When our family had the opportunity to travel out of the US in 2023, we agonized over which European destination might be the best place to take our young children, who were only 2 and 5 years old at the time.
In anticipation of what would be our first international travel experience with kids, we wanted to find a city where our energetic boys would feel welcomed and there’d be plenty of activities we could enjoy together as a family. We also wanted a destination we could feel safe navigating on our own without mastery of a foreign language.
After countless hours of research and deliberation, Athens, Greece, topped our list. So, we went.
Based on our trip, it definitely seems like the best kid-friendly European travel destination we could’ve chosen to have a fun, welcoming, and educational adventure that our family will never forget. Here’s why.
Many locals we encountered seemed to enjoy children and be patient with them
While planning our trip, we had anecdotally heard horror stories of families getting excused from cafés and restaurants in other European cities where quiet adult spaces are protected and the presence of noisy children is frowned upon.
On our trip, we didn’t want to feel stressed about our kids being loud or end up being excluded from enjoying a café or nice restaurant.
Fortunately, we found the stories we read online about Athens being kid-friendly proved to be true. Most people we encountered in the city seemed genuinely happy to see our children, and it made us feel welcome everywhere we went.
Many locals treated our boys wonderfully — talking directly to them, fawning over them, bringing them booster chairs or special treats, and trying to make them laugh.
We found plenty of kid-friendly food options
It wasn’t hard to find food for our kids (and us adults) to enjoy in the city.
Warm pita bread, hearty souvlaki, and sticky-sweet loukoumades (fried dough with honey) made up our picky eaters’ diets in Athens.
My little one also enjoyed eating fresh chunks of tomato and cucumber from the (many) delicious Greek salads I enjoyed on our trip.
We even spotted a McDonald’s in Syntagma Square that we planned to stop at if we’d gotten desperate for familiar food from home.
Exploring the ancient ruins was active and engaging for our kids
Our children burned plenty of energy walking around Athens and exploring the ancient ruins and sites, including the Temple of Zeus, the Hill of the Muses, the Roman Agora, and, of course, the Acropolis.
The ruins felt pretty laid-back, and we had plenty of freedom to explore at our own pace, which isn’t often the case on a guided museum tour or at some ticketed indoor attractions.
As a bonus, our kids also learned a lot about Greek mythology and ancient Greek history along the way.
It was nice that we got to spend so much time doing activities outside, plus bringing our own snacks and water with us was easy.
Greek coffee was incredible for us tired parents
We couldn’t get enough of Nescafé frappé — a light, foamy, sweet, and energizing signature Greek coffee drink.
It felt like the perfect pick-me-up on the go for us tired parents dealing with jet lag. I never encountered a frappe I didn’t like, but the one from Cafe Plaka was the best, and the cute spot also served ice cream for the kids.
English is commonly spoken in Athens
You won’t need to learn Greek to visit Athens — although learning a few phrases can be very helpful.
Most people we encountered spoke English as well as Greek, and many of the road signs in Athens had directions in both Greek and English, making the city a breeze for American tourists like us to navigate.
At the same time, we felt immersed in a foreign culture, with ample exposure to the local language as we walked the streets of Athens.
Plus, we were easily able to hop on a ferry to one of the beautiful Greek islands nearby
While visiting Athens, we got to take a two-hour ferry ride across the Aegean Sea to the breathtakingly beautiful island of Hydra.
Our boys were so excited about the boat ride, which had spectacular views. Once we got to Hydra, they loved walking around the car-free island, petting stray cats, and waving hello to the donkeys.
It was definitely a highlight of the trip.
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