Author: Soler
We are exploring the top destination for a family vacation in the summer: where is it better to relax in Greece with children, when to go and what do experienced tourists advise?
My memories of Greece: the endless generosity and hospitality of the locals, the crystal clear sea, 150 shades of blue and Greek cuisine (the gods knew where to get the headquarters). Seasonal fruits and vegetables, not fatty meat, but a separate story - dairy products: cottage cheese, cheeses, natural ice cream, I would include them in the UNESCO heritage list!
By the way, UNESCO was noted here almost at every kilometer - Greece looks like a historical comic strip in reality. Well, and the resorts involuntarily want to be labeled with the sign "eco" or "organic" ... Perhaps, a good story called "rest in Greece with children" should begin with such an introduction 🙂
Vacation season in Greece
The climate is very mild, with 330 sunny days a year. The main snag is the sea, of which there are three types, and each warms up in different ways.
- Swimming season for those under 7: July-September. Sea temperature + 26 ° С (in July-August) and + 24 ° С (in September). But in the second half of summer, the air temperature reaches + 40 ° C, it is not a rest at all to keep an eye on fidgets in such heat, therefore - September
- In June and early October, the sea warms up to + 22 ° С, in October it can be stormy
The warmest weather, in theory, is in Crete (Mediterranean Sea). But be careful! Crete is located on the open sea: there are strong waves. Salvation - bays, where it is just better to go with children. I advise the "crèche group" to settle on the islands of the Aegean Sea or in Halkidiki, where there are many beaches protected from the wind and strong waves.
If, in addition to a beach holiday, an excursion is planned, consider September - the water has not yet cooled down, and the sweltering heat has subsided.
Cape (Crete, Bali) - View from the hotel room, Sofia Mythos Beach
Why Greece? Features of rest
Just because Greece was created for holidays with children 🙂 + short flight and lack of acclimatization.
All-inclusive holidays with children in Greece are not at all required. This is the country where you can rent an apartment or take breakfast / dinner at a hotel without fear for the area and budget - there will be a huge selection of delicious and inexpensive taverns and cafes around (the food is simple and straightforward).
Almost all hotels offer free accommodation for children under 2 years old, less often up to 6 years old, units under 12. On the condition that you do not take an extra bed (except for cots for babies).
The dilemma "Greece or Turkey" is solved by Greek resorts with a gentle (nowhere shallower) entrance and a transparent sea. Almost every beach has been awarded the Blue Flag, recognizing them as environmentally friendly. In addition, Greece has some of the longest sandy beaches in Europe, and every one of them is free (not counting sun loungers).
Unlike Turkey, which has a rather clear division of resorts and hotels by age, Greece combines a measured family vacation and youth. From personal observations: kids are always present at festivities in taverns, mentally and fun for everyone! And the resorts are not a working tour zone for locals, but real Greek life.
The best resorts in Greece for families
Children play on the beach near our hotel in Rhodes
Holidays in Greece with children on its mainland are attractive for wooded areas, coniferous air and will be especially interesting for young explorers. In order not to discourage your love of history, stay with your child not in noisy Athens, but in more secluded regions - Thessaly or on the "tridents" of Chalkidiki and the Peloponnese.
The most popular destinations in Greece (according to the advice of tourists and their own experience):
Crete
Perhaps the sunniest and most accessible island - charters fly here without interruption. Apartments and hotels - for every taste, and modest family hotels deserve their 5 stars.
The Blue Flag flies on ≈100 beaches, and some have become tourist attractions. For example, Balos is a bay at the junction of the Aegean, Ionian and Libyan seas, where the water is pink and blue, and the depth is not more than half a meter. You won't find a warmer place!
Where is the best place to relax with your family? Choose the north coast:
- secluded fabulous Bali formed by bays
- Agios Nikolaos, located on the lake (the sea is also there and it is beautiful during the peak season: it is cooler due to the flowing river)
- Chania is the most beautiful city in Crete, built by the Venetians
Little trains run in the villages - not only entertainment, but also help to get to stops. It is worth going to Rethymno; along the way, in Georgioupolis, you can go horseback riding along the coast or spend the day at the Limnoupolis Water Park.
Tour prices: from 68,000 rubles for 7 days with a flight from Moscow (2 adults and a child)
Halkidiki
If you are surrounded by olive plantations, pine groves, orchards and vineyards, white sand and shallow waters, you are most likely in one of the resorts of Halkidiki - the most popular holiday destination with young children.
