We’ve been to Athens a few times now, and each visit has followed the same pattern: a short city break bolted onto the front of a bigger trip. The first time was before island hopping in the Saronic Gulf, the most recent was before a trip out to the western Peloponnese. It’s become our go-to way to start a Greece holiday, a couple of days in the city before the beach trip properly begins.
We’ve never had more than a short window there either time, but between what we’ve done across both visits, here’s our three-day Athens itinerary to follow before an onwards trip.
In this guide:
- Getting there and where to stay
- Day 1: touch down, Temple of Zeus and sampling Athens’ famous sweet treats
- Day 2: Acropolis and as much history as you can fit in
- Day 3: Syntagma, the National Garden and Monastiraki
- Where to eat
- From Athens to the islands
- Athens as a gateway to the Peloponnese and Lefkada
Getting to Athens and where to stay
Athens airport is well connected from the UK, with flights typically landing early afternoon if you take a morning or lunchtime departure. A taxi into the centre took us about 35 minutes and cost around €40, which meant we were checked in and had a proper stretch of daylight left before dinner, rather than losing the whole first day to travel.
The official taxi runs a fixed fare, currently €40 during the day and €55 overnight, the metro is €9 one-way per person (reduced to €4.50 for ages 6 to 12 and over-65s, free under 6) and runs every 30 minutes with lifts at the main stations, and the X95 airport bus is the cheapest option at around €5.50.
Where to stay in Athens with kids
For our first stay, we were at the Athens Gate Hotel, right by the Temple of Olympian Zeus and a short walk from the Acropolis.
The roof terrace has one of the best views in Athens, the Acropolis on one side and the Temple of Zeus on the other, and breakfast up there each morning meant we saw a lot of the city over a coffee. On a short trip with kids, that meant an extra Athens ‘wow’ moment that didn’t cost any extra walking or nap-time juggling.
On our return through Athens more recently, en route to the Peloponnese, we stayed at Electra Palace Athens in Plaka. Another rooftop with an Acropolis view, this time with a pool attached. There’s also an indoor pool downstairs, with set morning hours for children (worth confirming when you book as this may have changed).
Three of these come particularly recommended for families, and here’s why:
The New Hotel, next to Plaka, also has a rooftop with a Parthenon view for that same easy, no-extra-effort city moment we loved at Athens Gate. What makes it work for families is the location as much as anything: within walking distance of most of the ruins on this itinerary, so less time spent getting little legs from A to B.
COCO-MAT Athens, in Kolonaki near Evangelismos metro, is the pick for a slightly quieter, more residential base without losing central access: a short walk from Syntagma, close to the Lycabettus funicular, and it has a rooftop garden of its own if you fancy a low-key evening in rather than heading out to find one.
A for Athens, right on Monastiraki Square, offers space and flexibility: family rooms sleeping up to four, free cots on request, and a location that puts you right in the middle of the flea market and rooftop café scene without any extra walking to get there.
Grecotel Pallas Athena, also central, is a good fit if you want a family-first stay rather than a hotel that merely tolerates kids: it’s specifically recommended for its family vibe, and the family suites give you proper room to spread out rather than living out of one small double.
Electra Metropolis, downtown, is the pick if you want a rooftop-pool without leaving the centre: Parthenon views from the pool itself, family suites, and a kids’ entertainment programme, so it works as a more practical base rather than just a place to sleep.
Wherever you choose, staying central and near a metro stop is worth prioritising over anything else. Most of your time will be spent walking, so cutting down the distance between your room and a nap matters more than extra square footage.
See our suggested routes to pair Athens with further down.
Athens with a baby or toddler: our tips
- Pram or carrier? Opinions genuinely differ on this one but the main tourist centre, Plaka and Syntagma included, is mostly flat and stroller-friendly, while the Acropolis itself is not. We say bring both if you can: pram for the flat stretches, carrier for the Acropolis climb and anywhere crowded.
- Bring a pack away high chair seat. Highchairs exist in plenty of restaurants but aren’t always visible from the door, and it’s not guaranteed the place you fancy will have one. A lightweight travel booster means you’re not restaurant-hunting with a hungry toddler. If you want a quiet table, aim for an early breakfast slots and an early dinner, both tend to be empty before the city catches up.
- Breastfeeding in public is well accepted, and most cafés and restaurants are happy to warm a bottle with hot water on request.
- Bring a portable changing mat. Baby changing facilities are genuinely hard to find, including in restaurants, so don’t count on there being one.
