Amusing Children in Athens

Amusing children in Athens is easy as there is lots to do including a children’s museum, planetarium, beaches, and easy excursions to the nearest islands.

Amusing Children at the Hellenic Children's Museum in AthensAt the Hellenic Children's Museum in Athens

Here's our A-Z Guide (well, B-S to be accurate) on how to amuse children in Athens.

Amusing Children in Athens

Beaches

While adults are attracted to Athens for its cultural sites, your visit can be turned into a family holiday by choosing a hotel in one of the coastal suburbs. Places like Glyfada provide sea and sand, and it's easy to get to and from the city centre using buses or fairly cheap taxis.

At Astir Beach there are plenty of watersports to amuse all the family, plus good shopping and numerous places to eat. The suburbs of Varkiza, Voula and Vouliagmeni also have good beach facilities, and the area around Cape Sounion is becoming known as the Athens Riviera.

Goulandris Natural History Museum

The Goulandris Natural History Museum in AthensThe Goulandris Natural History Museum Has More Than Just Natural History

A journey to Kifisia should keep children happy for at least half a day, as it not only combines a ride on the metro but can include a visit to this excellent museum. There are good displays on environmental problems, some of which are caused by tourism – a lesson that travellers are never too young to learn.

The Goulandris Natural History Museum in AthensThe Goulandris Natural History Museum

There are also extensive collections on Greek flora and fauna, including some of the larger birds of prey and mammals such as bears and wolves, which few visitors will ever see in the wild. https://www.gnhm.gr

Hellenic Children's Museum

Contact the museum for details of current activities. Although some of the staff speak English and welcome children of all ages and nationalities, advance notice for visits by non-Greek speaking children is advisable. https://www.hcm.gr

Lykabettos Hill

Mount Lykabettos in Athens as seen from the AcropolisMount Lykabettos as seen from the Acropolis

Though children are not normally gripped for long by panoramic views over cities, such as you get from the top of Mount Lykabettos, they will probably enjoy the journey up there if you take them on the funicular. The only drawback may be that they will want to come straight back down again, without allowing you time to enjoy the view. Persuade them to stay with a drink in one of the cafés at the top.

Museum of Greek Children's Art

Museum of Greek Children's Art in AthensMuseum of Greek Children's Art

This small, lively museum has displays of art that includes imaginative sculptures, as well as tables and materials for children to use. http://www.childrensartmuseum.gr

Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments

A display of musical instruments at the Greek Folk Musical Instruments Museum in AthensThe Greek Folk Musical Instruments Museum

While it isn't possible to actually play any of the instruments in this valuable collection, you can listen to most of them on headphones provided at each case. Videos are also shown, illustrating how various instruments are made and played. We once saw the lovely sight of a Greek boy with a big smile on his face while dancing to the music only he could hear on his headphones. athensmuseums.net

Our Pick of the Athens Guides

Lonely-Planet-Pocket-Athens.png

National Gardens

In addition to simply exploring the gardens, perhaps looking for small ponds where fish and terrapins live, there is also a Children's Library in the centre of the gardens: signposted from the main entrance on Amalias. Adults are not admitted, and there are books, toys, tapes, and games in Greek, English and other languages.

Olympic Stadium

The 1896 Olympic Stadium in AthensLet Your Kids Race Each Other Around This!

The running track of the 1896 Olympic Stadium is open to anyone to use during the day, and children might enjoy races around the track or even up the steep seating and down again. See our full page all about the Olympic Stadium.

Piraeus and the Islands

Poros in the Saronic Gulf Islands near Athens in GreecePoros

A good day out is to make a day trip to one or more of the Saronic Gulf Islands. An early start will mean a ride on the metro to Piraeus, the sight of the huge harbour there, and then the excitement of a journey on one of the ferries to Aegina, Póros, Spétses or Hydra.

