Traveling to Greece with kids: tips, activities and where to stay

Greece is in the Schengen area, so the entry rules depend on your passport, not on the fact that you are travelling with children. Children need their own passport and, for some nationalities, their own visa or an ETIAS authorisation once that system starts — check before booking. Minors travelling with one parent or with grandparents may be asked for a letter of consent at the border.

Costs swing more by month than by island. June and September sit in the middle; August is the peak. The table below is a planning band, not a quote.

Pick the shape of the trip first. With children under about eight, two bases beat four. Athens gives you the Acropolis and its museum in a morning, then a beach afternoon at the Athens Riviera. One island gives you the sea. Trying to add Santorini, Mykonos and Crete in the same week means most of the holiday is spent in ports.

Book the ferries when you book the flights. In July and August, car ferries and fast catamarans to the Cyclades sell out, and a family of four needs seats together. Reserve a cabin or a numbered seat on longer routes; the open deck is fine for a two-hour hop but hard with a toddler in the meltemi wind.

Choose accommodation for the room, not the view. Family rooms with a kitchenette and a pool are common on Naxos, Paros and Crete, and rare in the caldera villages of Santorini. Ground-floor rooms with a terrace beat a third-floor walk-up with a stroller.

Plan around the heat. Sightseeing before 11:00 and after 17:00, siesta and swimming in between. Archaeological sites have almost no shade, and marble gets hot. Carry water, hats and sunscreen; pharmacies sell good sunscreen but it costs more than at home.

Keep one rest day for every three active days. Children handle ferries, ruins and late taverna dinners better with a beach day between them.

Beaches: the Cyclades and Crete have sandy, gently shelving options — Agios Prokopios and Plaka on Naxos, Elafonisi and Falasarna in west Crete, Vlychada and Perissa on Santorini. Pebble beaches need water shoes. Many beaches have no lifeguard; the meltemi wind can make the water rougher than it looks.

Food: tavernas are relaxed about children, and half portions or a plain plate of pasta are normal requests. Highchairs exist in tourist areas but not everywhere. Greek yoghurt, grilled fish, souvlaki and fruit cover most picky eaters.

Health: pharmacies are easy to find in towns and can advise on minor problems; 166 is the ambulance number. Travel insurance with medical cover is worth having for ferry strikes, cancellations and clinic visits.

Getting around: Athens has a metro and buses; taxis are metered but ask for the meter. On islands, buses meet ferries but are crowded in August; a rental car opens up beaches but island roads are narrow and parking in old towns is hard. Ferries are the main delay risk — build a buffer day before your flight home.

Money: cards are widely accepted, but small tavernas and beach kiosks may be cash-only. Tipping is not required; round up or leave 5–10%.