Athens is a city filled with exciting possibilities for fun things to do as a family, from expansive gardens and parks with great playgrounds to exciting cultural sights and museums, but surely the best way to show your kids a great time is by far to visit places offering programmes designed for them. Here we present you with the many wonderful spaces and places where kids – and the entire family – are guaranteed to have a memorable experience.
Whether you’re seeking some outdoor action that includes cultural sights or museums or visits to cultural institutions running specialised programmes artfully designed to engage, stimulate and entertain children with a variety of educational, creative or fun activities, we’ve got you covered with this guide to all the best places to visit with kids in the capital today.
OUTDOOR ACTION
Allou Fun Park Kidom
In Kidom at Allou Fun Park in Rendi, children up to nine years old can enjoy games such as the Magic Bike, the spinning Tea Cups, and the Mini Pirate Ship, Battery Cars and the Frog. For physical fun, the Jumping Star invites energetic bouncing. Nearby, food stalls cater to young tastes with a variety of indulgent treats, including freshly spun cotton candy and crispy chicken nuggets, ensuring a tasty visit for every young guest. Older kids, teens and adults can find a larger, more intense choice of games at Allou Fun Park where you can take adrenaline-pumping rides, see the city from 72 metres high on the Star Flyer, get splashed at La Isla or get completely creeped out at the new House of Fear Iron Asylum, among many other experiences. Website
Attica Zoological Park
A wonderful attraction for families wishing to connect with the animal kingdom, the Athens Zoological Park, located in Spata, was established in 2000 and is Greece’s first and largest private zoo. It’s a sanctuary for over 2000 animals, including rhinos, lions, pumas, zebras, giraffes and several species of monkeys, among other mammals, as well as numerous kinds of birds, insects and reptiles. Engaging activities such as animal feeding and educational talks add to the experience, while at the ZooCafe Restaurant you can enjoy coffee or lunch overlooking the ‘African Savannah’ while kids play carefree. Website
The Wall
Located in Pallini, The Wall is the largest climbing facility in Greece, covering an area of 4 hectares. It features a 1200 square metre climbing area at a height of 14 metres, two beach volleyball courts, six sports trampolines, two bungee trampolines and a ropes course. There are also pedal go-karts, three air-conditioned entertainment rooms, modern changing rooms with toilets, a cafeteria, a snack bar and a 150-metre square garden. The friendly and well-trained staff ensure that the children have a great time, moving them from experience to experience while keeping them safe. Website Parents can relax in the café. Website
Adventure Park
The Adventure Park offers a range of activities for children, including tree-to-tree zip-lining, archery and a bungee trampoline, in a safe, structured forest environment. Catering for different age groups with courses from ‘Mini Squirrels’ to ‘Hard Eagles’, it offers progressive challenges to keep children and adults active and engaged. The park prioritises safety with state-of-the-art equipment to ensure a safe experience while kids can engage in physical and team-building activities, making it an ideal place for children to grow and explore. Website
Athens Happy Train
The Athens Happy Train is a charming red, toy-like train that sets off from Ermou Street near Syntagma Square daily. It offers a 40-minute tour of Athens’ main attractions and is a hop-on-hop-off service, making it ideal for sightseeing at places like the Panathenaic Stadium and the Plaka neighbourhood. This scenic ride provides a fun and efficient way to navigate the city’s landmarks. Your ticket lasts for 10 hours, providing a flexible and enjoyable way to explore Athens at your leisure. Website
Ellinikon Experience Park
With exciting attractions such as an interactive water maze and a nature-inspired forest playground, the park is a brilliant destination for children. This green oasis combines fun and learning and is the perfect place for family excursions where kids engage in both physical activity and imaginative play as they expend excess energy at engaging features like the outdoor training space. An excellent choice for a day of adventure and discovery in Athens, the verdant and pacifying park has been designed with safety and fun in mind and is near the sea. Website
Six Thresholds Playground
In the Makriyanni neighbourhood, near the Acropolis Museum and the Lalaounis Jewellery Museum, the unique ‘Six Thresholds’ playground, designed by PX Athens architects, is divided into six sections with parabolic concrete play areas that double as seating and play structures. The design blends seamlessly into the surrounding urban landscape, which includes a school, and invites children to an innovative play experience. It’s a creative and interactive space designed for community engagement, offering a creative twist on the traditional playground.