The Planetarium

Although it's a little way out of the city centre, the Athens Planetarium has some very enjoyable shows, including programmes about the ancient Greeks which have joint Greek-English voice-overs. https://www.eef.edu.gr/en

Syntagma Square

Soldiers changing the guard in Athens in front of the Greek Parliament Building on Syntagma SquareThe Changing of the Guard

The Changing of the Guard is a dramatic precision routine that fascinates young and old alike. It takes place hourly on the hour, with a fuller ceremony with a marching band on Sunday mornings, in front of the Parliament Building at the top of Syntagma Square. While waiting, younger children will probably enjoy chasing the pigeons!

Some other Athens pages

  • Athens is a top vacation destination. The Greece Travel Secrets Athens guide has information on hotels, museums, Athens airport and all the best things to do.

    Athens: Travel Information and Advice about Athens, Greece

    Athens is a top vacation destination. The Greece Travel Secrets Athens guide has information on hotels, museums, Athens airport and all the best things to do.

  • Piraeus is the port of Athens from where many ferries to the Greek islands depart, and it also has an Archaeological Museum and the Hellenic Maritime Museum.

    Piraeus

    Piraeus is the port of Athens from where many ferries to the Greek islands depart, and it also has an Archaeological Museum and the Hellenic Maritime Museum.

  • Athens International Airport is east of Athens city centre with its own Metro train station, buses to Athens and Piraeus, taxis and car rental offices.

    Athens International Airport

    Athens International Airport is east of Athens city centre with its own Metro train station, buses to Athens and Piraeus, taxis and car rental offices.

  • The best things to do in Athens, Greece, include top archaeological sites like the Acropolis and must-see attractions such as the National Archaeological Museum

    The Best Things to Do in Athens

    The best things to do in Athens, Greece, include top archaeological sites like the Acropolis and must-see attractions such as the National Archaeological Museum

  • This extract of Artistic Athens in the Lonely Planet book Culture Trails takes visitors on a journey through the artistic side of Athens..

    Artistic Athens

    This extract of Artistic Athens in the Lonely Planet book Culture Trails takes visitors on a journey through the artistic side of Athens..

  • The best views in Athens include views from the Acropolis and of the Acropolis from the top of some of the city’s several hills and from hotels and restaurants.

    Best Views in Athens

    The best views in Athens include views from the Acropolis and of the Acropolis from the top of some of the city’s several hills and from hotels and restaurants.

  • Athens Airport hotels include the luxury Sofitel at the terminals, Holiday Inn near the airport, and others close by like the Hotel Pantheon.

    Athens Airport Hotels

    Athens Airport hotels include the luxury Sofitel at the terminals, Holiday Inn near the airport, and others close by like the Hotel Pantheon.

  • Mount Lykabettos is the highest hill in Athens and provides some of the best views of the city, with a funicular cable car the easiest way to get to the top.

    Mount Lykabettos

    Mount Lykabettos is the highest hill in Athens and provides some of the best views of the city, with a funicular cable car the easiest way to get to the top.

  • Athens Airport car rentals include Alamo/National Car Rental, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt, all with offices at the airport.

    Athens Airport Car Rental

    Athens Airport car rentals include Alamo/National Car Rental, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt, all with offices at the airport.

  • Around Monastiraki is the flea market, Athens cathedral, Kerameikos Cemetery, the Benaki Museum of Islamic Art and the Psirri and Gazi nightlife districts.

    Monastiraki and Around

    Around Monastiraki is the flea market, Athens cathedral, Kerameikos Cemetery, the Benaki Museum of Islamic Art and the Psirri and Gazi nightlife districts.

  • Greece Travel Secrets visits the Monastiraki Flea Market, followed by Sunday lunch at Sigalas on Monastiraki Square

    Monastiraki Flea Market

    Greece Travel Secrets visits the Monastiraki Flea Market, followed by Sunday lunch at Sigalas on Monastiraki Square

  • There are lots of flights from Athens to Santorini as well as a ferry service from Piraeus, with flights to Santorini leaving from Athens International Airport.

