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Santorini with Kids

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By Santorini Dave

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Santorini with kids.

My boys looking north over Santorini from the village of Pyrgos.

Visiting Santorini with Kids

There’s no sense denying it. Santorini can be a challenge to visit with kids. But there’s no denying the stunning beauty of Santorini either. You’ve come all this way to visit Greece, and it would be a shame to miss it. You should visit Santorini.

As long as you know what to expect I think Santorini is a great island for families. But the best way to make it fun for everyone is to stay busy and explore what the island has to offer. It’s not really a hang-by-the-pool sort of destination (save that for Naxos, Paros, or Mykonos). Here’s a list of tips for making a family trip to Santorini awesome, fun, and memorable.

Cons

  • Most visitors are adults – and most aren’t visiting Santorini to hang out with your kids. That said, you will be far from the only family in Santorini and there are plenty of kids when you go out to eat.
  • Its beaches are black volcanic sand that can be scorching hot in the mid-day sun.
  • It’s expensive. Many hotels have a boutique feel with smallish trendy rooms.
  • Wine and food are big draws for Santorini – and neither are top things to do for the typical child.

Pros

  • There are lots of great swimming spots all over the island.
  • Kids love the boat tour of the caldera and the swim (from the boat) to the volcanic hot spring.
  • There are several villages crisscrossed with crazy paths and winding alleys that are super fun for kids to explore.
  • The history of the island, volcano, and caldera is fantastically interesting. (The Best of Santorini tour is a great way to see the highlights.)

Top 10 Tips for a Family Vacation in Santorini

Teenagers in Santorini.

My kids on a boat tour to the volcano. Good times! A boat tour of the caldera is a Santorini must. And doubly so when you have kids.

1. Book Your Hotel Early

For many islands showing up on the ferry without a hotel isn’t a problem – in fact, it’s half the fun. But not on Santorini. Book a hotel as soon as you know your dates and plans. There aren’t a lot of hotel rooms on Santorini that will sleep a family of 4 to 6, which makes booking early even more important. These are some of the best family-friendly hotels on Santorini.

2. Visit Other Greek Islands

In a perfect world we’d all get as much time as we wanted on each of the Greek islands. But, of course, you’ve got a limited amount of time. There are so many great islands in the Cyclades for kids and families that spending more than 3 or 4 nights on Santorini is probably too long.

But you needn’t feel short-changed by a short visit. The great thing about Santorini is that its charms are immediately apparent. Even as you’re arriving on the ferry the views of the cliffs are incredible. (Arrival by plane is no less stunning – but on the ferry everyone has a window seat.) The drive from the port of Athinios up to the main towns above is an experience in itself. (If you come on a cruise ship, you’ll arrive at the Old Port – Skala Firas – where the only transport up is by cable car, donkey, or your own two feet.) And it only takes a few moments wandering the lanes of Oia or Fira to sense the incredible beauty of the island and peer down into the caldera below.

3. Do a Boat Tour to the Volcano

This is one of the highlights of Santorini. The boat takes you first to the volcano where you hike to the top to see some of the craters that have been created over the years. Then it’s on to the hot springs to swim in the warm seawater below. Then dinner on board, followed by a cruise around the base of the island where you could see the cliffs of the caldera up close. Finally, you watch the sunset and do some Greek dancing (a little gimmicky but still lots of fun) before heading back to port. These are easy to book after you arrive so no need to arrange in advance.

4. Explore the Towns of Pyrgos and Emporio

These 2 wonderful traditional villages are a colorful maze of walkways and alleys. Pyrgos is built on a hill with an old castle on top and fantastic views. Emporio is flatter and smaller, but both offer plenty of opportunities to get happily lost. The archaeological site at Akrotiri is also excellent.

5. Hit the Beach in the Morning

Santorini’s unique beaches can be enchanting or disappointing, or both, depending on your tastes. On one hand the dark black sand is cool to look at and makes for a very unique beach experience. On the negative side the sand gets scorching hot and can make getting around on the sand a tricky undertaking. (Tip: get some aqua Socks for your kids’ feet.)

