Things to Do in Athens Greece with your Family

Are you visiting Athens? The Greek capital is a great city for families with kids of all ages. Ancient old monuments, fun neighbourhoods, and lots of family-friendly activities. We believe it is really hard to choose what to do in Athens Greece and that is why we have created a list with the Top 10 things to do in Athens with the kids, by age!

For 4-6 years old

1. Visit traditional neighbourhoods (4-6 years old)

Athens is full of picturesque neighbourhoods. Plaka, one of the most beautiful of the city has many pedestrian streets and neoclassical buildings. The numerous picturesque cafés and restaurants along the way fill the atmosphere with vivid colors and appetizing flavors. Socialize with the local merchants at Adrianou Street and get a real taste of the Greek temperament! Young kids will have lots of fun discovering the city this way.

Anafiotika neighbourhood is another such area. With its tiny houses and whitewashed stairs, you will feel as if you were on a Greek island. Enjoy a cup of traditional Greek coffee in one of the areas beautiful cafés and gaze at the breathtaking view of the Acropolis while your kids run around freely. Now it’s the perfect time to grab your cameras and capture all these unique family moments.

Young children will also love Monastiraki. The famous Flea Market of Monastiraki with its peculiar shops and friendly street vendors with colourful handicrafts is not to be missed!

2. The changing of the guards at Syntagma Square (4-6 years old)

Syntagma Square is one of the main squares of Athens and the center of the city. Here you can enjoy a coffee in one of the cafés while you watch the passers-by, admire the large fountain or sit on one of the benches beneath the shade of the trees. Crowded Syntagma Square is always a pleasant stop. Young kids will love feeding the pigeons or buying a Greek bagel from the street vendors.

The Greek Parliament building is located next to Syntagma Square. In front of the Parliament building are the Tsoliades also called Evzones. These elite soldiers are a ceremonial unit that guards the Greek Tomb of the Unknown Soldier outside the Parliament. The Tsoliades stand completely still during their watch. Each hour, every day of the week, they are being replaced by a fresh team of soldiers. This changing of the guards is an impressive ceremony to watch and a must-do when in Athens with young kids (and older ones too!).

If you want to make sure that you do not miss any of these pretty parts of Athens, we recommend a guided Family Walking Tour in Athens with a family-friendly local insider guide. This carefully designed walking tour for families is a perfect introduction to Athens for first-time visitors. You will have the opportunity to visit five of the most historic neighbourhoods of Athens: Syntagma Square, Plaka, Anafiotika, Monastiraki, and Psirri.

Attica Zoo Park (4-6 years old)

A great place to visit with young kids in Athens is the friendly animals at the Attica Zoo Park. The Attica Zoo Park is located outside the Athens city center near a large shopping mall and the Athens airport.

Attica Zoo Park has more than 350 animal species and half of these species are endangered. There are exotic animals and one section of the park is dedicated to Greek fauna, where the brown bear is the stand-out attraction as well as the endemic Kri-Kri goat and the horses from Skyros Island.

Bird lovers will enjoy the large variety of bird species. In the past, Attica Zoo Park was designed as an ornithological park and that is why it hosts the third biggest bird collection in the world. Giraffes, zebras, antelopes, hippos, rhinos, camels, Asian Elephants and more are waiting for you. Do not miss the impressive Komodo dragons and the anteaters, the most recent additions to the Attica Zoo Park.

Attica Zoo Park also hosts a petting farm, a playground with swings and a climbing castle as well as a large picnic field for endless hours of play in the sun.

There are several kiosks in the park and one restaurant with snacks and cold/hot meals such as pasta or pizza. In the Zoo’s educational center, kids can participate in arts and crafts or admire a small collection of fossils, feathers, bones, and other animal-related objects. During school holidays, the zoo organizes summer camps for kids of all ages.

For 7-12 years old

The Acropolis (for 7-12 years old)

Climb up the Acropolis, travel back to the Golden Age of Pericles, and discover the birthplace of democracy! A visit to the Acropolis is a must for anyone visiting Athens. The Acropolis is a rocky and steep hill in the middle of Athens. It is the most famous Greek monument of the ancient world and known around the world.

The Acropolis is a UNESCO World Heritage monument and the most complete ancient Greek monument still existing in our times. At the Acropolis hill, you can see the largest temple called the Parthenon as well as the Propylaea or ‘main entrance doors’, the Temple of Nike, and the Erechtheion. At the slopes of the Acropolis is the ancient Dionysus Theatre (the first theatre in the world!), the ancient Odeon of Herodes Atticus theatre, and the Asclepius Sanctuary.