- Sort a travel cot before you land if you can. Hotel cots aren’t always available at short notice, especially in summer, so pre-order one. If yours doesn’t have one, babytraveller.gr hires out cots, car seats and other baby gear with flexible hotel drop-off.
- Bazaar supermarket has a central branch on Mitropoleos, near Syntagma, and stocks nappies, wipes and baby food if you run low.
- Book Acropolis tickets online in advance, and buy the combined multi-site ticket (covering the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Library, Kerameikos and Aristotle’s Lyceum, valid for 5 consecutive days) at the Temple of Zeus rather than queuing at the Acropolis itself. Same ticket, much shorter line. Children under 18 go free, but you may still be asked for proof of age, a photo of the passport page is enough. If you’re only doing the Acropolis, this is the skip the line ticket.
Athens with kids 3-day itinerary
Day 1: settle in, start the sites and enjoy famous sweet treats
With an early-afternoon landing, day one has enough daylight left for a proper first taste of Athens without touching the Acropolis. We checked into the Athens Gate Hotel, dropped the bags, and were straight back out again: no point wasting a free afternoon on a nap that could happen at home.
The Temple of Olympian Zeus is right outside the hotel, so it made sense to use it as our first proper stop. It’s a manageable, mostly-shaded site with wide gravel paths, good for a pram, and the scale of the surviving columns is impressive even for a baby with no idea what he’s looking at. Entry is covered by the combined multi-site ticket if you’ve bought one in advance, which meant no queuing on our first afternoon in the city.
From the temple we walked the two minutes to Hadrian’s Arch, free to see from outside and worth a quick stop rather than a special trip.
Before ending the daytime itinerary, head to Athens’ famous loukoumades shop, serving little Greek doughnuts that are deep-fried until golden and crispy, then drizzled with honey and often sprinkled with cinnamon, walnuts or sesame. They’re light, fluffy and dangerously moreish – a perfect sweet treat to pick up after a busy afternoon exploring the city!
Back at the hotel we headed up to the roof terrace before dinner: the Acropolis on one side, the Temple of Zeus we’d just walked round on the other, and a proper sense of the city before the Acropolis climb the next morning. From there we found a taverna in the Makrygianni neighbourhood, a couple of streets from the hotel, for a late dinner. Nothing fancy, just outdoor tables, no rush, and staff who didn’t bat an eyelid at a baby in tow.
Day 2: Acropolis, more history, and evening drinks
This was the day we actually did, and it’s the one to build the rest of your visit around.
- Acropolis and the Parthenon, first thing. We were there for opening and it made all the difference. The site has no shade and the marble paths are uneven, so a carrier works far better than a pram once you’re through the gate. Standing in front of the Parthenon itself is worth every early alarm. Aim to be finished before the heat and the coach parties arrive.
- Panathenaic Stadium. The world’s only stadium built entirely of marble, and where the first modern Olympics were held in 1896. It’s a quick, easy add-on and the kind of thing that’s more interesting in person than it sounds on paper. Look out for the tunnel carved into the rock at the far end of the track, it leads to a small museum of Olympic torches from every Games since 1936, and it’s included in your entry ticket rather than a separate stop.
Still on our list: the Acropolis Museum. We didn’t manage it ourselves but it comes recommended by every family guide we’ve read. It’s air-conditioned, stroller-friendly, and has a glass floor over an excavated ancient neighbourhood, which makes it a good midday break from the heat if you’re there for longer than we were. Plaka, the old neighbourhood below the Acropolis, is also worth slowing down in for lunch, with the winding stone staircases of Anafiotika if you have a bit more time and older kids.
Day 3: Syntagma, the National Garden and Monastiraki
- Changing of the guard, Syntagma Square. The Evzones perform a changeover every hour, with a larger ceremony on Sundays at 11am. It’s free, quick, and the kind of thing kids remember.
- National Garden. Right next to Syntagma, this is the pram-friendly green space Athens doesn’t get enough credit for. Shaded paths, a pond full of turtles, a small zoo area, and a proper playground for when everyone needs a break from pavements.
- Ancient Agora and the Temple of Hephaestus. A gentler alternative to a second climb up to the Acropolis, with more open space to let toddlers walk about, and one of the best-preserved ancient temples in Greece. It’s covered by the same combined ticket as the Acropolis.
- Roman Agora and the Tower of the Winds. A quieter site than the Acropolis, worth a short stop on the way between the Ancient Agora and Plaka. The octagonal Tower of the Winds, an ancient water clock and weather vane in one, is a good excuse to talk kids through what life sounded and felt like before phones told you the forecast.
