Athens with a baby or toddler: Your ultimate guide

Why do I rate Athens with a baby or toddler? It’s compact tourist centre makes for an ideal city destination to explore with young kids. You can visit all the main attractions on foot, enjoy local cuisine and culture, and the locals are extremely welcoming of little ones. Athens is one of my favourite capital cities to visit with a baby.

If you’re after an Athens itinerary that works with a little one, check out my Athens 4 day itinerary. This can easily be shortened to three days if you skip the day trip to the Athens coast.

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This blog is your guide for visiting Athens with a baby or toddler:

• Tips for visiting Athens with a baby or toddler
• Tips for visiting the Acropolis with a baby or toddler
• Top things to do in Athens with a baby or toddler
• Eating out with a baby in Athens: Family friendly restaurants
• Getting to and from Athens Airport with kids
• Where to stay in Athens: Family-friendly areas and accommodation

Tips for visiting Athens with a baby or toddler

The tourist centre is mostly stroller friendly

The tourist centre of Athens is car free, and the paths are mostly stroller friendly and flat. There are crowds in some areas, so a compact or travel stroller is better than a full-size stroller. The main exception is the Acropolis (more on that later). Less central areas of Athens and Anafiotika have more cobbled paths and steps, making it more be difficult to navigate with a pram. A baby carrier can be helpful as an option for these areas. 

What baby gear should I bring with me?

We found that many restaurants had high chairs available, but it wasn’t always clear if the restaurant had them from the entrance . We found it handy to have a portable booster seat/high chair so we could pick where we wanted to eat without needing to find a high chair.

Take a portable change mat with you. We found changing facilities difficult to find in Athens, including in restaurants.

Portacots are available in many hotels, but we struggled to find one when booking last minute over summer. If your accommodation doesn’t have a travel cot, there are baby gear hire companies available. We used babytraveller, and they were super flexible with drop off and pick up from our accommodation.

Finding other baby supplies in Athens

Supermarkets in Athens stock basic baby needs, but availability at convenience stores varies. There are several BAZAAR supermarkets in the tourist centre which have local varieties of nappies, wipes, and baby food.

Finding accommodation with a travel cot was difficult for us, but we did book in summer at short notice. We hired a travel cot from babytraveller, and they were super flexible with drop off and pick up from our accommodation.

What time of year is best to visit Athens with a baby?

You can travel to Athens with a baby at any time of year, but the structure of your days may be different due to the daylight hours and temperatures. Late spring and early autumn are the best time to go, as the crowds are smaller, and the weather is still warm but not too hot. July and August are known as the hottest and busiest months, but we had a great time despite the heat (more on that below). It is also possible to visit in winter, and Athens has a much milder temperatures than many other cities in Europe. Tourist attractions are still open, but many have shorter opening hours.

Can you visit Athens in summer with a baby?

We visited Athens with our toddler in July and August and had a great time. We made sure to set out early for sightseeing and went back to our accommodation for a few hours after lunch each day which we often do regardless so our toddler can have a nap. The streets are lively late into the evening, which provided us and our toddler with much entertainment. We also felt comfortable out at night with our toddler, as the sun didn’t set until late and the streets were busy including with other families.

Visiting the Acropolis with a baby or toddler

While the Acropolis is at the top of many Athens lists, it’s certainly not the easiest place to visit with a toddler. There are things you can do to make for a successful trip to the Acropolis with a baby or toddler:

• Arrive at the Acropolis early to avoid crowds and heat in summer. Ideally, get there just before it opens at 8am.
• Use the teller line to get your child’s ticket. Concession tickets are not available online or at the ticket machine.
• Don’t bring your stroller as these are not allowed in, and there is no storage available. A baby carrier or frontpack is handy, particularly for the walk to the top.
• Bring proof of your child’s age, such as a photo of your passport. You may be asked to verify your child’s age for the concession ticket.
• Bring water and snacks, and sun protection if travelling in summer. There is very little shade.
• Head to the Acropolis Museum after your time at the Acropolis. Not only is it a great museum, but it is air conditioned.

Is there stroller hire or storage at the Acropolis?