To fully understand the history and art of the Acropolis and its monuments, it is wise to book a guided tour with a family-specialized guide. She/he will be able to engage the children with vivid stories about the Greek Gods and will bring the monuments to life. Storytelling, quizzes, and games, a family guide will visit the Acropolis suitable for children and teens!

To make the most out of your visit to the Acropolis with kids, we recommend our Private Family Guided Tour to the Acropolis. This tour takes your family along the famous monuments of the Acropolis and its foothills.

If your kids like mythology or the books and movies of Percy Jackson, we have designed Mythology Tours in the Acropolis inspired by Percy Jackson. There are private and small group options. Click here for more information: Mythology Tours inspired by Percy Jackson.

If you want to take your family’s visit to the Acropolis to a different level, have a look at our Acropolis 3D app. A new guiding tool for families opening a virtual window to the history of ancient Athens.

5. The Acropolis Museum (for 7-12 years old)

The Acropolis Museum is the opposite of the Acropolis: modern and dynamic, but steeped in the ancient history of the city. Built atop a recently opened archaeological site of Ancient Athens, the entrance to the museum is a glass walkway with a view of the works. It’s a great place to visit after walking around the Acropolis—it’s about 15-20 minutes’ walk back down the mountainside.

The Acropolis Museum is home to the statues that once lived in the Acropolis, including the famous Caryatids. The Acropolis Museum is a real treasure trove of ancient statues, pottery, and other articles from the glory years of Athenian democracy.

The museum has a wonderful restaurant with an amazing view of the Acropolis for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The Acropolis Museum offers Family Backpacks with an education program for kids free of charge.

To make the most out of your visit to the museum, we recommend a guided tour with our family-friendly guides: Acropolis Museum Family Guided Tour.

For Percy Jackson fans, we recommend the Percy Jackson inspired tours at the Acropolis Museum.

For kids who are interested in photography, we have created a unique experience in the Acropolis Museum called the Photo Adventure in the Acropolis Museum. During this workshop, you will not only find out more about how the sculptures have been created but also listen to the incredible stories behind them.

This Photography Workshop is guided by a professional photographer enabling you and your kids to see the museum’s sculptures through his eyes. By doing so, not only will you learn about ancient Greek art, but you will also improve your photography skills and learn art photography. While photographing the sculptures, you will practice working with light and create unique and interesting artistic photos as your own, personal photo souvenir.

6. Join a Food Tour (for 7-12 years old)

Embark on a mythological journey into Greek gastronomy with the whole family! Taste eternal Greek delicacies, discover their origins and listen to great stories from Greek Mythology! With as many as 15 different foods to taste, there is no need for breakfast and there will be no room for lunch! Food is in the heart of Greek culture and there is no better way for your family to experience it than with a kid-focused Mythology Food Tour in the traditional heart of Athens.

Eat your way through Athens and experience one of the most delicious tours of your life at our Mythology Food Tour for families.

Another interesting food tour is the Kids Love Greece Vegetarian Food Tour. Vegetarianism is no new thing to Greece as it has been a part of the culture since classical ancient times and still is today. It is an essential part of the Greek Orthodox religious calendar where specific days and weeks of the year are given over to fasting, particularly during Great Lent – the 40 days before Easter.

You will certainly be spoiled by the various vegetarian options as our guide introduces you to Greek vegetarian cuisine. Fava beans, olives, stuffed tomatoes and peppers, stuffed vine leaves, veggie croquettes, pies, yogurt, honey – the list is endless. We guarantee you will come away from this Athens vegetarian food tour full of enthusiasm and inspiration.

For children who do not sleep early, we recommend the Illuminated Athens Tour with Mezze. Starting as the sun sets, your exploration of Athens by evening begins with our local, expert guide and historian. From the fairytale lamps of Pittaki Street to the sweeping esplanade of Dionysiou Areopagitou, you will discover the most picturesque places in Athens.

