Activities

When I first mentioned taking kids to Athens, a friend looked at me like I’d suggested bringing toddlers to a construction site. “Isn’t it just ruins and hills? In the heat? With no playgrounds?” She was wrong on all counts. Athens is surprisingly fantastic for families — the ancient sites are basically the world’s biggest adventure playground, Greek people are genuinely wonderful with kids (your children will be fussed over in every restaurant), and the food is the kind of uncomplicated deliciousness that even picky eaters can get behind.

I’ve spent more time in Athens than I probably should admit, and the thing that keeps surprising me is how much there is beyond the Acropolis. Don’t get me wrong — the Acropolis is incredible and you absolutely should go. But Athens is also street food at midnight, neighborhood walks that feel like time travel, rooftop cocktails with views that make you forget your problems, and day trips that rival anything in the Mediterranean.