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (SNFCC)
The SNFCC in the southern suburb of Faliro provides an enriching experience for kids with diverse features and activities. Hosting the National Library and Greek National Opera, it has a vast park, with tailored play areas and includes installations, a lake that you can skim across on a pedalo or kayak ride, beautiful ‘dancing fountains’ and an expanse of olive trees. Regular workshops and events are designed for family engagement and education, while cycling and running paths, all within a sustainably designed, community-centric venue, are ideal for exercise. Daily, the SNFCC runs events like yoga, theatre workshops and creative activities for visitors of all ages. Website
Lycabettus and Dexameni
Lycabettus Hill is great for a hearty uphill trek in nature and panoramic views of Athens, making it a hit for families. If you’re not in the mood for the said walk, especially younger kids will love the funicular ride up, that ends by the church of St George at the top of the hill. At the base of Lycabettus, Dexameni Square is a vibrant spot with its open-air cinema (open May to September), a playground, and an all-day cafe-restaurant (open on fine weather days).
The National Garden and Zappeio
The National Garden, once King Otto and Queen Amalia’s back garden, is perfect for leisurely strolls and has a new wooden playground where children can climb, slide, and explore amidst the greenery. In addition to the garden’s duck ponds, wild goats, parrots, ancient ruins, and rich botanical diversity, makes it a delightful spot for young explorers. At Zappeio next door is another playground. Enjoy walking around and admire the majestic architecture of Zappeion Hall and its large fountain, as well as open, green spaces ideal for strolls.
Athens for Kids
This agency curates engaging and educational tours and activities like the “Mythology Origami Workshop” and “The Trojan Horse Workshop,” alongside explorations such as “The Great Street Art Family Exploration” and “The Acropolis for Children.” These experiences blend cultural history with interactive learning, designed to captivate young minds and help kids discover the city in exciting new ways. Website
MUSEUMS KIDS LOVE
Cycladic Art Museum
The museum offers creative and educational workshops for families and children, inspired by ancient and modern history, culture and art. Children become art explorers, travelling through time to discover treasures, observe works and explore contemporary art periods. The Family Kit adds an interactive dimension, providing a box full of surprises for a museum tour, including maps, copies of exhibits, a tablet with an app and other activities that enhance their experience. Website
Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology
This unique museum introduces families to the jaw-dropping realm of ancient Greek innovation. The exhibition features around 300 (some life-size) working models of Greek inventions, covering a vast period up to the end of the ancient Greek world. It offers an audio-visual experience with interactive displays, detailed diagrams and informative documentaries, allowing visitors to engage with inventions such as early vending machines, the first robot, the first door alarm, intricate lifting mechanisms and even an ancient form of cinema. Website
Benaki Toy Museum
Based in a castle-like villa in Faliro, the museum offers an endearing experience for families as it displays some 3,000 toys and games from Maria Argyriadi’s extensive collection of 20,000 toys, dating from Roman and Byzantine times to the last century. Visitors can explore handmade dolls in traditional costumes, intricate fashion dolls from France, mechanical toys, Karaghiozis shadow theatre figures, puppets, lead soldiers, model trains and airplanes among many other things. The museum’s fairytale architecture, complete with ornamental murals, red marble fireplace and rich wooden details, adds to the magical atmosphere, promising an engaging visit for children and a nostalgic journey for adults. Website
Museum of Illusions
The museum provides a captivating and entertaining exploration of perceptual wonders, with many interactive exhibits designed to challenge visitors’ senses. Mind-bending optical illusions, holograms, and immersive rooms that defy gravity and size perception are showcased, inviting engagement and thought. Ideal for families and the curious, the museum provides a playful space where education meets entertainment and guests are encouraged to explore, reflect and understand the science behind the illusions. Website
Acropolis Museum