This is a tour rich in history and mythology, taking in landmark sites such as the National Gardens and the Temple of Olympian Zeus whilst giving you a rich insight into the local culture. From Syntagma Square we go through historic neighborhoods such as Plaka, Thiseio, and Psyrri. You will see the National Gardens, Hadrian’s Arch, the ancient Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates, and the magnificent Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

Admire the illuminated Acropolis, the Acropolis museum, and the Stoa of Attalos. Learn more about Athens’ history and culture and hear local anecdotes of the city that range from Ancient to Roman, Byzantine, and contemporary Athens. The evening ends with a light mezedes dinner and wine at a local tavern. With live music and a warm Greek atmosphere, this is an experience that you will not forget!

To find out more about any of our food tours for families in Athens, contact the Kids Love Greece team today. We’ll be more than happy to explain in more detail what you can expect from the tour and would be delighted to help you plan your trip to Greece.

7. Hands-on Greek Cuisine (for 7-12 years old)

Kids love to participate in a cooking lesson especially when they can book something sweet. That is why we have designed cooking classes for families creating Greek delicacies.

The Cooking Lesson for Families in Athens is another great idea for families who want to learn even more about cooking Greek dishes. You will learn how to find the freshest ingredients to buy at the Greek market and experiment with various traditional Greek ingredients, spices, and flavors. After, you will learn how to prepare your traditional Greek salad and tzatziki and enjoy your culinary masterpieces!

In our Baklava Baking cooking lesson kids can taste delicious sweets, sample mountain tea, and frappé, and experience genuine Greek hospitality. Your host will invite you into their home in Athens for a Greek cooking lesson with a difference.

Explaining the history behind this most famous of Greek desserts, they encourage everyone to join in and bake their own. This is a great opportunity for the kids to have a real hands-on experience, as they learn how to mix and bake for themselves. During this family cooking lesson, you can also sample other Greek desserts and sweets, such as Bougatsa, Halva, and Amigdalota.

For 13 + 

8. Cape Sounio and the Temple of Poseidon (for 13+ years old)

Feel the power of the Temple of Poseidon and experience one of the most gorgeous sunsets of your life! Teens will love a visit to Cape Sounio with its Poseidon temple along the Athens Riviera. This ancient Greek temple has stood here for thousands of years and is in an almost magical position with incredible views.

If your teen likes the books or movies of Percy Jackson, we recommend a Percy Jackson Cape Sounio Tour to this sacred place.

Your little Percy Jackson fans will love the temple of Percy’s father, and they should wonder if the temple is part of a ‘Sacred Triangle’. As the sun begins to sink lower in the sky, you have some free time to enjoy the temple and views as the horizon changes color. Each sunset at the Temple of Poseidon is different, and whether you want to go Instagram crazy or simply sit there and admire nature at its finest, we know you’ll all love it.

Would you like to find out more about our Percy Jackson tours of Greece? We offer day trips and vacation packages specifically designed just for you, guaranteeing a unique and memorable experience in Greece. Contact our team today through the online chatbox, or take a look at our ‘Design Your Own Trip‘ page to get started!

9. Street Art for teenagers (for 13+ years old)

Discover some of the most charming neighbourhoods of the city and the urban site of Athens through the street artists during a Kids Love Greece Street Art Tour.

During this 3-hour street art walking tour, your guide will take you to some neighbourhoods of Athens which have attracted some street artists over the past years. Actually, you will be amazed at how street art has taken over Athens; there are over 2,000 graffiti works. No wonder why New York Times calls Athens “a contemporary Mecca for street art in Europe”!

After this street art walking tour, you will definitely get a better appreciation and critical eye on this form of artistic expression. This activity is recommended for anyone who is curious, full of imagination, and appreciative of this colorful urban canvas form of art. We highly recommend this tour for teenagers/ older children visiting Athens.

For a private family-friendly Street Art Tour in Athens:

10. Sailing along the coast of Athens (for 13+ years old)

Put on your swimwear and your flip-flop mood and explore incredible beaches nearby Athens through our Athens Riviera Family Day Cruise. Teens love this tour as they get to relax onboard, listen to music, sunbathe, and jump in the sea. This family-friendly Athens Riviera Sailing Cruise is your chance to see another beautiful side of Athens!

PS. Similar sailing tours are also available in Santorini, Crete, Mykonos, and other places throughout Greece. So whenever you are travelling to Greece with teens, keep these tours in mind!

We hope you will enjoy our suggestions for the best 10 things to do in Athens with your Family. If you need more suggestions for experiences in one of the oldest cities in Europe, have a look under the Tours tab on our website or contact us for tips and ideas. We are happy to help!