5 Days in Athens for Families with Kids & Teenagers

We have found that the best way to beat jet lag is to spend your first day aimlessly wandering one of Athens' well-known neighborhoods. Take the Metro to the Monastiraki neighborhood, an area full of antique shops, eclectic boutiques, and some great restaurants and gelato. If you are able to visit Athens on the first Sunday of the month, you’ll enjoy free entry to world-renowned historical sites and some art museums. We visited The Roman Agora and the Ancient Agora, which has the Temple of Hephaestus, Church of the Apostles, and the Stoa of Attalos. My preteen and teenagers liked seeing history in person and reading about how these structures were used a long time ago.

The Panathenaic Stadium is a must-see for kids and adults of all ages. It is the only stadium in the world that is made entirely of marble. I enjoyed watching my kids run on the same tracks used by the first modern Olympians in 1896. The preteen and teenagers list this as one of their favorite activities.

If possible, save as much time as you can for visiting the Acropolis. There are informative plaques with information about the different historical monuments and the views of Athens are gorgeous. All of the kids enjoyed walking up to it, wandering around and looking at the views.

Expert tip for families: Don’t miss the scavenger hunt at the Acropolis Museum. It turned a “boring” museum visit into an adventure for my younger kids. Explore the archaeological excavations located right under the museum floor. The Archaeological Museum is another must-see with kids.

Restaurants

• Ama Lachei at Nefeli’s: Delicious Greek cuisine. A lot of the seating is outside, and the communal-style eating means everyone gets to try what someone else ordered.

• Rozalia: Greek cuisine with indoor and outdoor seating. There are plenty of traditional dishes, portions are generous, and the waitstaff is very nice.

• Greek Stories: A small traditional Greek restaurant not far from The Acropolis—gluten-free and the staff is nice.

• Erato Restaurant: A traditional Greek restaurant in the Plaka neighborhood that makes really great moussaka and souvlaki.

Coffee shops or small restaurants

• Rizopoulos Coffee: Established in 1901 with a wide variety of coffee beans, candy, desserts, and gifts to buy for others. They roast their coffees using traditional techniques.

• Polis Bistro Bar: A very small place to get excellent Greek coffee and crepes.

• Stani: Famous An authentic, traditional shop with dairy products, pastries, and drinks. It has been around since 1931 and is known for its delicious yogurts made from cow and sheep milk.