s toilets.
Whilst kids are happily playing parents can chow down on healthy brunch options or enjoy a smoothie or home made Mango lemonade. Hygge House is here to stay!
Want more advice about how to make the most of Athens with the kiddies in tow? Check out www.familyexperiencesblog.com
Feature Image by Celeste Tat