    Athens to Santorini

    There are lots of flights from Athens to Santorini as well as a ferry service from Piraeus, with flights to Santorini leaving from Athens International Airport.

  • The Athens Museum of Cycladic Art houses a remarkable collection of Cycladic figurines and other items and is one of the best museums in Athens.

    Athens Museum of Cycladic Art

    The Athens Museum of Cycladic Art houses a remarkable collection of Cycladic figurines and other items and is one of the best museums in Athens.

  • Two of the best cocktail bars in Athens, MoMix Kerameikos and The Clumsies, are making creative cocktails using that most Greek of Greek spirits, Metaxa.

    Best Cocktail Bars in Athens

    Two of the best cocktail bars in Athens, MoMix Kerameikos and The Clumsies, are making creative cocktails using that most Greek of Greek spirits, Metaxa.

  • Easter in Athens is, like everywhere in Greece, the biggest religious celebration of the year and this page tells you what to expect over the Easter weekend.

    Easter in Athens

    Easter in Athens is, like everywhere in Greece, the biggest religious celebration of the year and this page tells you what to expect over the Easter weekend.

  • If visiting Athens it helps to know when major events and public holidays take place, as some shops and attractions may be closed, but to be there at times like Easter can make for a magical trip.

    Athens Events and Public Holidays

    If visiting Athens it helps to know when major events and public holidays take place, as some shops and attractions may be closed, but to be there at times like Easter can make for a magical trip.

  • This walk around the Kolonaki neighbourhood of Athens starts and ends in Syntagma Square and takes you to several museums, Kolonaki Square and Mount Lykabettos.

    A Walk around Kolonáki

    This walk around the Kolonaki neighbourhood of Athens starts and ends in Syntagma Square and takes you to several museums, Kolonaki Square and Mount Lykabettos.

  • Pictures of Athens from the Greece Travel Secrets website

    Pictures of Athens

    Pictures of Athens from the Greece Travel Secrets website

  • Greece Travel Secrets lists the ten best museums in Athens, with the top two being the National Archaeological Museum and the Acropolis Museum.

    Ten Best Museums in Athens

    Greece Travel Secrets lists the ten best museums in Athens, with the top two being the National Archaeological Museum and the Acropolis Museum.

  • Syntagma Square or Constitution Square is the main square in Athens and has a metro station, the Greek Parliament building, hotels, cafes, and a post office.

    Syntagma Square

    Syntagma Square or Constitution Square is the main square in Athens and has a metro station, the Greek Parliament building, hotels, cafes, and a post office.

  • Athens' Benaki Museum is one of the city’s top museums with an outstanding collection, especially of Greek and Egyptian artefacts, in a beautiful mansion.

    Athens’Benaki Museum

    Athens' Benaki Museum is one of the city’s top museums with an outstanding collection, especially of Greek and Egyptian artefacts, in a beautiful mansion.

  • The Greece Travel Secrets website looks at the Athens weather, the chance of rain, the climate in summer and winter and the best time to visit Athens.

    Athens Weather and the Best Time to Visit

    The Greece Travel Secrets website looks at the Athens weather, the chance of rain, the climate in summer and winter and the best time to visit Athens.

  • Ten Fun Things to Do in Athens include eating in the Central Market, watching the sun set over the Acropolis and seeing one of the world's oldest theatres.

    Ten Fun Things to Do in Athens

    Ten Fun Things to Do in Athens include eating in the Central Market, watching the sun set over the Acropolis and seeing one of the world's oldest theatres.

  • This drive around Attica offers visitors high hills, beach resorts, small villages and classical sites like Marathon and the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.

    A Drive around Attica

    This drive around Attica offers visitors high hills, beach resorts, small villages and classical sites like Marathon and the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.

  • The National Archaeological Museum is one of the best things to see in Athens, and the best museum in the world for seeing Greece's archaeological treasures.

    National Archaeological Museum

    The National Archaeological Museum is one of the best things to see in Athens, and the best museum in the world for seeing Greece's archaeological treasures.

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