The museum offers interactive programmes for families, including seasonal events and workshops for kids. These fun educational initiatives are complemented by free ‘family backpacks’ and discovery leaflets that guide families on museum trails. A highlight for young visitors is the imaginative 120,000 LEGO® brick model of the Athenian Acropolis, which took around 300 hours to build. The way the museum combines historical exploration and interactive learning provides an enriching experience for all ages and ensures kids can learn without being bored. Website
Goulandris Natural History Museum
Located in the leafy northern suburb of Kifissia, the museum houses an extensive collection of zoology, botany, marine biology and more. The centrepiece of its exhibits is a large model of triceratops, as well as other palaeontological specimens like fossils. Visitors are also encouraged to explore the Gaia Centre a short walk away, which offers interactive displays focusing on environmental issues. This educational centre is one-of-a-kind in Athens and ideal for younger children especially. Website
The Museum of Folk Music Instruments
The museum offers a melodious journey through Greece’s musical heritage, housing a collection of over 1,200 traditional Greek instruments from the 18th century until the present day. What makes it most enjoyable is that visitors can listen to each instrument by wearing headphones while admiring the craftsmanship of each piece. The experience is engaging thanks to interactive exhibits and occasional live demonstrations, providing an educational yet entertaining visit that showcases the diversity and history of Greek music. Website
The Hellenic Children’s Museum
The museum provides an interactive and educational environment for children aged 12 and under. It showcases exhibits such as ‘Hello Pythagoras’, ‘The Kitchen – Discover the World of Biscuits’, and ‘Drive and Walk Safely.’ The museum also offers a range of educational programmes designed for school groups, families, educators, and individuals with special needs. Children are encouraged to learn and discover through play in a welcoming, creative space. They engage in role-play, assembly, and sensory exploration. Website
Read about all of Greece’s best museums here
MORE INDOOR ACTION
Eugenides Foundation Planetarium
The planetarium, which is part of the Eugenides Foundation, draws visitors with its screenings and science exhibitions in its domed theatre, which has the largest screen in Europe and uses state-of-the-art digital projection systems to offer a variety of shows such as ‘The Enchanted Reef’ and ‘Space Storms & the Polar Aurora,’ designed for varying age groups. The Planetarium is also a place to explore the cosmos, offering interactive and educational experiences in physics, chemistry and other subjects, and appealing to a wide audience of students and astronomy enthusiasts. Website
Hellenic Cosmos
This cultural venue offers a variety of educational programmes tailored for children, with special programmes every Sunday for kids aged five to twelve, designed to encourage communication and creativity through interactive activities focusing on the ancient Greek world, mythology, art and various contemporary topics such as weather, time and recycling. For younger children aged three to five years, family educational programmes are held every Saturday, offering hands-on activities inspired by Greek mythology, the Greek diet and folklore. The programmes are designed to stimulate the children’s imagination and creativity through active participation, discussion, games and various constructions, as well as audiovisual stimuli. Website
COOKING ACTIVITIES
Kids Cooking Club
The school offers tailor-made culinary activities for children aged 2-16 and is the first European culinary school for children. With a variety of programmes such as Baby Chef, Junior Chef and Top Chef, as well as specialist cooking camps and school programmes, it caters for a range of ages and skill levels. The courses are designed to create a fun and educational environment for learning culinary skills and to get young chefs involved in creating recipes themselves. Website
Kids in the Kitchen
In the Kids in the Kitchen workshops, children immerse themselves in a practical, hands-on cooking experience in the ‘kitchen’, guided by on-screen instructions, exploring creativity and teamwork as they make their culinary creations. In “The ABC of Nutrition”, a simulated supermarket, they learn about healthy eating and consumer awareness by playing the role of shopkeeper or customer. Meanwhile, ‘The Attic’ offers insights into daily life in the mid-20th century through museum artefacts. Website
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