- Monastiraki flea market. For the afternoon, this is the spot for browsing, people-watching and a rooftop café with an Acropolis view for a sit-down.
- Lycabettus Hill funicular. If naps allow, the funicular up Lycabettus Hill gets you to sweeping sunset views over the whole city without a climb. Worth knowing before you queue: the ride itself is a short, enclosed tunnel with no view, the views are all at the top, so it’s more about saving your legs than the journey itself. It runs roughly every 10 to 30 minutes and costs around €7 to €10 return.
Where to eat in Athens
Athens is an easy city to eat well in with kids. Tavernas are relaxed about noise and mess, and most menus have simple options like grilled chicken, chips and pasta alongside the mezze. We’d point you towards Makrygianni and Plaka for your first couple of nights, both walkable from an Acropolis-area hotel and full of options without needing to book ahead.
For trips with toddlers and older kids, Little Kook in Psiri is a fantasy-themed café dripping in lanterns and seasonal decorations. It’s more of a photo stop than a proper meal, and kids seem to love it.
One evening we sat outside at Wine O’Clock wine bar – it’s very relaxed, with outdoor bar stools, and easy with a pram parked beside the table.
Pre-kids we visited the 1818 rooftop bar at The Modernist in Kolonaki, up on the hill near Evangelismos. It’s a sky bar with sweeping views over the city, but best for babies who will fall asleep in the pram.
Athens island hopping ideas
From Athens, we took the metro out to Piraeus and a ferry across to Spetses, where we split our time between Poseidonion Grand Hotel and Nikis Village.
If you’re weighing up which islands work best with young children, we’ve written up our full findings, including Spetses, in our guide to the best Greek islands for families.
Athens is also easy to combine with a few days of beach time on the Athens Riviera. Just south of the city, the coastal neighbourhoods of Glyfada and Vouliagmeni have lovely beaches, calm water and a good choice of family-friendly hotels, making them an easy way to incorporate a beach stay without venturing far. Options to look at include Four Seasons Astir Palace and Grecotel Vouliagmeni Suites.
Athens city break + Peloponnese gateway
More recently, Athens became our starting point again, this time as the way in and out for a family trip to the Peloponnese. We flew into Athens, picked up a hire car and drove out to a base near Kalo Nero for beaches, castles and a rich history (like Ancient Olympia).
If you’re planning a Peloponnese trip of your own, we’re about to publish our full itinerary.
Visiting Lefkada from Athens
🌿 Thinking about Lefkada too?
Read our full Mousses Villas, Lefkada review — villa privacy with a kids’ club most hotels can’t match.
Athens works as a launchpad for more than one kind of trip. Lefkada is another option worth knowing about: unlike most Greek islands, it’s connected to the mainland by a road bridge rather than a ferry, so it’s a straightforward drive of around 3 hours 45 minutes from Athens with no boat required. We stayed at Mousses, a villa resort with its own kids’ club, on our most recent visit.
If Mousses isn’t quite the right fit, Simpson Travel offer plenty of other villas across Greece, and we’ve written up our full thoughts on booking with them in our Simpson Travel review.
Athens works well either way: as a city break in its own right, or as the sensible gateway before you head off to the islands or the mainland.
Allie, Jack & R x
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Our Athens with a toddler scorecard
Using our four-point scoring system, out of five stars.
1. Getting there – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Direct flights from most UK airports and a short taxi transfer into the centre.
2. Pramability – ⭐️⭐️️
- The centre and National Garden are fine, but the Acropolis itself needs a carrier, not a pram.
3. Adult fun factor – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Proper history, proper food, and enough going on that it doesn’t feel like a stop you’re only making for the kids.
4. Cost – ⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Central hotels aren’t cheap, but food and transport are reasonable, and most of the best bits (the Garden, Plaka, the changing of the guard) are free.
Athens with kids: frequently asked questions
Mostly, yes. The centre, Plaka and the National Garden are fine with a pram on their paved and shaded paths. The Acropolis itself is the exception: the marble paths are steep and uneven, so a carrier works far better once you’re through the gate.
Two full days covers the essentials without rushing nap times. Three gives you room to add the National Garden, the Ancient Agora and a proper lunch break without feeling like you’re cramming.
Yes. It’s an easy add-on either side of an island trip, with direct ferries from Piraeus and enough to fill two or three days without needing a car.