Drive past famous Thessaloniki (there are no clean beaches):
- to the southern prong of the "trident" - the Kassandra peninsula - to the picturesque and secluded town of Afitos (located on a hill, you have to go down to the beach) or the blossoming Hanioti
- to the central prong - Sithonia - to the village of Metamorfosi, with a convenient entry into the sea and powdery sand
More fun in Kassandra (water parks and other catavasia), and more exotic - in Sithonia (for more independent tourists), there are whiter and shallower beaches. Choose what your child is already adapted to, and visit your “neighbor” yourself (except for the third prong of Athos: children under 12 and women are not allowed).
There are turtles in the river of the town of Toroni, and in the city itself there are undisclosed ancient ruins. In Thessaloniki, families admire the Magic Park amusement park. In Halkidiki, by the way, due to the lush variety of plants, the most fragrant and useful honey is obtained.
The disadvantage of Halkidiki is that the distances between the locations are rather big, but without children it is quite surmountable (by public transport). Otherwise, parents may get bored. Well, or plan a car.
The cost of vouchers: from 50,000 rubles per week for two (adult and child)
Rhodes
Italians play volleyball all day on the beach of Rhodes
Where is it better to go on vacation to Greece with children, so that it would be interesting for everyone? Rhodes is the case when you can enjoy the beaches and explore ancient Greece; for children and adults, time has preserved a beautiful medieval city.
This island is ideal for children from 3 years old. With children under 1 year old, most families are seen on the wide, golden sandy beach of Tsampika, near the village of Kolimbia.
In the south, there is the picturesque village of Lahania, which has preserved the atmosphere of Greece and clean sandy beaches. Nearby is the Kiotari resort - more civilized and tailored for "hotel" rest: all inclusive, animation, water slides for children. The beach is sandy, the entrance to the sea is shallow. Before an excursion to the city of Rhodes, it is far, but there is a worthy alternative closer - Lindos.
In the vicinity of the city of Rhodes, there are also good resorts where you can go with a child - the distances are quite overcome even by local transport; for example, Kallithea (sandy and pebble beach). I recommend taking your child to the Butterfly Valley in Petaloudes and Water Park in Faliraki.
Tour prices: from 65,000 rubles for 7 days for three
Kos island
The concentration of tourists on the next two islands is not so great - parents will also be able to relax. The forums point out that prices are more pleasant in Kos than in other resorts.
The resorts of Tigkaki and Kefalos na are some of the best for those who are planning a vacation in Greece with children. The beaches are sandy and pebbly. Kos is a fairly green island, small in size, and therefore convenient for exploring the surroundings by car.
On Kos you can take a boat trip to Nissiros with amazing black volcanic sand or Patmos - children will not be bored.The highlight of the island is the forest with peacocks and turtles that crawl to the coast (Marmari).
Tour prices: Kos = inexpensive vacation; from 60,000 rubles for parents and a child for a week
Corfu
Corfu is a juicy island: orange and lemon trees, oaks and cypresses, orchids - the sun does not dry up the vegetation even in summer! Yes, the nature is impressive, but here are not the best resorts in Greece for families with children - there are few wide beaches with fine sand, and those that exist are inconspicuous, but beautiful. By the way, Corfu has a good underwater world.
The island is more reminiscent of the Italian Riviera. The price tag is higher than the aforementioned resorts. In the north of Corfu, beaches are mostly gray volcanic sand. The west is distinguished by clear water and coarse yellow sand, but it is still not a suitable place to go with a child - cold currents reign here.
But the southeastern part is just for the little ones; I advise you to visit it in September - the Ionian Sea, also in the bay, is very warm. Children will be interested in Mouse Island (something like a cute petting zoo) and, of course, the local water park.
Tour cost: from 77,000 rubles for three for 7 days
Rethymno - Myrtia village - Samaria gorge
Prices for tours to Greece
A trip from a tour operator is cheaper than to neighboring Mediterranean countries such as Italy, Spain, Cyprus. Above are the prices for tours to Greece in resorts in the middle of the season. Accordingly, on less popular (and slightly less "weather") dates, the amount required for a vacation is also reduced.
So, in early June, you can fly to Rhodes for 42,000 rubles for two adults and a child, and in September - for 55,000. How much is all inclusive? Tours to Greece for three - from 75,000 rubles for 7 days or 90,000 rubles for 10 days.
How about knocking down the price tag by a thousand or more? 🙂 Help our promo codes:
- on Onlinetours when clicking on the link, a bonus of 1-3% of the total cost of the tour is activated
TOP 5 hotels in Greece for families with children
Going to Greece with children, the first thing that can be advised when choosing a hotel is the location. Most importantly, hotels should be by the sea, so always zoom in on the map. It takes several hours to get to what seems close at first glance, due to the mountainous terrain and serpentine.
