🧒 Essentials
Greece with children
Greeks are wonderful with children and late dinners include them. Pick shallow sandy beaches, plan around the heat and the wind, and bring the documents.
The welcome
Children are part of Greek social life: they are at the taverna at 22:00, in the square after dinner, and fussed over by waiters. High chairs are common in family tavernas; children's menus less so — shared plates work better anyway.
Choosing where
- Shallow, sandy, sheltered: Halkidiki, the Olympic Riviera, Kos, north-coast Crete, Naxos (Agios Prokopios and Plaka) and parts of Corfu suit small children.
- Watch the wind: in July and August the meltemi makes north-facing Cycladic beaches rough. Choose a south-facing beach on windy days.
- Harder with a pushchair: Santorini's cliff towns, Hydra and stepped Cycladic villages. A baby carrier is better.
Heat and sun
Keep the middle of the day for shade or a siesta, and visit ancient sites at opening time. Sites generally offer free or reduced entry for children — check the site's ticket page.
Documents
Every child needs their own ID card or passport. If a child travels with only one parent, carry a certified consent from the other parent — practice varies by country, so check with your own authorities.
Getting about
Car seats are required by law for young children; reserve them with the rental car, and check them. Ferries: book seats or a cabin on long crossings, and bring motion-sickness remedies — the Aegean in a meltemi is not calm.
Before you go
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