There was no pram storage or baby carrier hire at the Acropolis when we visited in July-August 2022. The Acropolis museum had pram storage and baby carrier hire in the past. This was also temporarily unavailable when we visited.

Top things to do in Athens with a baby or toddler

Here are my top things to do in Athens with a baby or toddler:

• Visit the Athens Panathenaic Stadium
• Watch the changing of the guard outside the Hellenic Parliament
• Explore the Plaka neighbourhood and Monastiraki Square
• Check out Little Kook, even if only from the street
• Picnic and play at the Athens National Garden
• Ride the Athens Happy Train
• Relax at the beach on the Athens coast (especially if you aren’t visiting one of the Greek islands)
• Don’t be afraid to visit the Acropolis, but follow my tips in this post for a successful visit with a baby.

If you’re visiting Athens with a baby and want an itinerary that works with a little one, check out my Athens 4 day itinerary.

Eating out with a baby in Athens: Family friendly restaurants

Eating is a family affair in Athens, and most restaurants will welcome your little one. Many restaurants had high chairs, but these were not always visible from the entrance. I’d recommend taking a portable booster seat/high chair to keep your dining options open.

Here are some of my favourite family friendly restaurants in Athens:

• Karamanlidika: Traditional Greek restaurant and deli serving lunch and dinner. They also had a high chair available.
• Little Kook: Fantasy-inspired cafe with decorations floor to ceiling, inside and out.
• Tzitzikas kai Mermigas: Traditional Greek food with outdoor dining close to Syntagma Square. No high chairs available when we went but very welcoming of our toddler.
• Street Souvlaki: Street food but with outdoor dining tables that worked well with a pram.
• Senso Cafe: All day menu with lounge-style dining outside looking out to the Acropolis.

Getting to and from Athens Airport with kids

Taxis to and from Athens airport

Taxis are readily available at Athens airport, and the price is fixed at €38 during the day. Car seats are not typically available in taxis, and the drive includes high-speed motorways. If your child needs a car seat, you can arrange a pre-booked transfer through Welcome Pick Ups. You can add a infant carseat, child carseat or booster seat at the time of booking.

Trains to and from Athens airport

Trains go between Syntagma Square and the airport every 30 minutes. The airport station is a short, pram-friendly walk from the airport itself. We found this a cost effective and efficient way to get to the airport from Athens centre. One-way adult tickets were €9, children were €4.5, and children under 6 were free.

Buses to and from Athens airport

There are also buses between Athens airport and various locations in the city. This is the cheapest option, at just €6 adult one way. The buses leave less frequently than the metro, but may be a good option if the stops are close to your accommodation.

Where to stay in Athens: Family-friendly areas and accommodation

I find it makes even more sense to stay in a central area when travelling with a little one. You can avoid public transport, maximise your time exploring, and pop back to your accommodation easily for naps.

The Plaka, Monastiraki, Syntagma, and Psyri are all popular areas in the centre of Athens. Syntagma is close to public transport to the airport and day trip spots. Monastiraki is super central, but known for its night life, so check accommodation reviews about noise. Psyri is slightly less central, but we enjoyed its unique charm, street art, and quirky streets.

If you’re looking for accommodation in Athens, these hotels are all great options for families:

Electra Hotel Athens: This is the ideal spot if you want to be right by public transport and many of the sites. This classically-furnished hotel boasts a fantastic rooftop and has plenty of options for rooms for families, including suites and family rooms. Cots available on request for a small fee.

Athens Cypria Hotel: Also near Syntagma Square, Athens Cypria hotel is perfectly located, and a wonderful place to stay during your time in Athens. Their rooms are spacious, and they have triple and connecting rooms available for families. They have cots and childrens bed available on request, free of charge (subject to availability).

A for Athens Hotel: This hotel is right on Monastiraki Square, and some of the rooms have views of the Acropolis. The rooftop restaurant and bar are a perfect place to start or end your day in Athens. Their modern rooms accommodate up to four people, and they provide free cots on request (subject to availability).

Royalty Suites Psyri: In the heart of the vibrant Psyri neighbourhood, this hotel offers elegant and spacious rooms. This is also a great option for families with in-room kitchenettes, an indoor play area for kids, and free cots (on request, subject to availability).

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