Many hotels have a vertical structure, the "first line" is not always habitually located: there can be a descent to the beach, but you will have to go up to the rooms - not all parents will be satisfied with this. In hotels, food is very home-like, even in small hotels you will be full. You can take breakfasts and dinners, and go to taverns for lunch - there is no problem with that.
It is possible to find a budget hotel with babysitting services, animation, children's clubs and playgrounds, but many do not even have "paddling pools" - be sure to filter your search. Check how free the placement of the child is. This often means being located on existing beds, i.e. you still have to pay extra for an extra seat.
In general, hotels in Greece for families with children are divided into 2 types: with a large territory - "a state within a state", and small cozy hotels - "at my grandmother's house", where there are no activities, but it is interesting in the area.
So, 5 of the best:
5 * Sani Beach, Halkidiki
This is the best thing that can happen to you and your children in Greece. Location in a nature reserve, 7 kilometers of white beach, children's development clubs and a children's spa! It is likely that you will only cross paths at breakfast and dinner 🙂
4 * Grecotel Club Marine Palace & Suites, Crete
This is not a hotel with a water park, but on the contrary: "all inclusive" - about food and about cool water slides. This is the best hotel in Greece for active holidays, but taking into account the wishes of little tourists, there are so-called greco baby services.
4 * Iberostar Creta Panorama & Mare, Crete
The hotel is not just on the first line, but has its own artificial lagoons, ideal for little ones. Convenient access to neighboring cities. Anyway, representatives of the Iberostar network are favorites in any country.
For those who crave more cozy and relatively inexpensive hotels in Greece:
3 * Aparthotel Sofia Mythos Beach, Crete - quiet with great food and clean beaches located in bays.
5 * Kontokali Bay Resort & Spa, Corfu - large but green area, no feeling of tourist collapse.
4 * Atlantica Club Marmari Beach, Kos - beautiful beach and rare Russians.
Greece beaches for families with children
Even such small children build whole sand castles.
Before starting the quest "where to go to Greece with a child" remember: we choose wide sandy beaches on the Aegean Sea - the closer to the mainland, the quieter it is; or in the shallow and warm Ionian. Coves and lagoons are good everywhere.
Rating of the best beaches for 2021 (all shallow and sandy):
- Halkidiki: Busulas (white flour instead of sand), Karidi (quiet lagoon), Vourvourou, Diaporos (luxury beaches, reminiscent of tropical resorts), Toroni, Paralia (finding a budget hotel is not a problem here, but too many people)
- Zakynthos: Navayo (abandoned ship on the shore), Daphne, Gerakas (look for turtles here!)
- Corfu: Agios Stefanos, Kerasia, Ipsos, Dassia, Agios Spyridon Beach (overlooking Albania)
- Crete: Vai (surrounded by the only palm forest in Europe), Elafonisi (white sand and pink-blue water at the temperature of fresh milk), Sfakaki
- Kos: Marmari, Mastichari, Kardamena, Lambi
- Peloponnese: beaches of Tolo resort
- Rhodes: Tsambika, Lindos
Tips and reviews of tourists with children
All the tips for choosing a vacation spot in Greece with children and where it is better to go clearly agree on only one thing - do not choose "high" dates, it is advisable to go after 10 September, when it is not so hot.
In general, the features of the rest are as follows:
- If the child is going on vacation with someone other than you, the parents, make sure you agree to leave in advance.
- The velvet children's season lasts until October. Traveling parents say: if your child is used to wallowing in a "warm" Russian river, then you can safely go in June and October.
- Many recommend giving up the "Turkish" vacation - to relax in apartments or small hotels, take a car and explore the best resorts in Greece - this country is the best suited for independent travel with children. Parking is free almost everywhere.
- The wind during the swimming season does not really affect the temperature - it only brings waves to the open beaches.
- There are no problems with strollers at the resorts, but in the historical part of the city it is better not to push.
- You can find food for small children in pharmacies - they sell different mixtures; supermarkets are full of milk, tasty and fresh - all from 0.15 euros.
- When asked when it is better to go to Greece without hitting the budget too much, the answers agree that the tour is more profitable during the season and there is less hassle. "Democratic" periods are June and September / October.
- Greece, by the way, is much better in terms of security than Turkey or Tunisia. Second only to Cyprus. If interested, you can read our article about the most peaceful countries.