The sand doesn’t get really hot until afternoon, so get to the beach early and enjoy the peace, quiet, and cool of some great Greek beaches. The best beach on Santorini for kids is Perissa.

6. Walk from Fira to Oia

This is a 10km/6-mile walk so it’s only for families with older kids, but what a walk!. The trek is fairly simple, but it will take at least 3 hours with kids. Try to walk in the early morning before its too hot, and remember to bring both water and sunscreen. Eat lunch in Oia then bus or taxi back to Fira (unless your hotel is in Oia of course, in which case you’ll do the opposite). If you have a toddler or young child then just do a portion of the hike, Imerovigli downhill to Fira is a good option. And definitely don’t take a stroller or jogger on the hike.

7. Go to a Movie at the Kamari Open Air Cinema

This is one of the most fun things to do in Santorini. The movies aren’t always kid-friendly, so check the schedule in advance, but they’re usually popular Hollywood-style movies in English (with Greek subtitles).

8. Wander the Streets and Lanes of Oia and Fira

Great views and cobbled streets aren’t just for adults. You probably know best if this sounds like something your kids would find appealing. But I’d be surprised if most parents couldn’t make an afternoon of wandering and exploring. Ice cream, crepes, and a few stories about exploding volcanoes will add to the experience.

9. Go for a Swim off the Rocks Below Oia

Locals swear this is the best place to swim on Santorini. Ask in Oia for directions to get down to the seawall and have a fantastically refreshing swim near Ammoudi Bay. There are a handful of seafood restaurants in the small settlement at the base of cliffs. It feels like a little fishing village and makes for a great afternoon outing. Take the steps down, but save those little legs the trek back up to the top – have the restaurant call you a taxi after you’ve had a snack.

10. Rent a Car

The bus system in Santorini is pretty good, so renting a car isn’t a necessity, but it will make experiencing some of the island’s attractions easier. All buses use Fira as their hub. Thus, getting from, say, Oia to Akrotiri, will require a stop and a new bus in Fira.

So rent a car. See the views of the caldera from a number of different angles around the island. Hit the best beaches for kids on Santorini (Perissa and Monolithos). Stop at one of the island’s many wineries. These are all things that are much easier when you have a car.

Hotels for Families in Santorini

Place to stay with kids in Santorini.

The villas at Aria Suites & Villas in Fira are my favorite place to stay for families.

There aren’t many large rooms on Santorini so book early if you need more than the typical layout with 2 double beds. The following hotels have good-sized family rooms.

Getting There

You can find more detailed information about traveling to Santorini on our How to Get to Santorini page.

Ferry To Santorini

Highspeed ferries and catamarans from Athens to Santorini take about 4 or 5 hours. Conventional ferries take between 8 and 10 hours depending on the vessel and the route they take. The approach to the island by ferry is spectacular and makes the half-day lounging around the boat worth it. Ferryhopper is the best way to search for and book ferry tickets in Greece.

Flights To Santorini

There are flights from Athens and Thessaloniki to Santorini with Olympic Air and Aegean Airlines. The following budget airlines have cheap flights to Santorini from the main hubs in Europe (e.g. London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Paris) and many of the smaller airports as well:

Kayak is the best website for finding flights to Santorini – or anywhere else.

Santorini with a Baby – Specific Tips

I found the excellent advice below on a travel forum. After contacting the author and getting some more input from her, I thought I’d post it here for everyone. I’ve edited it for brevity and to include her later updates.

I have traveled with my kids before, but this trip to Santorini was my longest by far and I was going solo with only my 4-month-old son. (My husband and 2-yr-old daughter stayed home.) Here are a few thoughts of visiting Santorini with a young baby.

