3 Days In Athens With Kids - Itinerary

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Why Visit Athens With Kids?

When people visit Greece they more often than not travel straight to the islands. Totally understandable, the beaches and gorgeous turquoise seas are very enticing. However, I highly recommend that you factor a few days in Athens into your plans. It’s the perfect place to finish your holiday, after some island hopping, or to introduce you to the Greek culture when you first arrive. It’s one of the oldest cities in the world, so it’s perfect for a family trip!

The whole family will love exploring the compact capital city of Greece, with trips on the underground. Easy walking distances to various museums and of course the famous Parthenon! There is plenty to see and do, especially if your children learn a bit about Greek mythology beforehand. And if they already know about Greek mythology then this is one of the best places to learn more about the history!

Learn About Greek Mythology Before You Go

I highly recommend getting some books out the library on Greek mythology before you go. Part of the reason my kids loved Athens so much is due to their knowledge of Ancient Greece and Ancient Athens. They were excited to see any temple, statue and archaeological sites if they had Greek god names! So the temple of Zeus was a hit, as was everything named after the goddess Athena!

If your kids prefer to listen than read books I definitely suggest listening to National Geographic’s Greeking Out podcast. It tells the Greek myths in funny and engaging ways, the kids will love it and learn so much! This way they will get a lot more out of their trip to Athens.

Where To Stay in Athens

Staying central within the old city of Athens makes it a lot easier for getting around. However, if you can’t find any available rooms or apartments in this area I recommend staying near a metro station. Preferably on the Anthoupoli to Elliniko line, which has many of the main stations.

There are a variety of hotels in the centre for different budgets. Both the Divani Palace, Acropolis and Coco-Mat Athens BC have great reviews and are a short walk to the Acropolis.

We chose to stay in an apartment in the Aparthotel Hestia Ippokratous 35, close to the Panepistimio metro station. The apartments are clean, great air conditioning and fantastic views across to the Acropolis from the roof top. The small kitchen is great for families to cook in and you can request a room with a balcony too.

Day 1 in Athens With Kids

On your first day I suggest not visiting the Acropolis of Athens. The main reason is that it’s better to spend time understanding the Parthenon’s history first at the new Acropolis museum, planning your visit for the following day. There are a huge amount of statues, which can seem overwhelming to kids, so why not get the kids to spot any gods that they recognise.

Don’t miss the archaeological remains under the museum. They were discovered during the building of the museum and are a good way to learn how the ancient Greeks lived.

After the Acropolis museum grab some lunch or an ice cream from the many cafes and shops around the museum area. There are some good, and not too expensive options, just beside the Akropoli metro station with a good view of the Acropolis. You will also find cheap water at almost every stall and shop in Athens, so don’t worry if you run out!

In the afternoon go to the Ancient Agora. Buy the multiple site option of tickets that includes the acropolis. It’s cheaper than buying individual tickets for each site, although it may seem expensive at the time! In the Ancient Agora don’t miss the Temple of Hephaestus, one of the only temples that is still fairly complete! The temple is missing many of it’s sculptures, some are able to be seen inside the museum on the site. Also keep an eye out for the mermaid/merman statues on the way through the Agora too.

After a busy day of visiting sites have a wander around the souvenir shops and cafe’s. Look out for all the cats too. There are cats everywhere and the kids may want to stop and admire them! There are several good ice cream shops around the base of the Acropolis, with a huge range of flavours.

Head to the area North of the Acropolis to eat dinner. There are a variety of restaurants to choose from dependant on which food you would like or how big your budget is.

Day 2 in Athens With Kids

Pre-book one of the family tours of the Acropolis in advance (they can sell out quickly!). We really enjoyed the Alternative Athens tour booked via Get Your Guide. It’s a Greek mythology tour, so alongside the history the kids also learn about different Greek gods and their mythology associated with the acropolis. Definitely a huge hit for the kids! Don’t miss the oldest theatre in the world – the theatre of Dionysus. It’s connected to the temple of Dionysus, who was the god of wine and parties. And of course learn the story about how Athena and Poseidon battled to become the patron of the city of Athens.

After the tour grab a quick lunch nearby. Then either walk or take the metro to Syntagma metro station. If you choose to walk, go through the shaded National Gardens, they’re very pretty and have a sweet blue fountain/pool filled with turtles! If you have young children then there’s also a playground in the South West of the gardens.

On the hour, every hour you will be able to watch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Syntagma Square. The changing of the guard is interesting to watch as the guards are in traditional dress and perform a slow march that is almost dance like.

Just round the corner from here is the kids favourite museum. The Museum of Greek Technology. It has many hands-on exhibits showing visitors what famous Greek inventors created. From alarm clocks to robots and many more amazing designs. They really were ahead of their time and it’s good to understand that the Greeks were much more advanced compared to the UK at the time. We were still living in wooden buildings and hill forts, not very sophisticated! Our children loved the museum and if we had time we would have visited again.

For the final museum of the day hop over to the Hellenic Children’s Museum. It’s only open one day late afternoon during the week and most Saturday mornings. Do check the website for opening times in advance. It’s less of a museum and more a kids explore and play centre, particularly suited to those 10 and under. My 10 year old still enjoyed himself, although I know other 10 year olds who would probably consider it to babyish. The 8 year old had an absolutely fantastic time creating shopping lists and picking up the items in the mini market area, plus the bubbles were a huge hit too. The staff are on hand to help guide children and play too. It’s free to enter, although donations are very welcome. A nice way to finish off a busy day together.

Children listening to the mythology tour on acropolis

Day 3 in Athens With Kids

Today head outside of the centre to visit the National Archaeological Museum. Take the metro to either Omonia or Victoria, it’s inbetween both. The main reason to visit this particular museum is to see the gold mask of Agamemnon, I highly recommend listening to the Greeking Out podacst episodes about the Trojan War before you visit. There are many interesting statues and the kids enjoyed spotting Greek gods they recognised and also the Egyptian artefacts area. I wouldn’t spend too long in the parts with lots of statues, it can get boring for kids. However do look at the smaller items with more details, the kids can get quite interested in spotting designs and animals in them.

Find a spot for lunch and then head back to Syntagma metro station. From here either walk or take a taxi up the (very!) steep hill to get to the Lycabettus Hill funicular. It’s a very steep walk and with younger kids, or during the hot summer months, I would recommend taking a taxi. My two were 8 and 10, it was very hot and we only just made it to the top in one piece, fortunately we had plenty of water. Although we were very sweaty when we arrived!

The funicular takes you to the highest point at the top of the hill. It’s a great place to point out all the areas of Athens you have visited and there’s a restaurant at the top too. On the way back down take a final metro into the centre of Athens to admire the Acropolis one more time. If you have extra time you could always visit the Tower of the Winds and Roman Agora or the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

Other potential places to visit with kids of all ages are the Museum of Greek Children Art and the Museum of Cycladic art. You would need another day to visit these children’s Museums and also a few other ancient sites in the city center.

If you are staying in Greece longer then here is a 2-week itinerary to exploring more of Greece and the islands. Or if you are heading up North then check out the best things to do in Thessaloniki.