Flying with a baby on a multi-leg, overnight flight to Greece

Book well in advance so you can secure a seat in the bulkhead that has a bassinet option. I know British Airways and many other airlines have these. The downside of these bassinets is that they “trap” the person in the middle seat for as long as the bassinet is in place. If you are traveling with another adult, the trapped person may be one of you … but since I was traveling as a solo parent, it was a complete stranger. This made for some interesting negotiations over space and timing of putting the bassinet in place. If possible, wait to install the bassinet after meal service so you or the stranger in the seat can get up and go to the bathroom. ( I held my son in my arms while I ate). BA allowed me to pre-board and go through transfer at Heathrow in the priority lane. If they don’t point you to the fast lane, just ask.

Time Change, jet lag, and baby’s sleep schedule

My son adapted more easily than expected (usually he is not a great sleeper and doesn’t have a good schedule, so I was expecting the worst). I followed the same rules for him that I follow for myself when traveling overseas: Adapt immediately to new schedule and throw in an extra nap when needed. With the bright sun, it would have been very hard to try to keep him on his home schedule (and I would have been miserable).

Best place to stay with kids

We stayed at the Anema Residence Villas, located about 10 minutes outside Fira on the flatter side of the island. It was such a beautiful place that I felt excited about being “stuck” there while my son napped. We easily and happily passed time during the hottest hours of the day. We had our own private pool just off the room, so I could be out there relaxing while he was inside napping – and I could still easily hear him. There was plenty of room so we (and our stuff) could spread out. Though the villa was a bit more expensive than many of the hotels, the difference was not huge, and the rate included a rental car.

Baby supplies – What to take

Santorini was bigger than I expected and I could find most everything at the grocery store in Fira, including US brand diapers. I’m still breastfeeding so I didn’t need formula, but my suggestion would be to pack what you need if you use a specific brand. They had limited choices of baby formula and it didn’t match US products very well. There was no Similac or organic formula brands.

Don’t take a stroller

I regretted lugging my stroller through the airport. Some suggested that it might be nice to have so the baby could have a place to sit while out to eat, etc, but I found it wasn’t worth the effort to take it out since most places are off hilly cobblestone streets. And I didn’t use it in the airport either. I did use my Baby Bjorn and kept the kiddo strapped in while I ate or took turns having friends hold him while we ate.

Car transportation and baby seats

The car rental I used (set up by the hotel) was the local one in town and they supplied a car seat. The car seat was very basic and old … definitely not up to the standards of car seats in the US, but it served its purpose. I tried to drive very cautiously and stay off the busy main road in Fira as much as possible. I felt fine driving on the quieter roads and main roads between towns. If you’re just looking for transportation from the port or airport to your hotel, Welcome Pickups car service has car seats available on request.

Things to do

July is HOT in Santorini. I found it tough to be out and about with a baby. Even with a hat on him and loads of sunscreen I was still nervous about the sun. We focused our activities in the early morning and evenings. During the day, we hung out at the villa and enjoyed the scenery, pool, and the coolness of the villa. Don’t try to hike between Fira and Oia – really any part of it – unless it is early in the morning or in the evening. The sun really beats down on you. Also, it was sweaty and unenjoyable to walk around Fira other than in the evening. But once the sun started setting, we hit the town. Restaurants and wineries were great about having a baby. I have never been any place where people loved babies as much as Santorini. People gave him kisses and asked to hold him and bent over backwards to accommodate us. We ate at (and loved) Nicolas in Fira, and the Sigalas winery outside of Oia.

And finally I have to say just how happy I am that we went. Several people (both on the travel forum and in my life) thought I was bonkers for traveling so far away with my son by myself. Though it definitely had it’s stressful moments (I recall being close to tears as my son wailed his way through the L-O-N-G customs line once we were back stateside), I was still absolutely able to enjoy my trip – in fact, some of my favorite memories from the trip were created BECAUSE I had my son with me. It was like people saw me as a person they wanted to engage with and not just a tourist.

About Santorini Dave

Santorini Dave in Athens, Greece Santorini Dave was started in 2011 when I posted a short guide to visiting Santorini with kids. Now, my site publishes regularly updated guides to Santorini, Naxos, Paros, Mykonos, Crete, Athens, and all of Greece.

Questions? Email me at dave@santorinidave.com.