Visiting Santorini with kids
Bailey in Imerovigli on our walk to Oia.
This iconic caldera lined with white washed Cycladic style houses clinging to the edge of the cliff is one of the most picturesque places on earth. I was torn about adding it to our around-the-world itinerary and tempted to visit a smaller island instead; however, I wanted to see the iconic place for myself and decided in favor of Santorini in the end. We visited in April, before the tourist season was in full swing and it was absolutely everything it looks like in the pictures. As far as logistics go, it was one of the more complicated parts of the trip to plan and you should definitely start planning this family vacation far in advance.
Family selfie in Oia after the 11 km hike from Thira.
First off, should you visit Santorini with kids?
Of course, there is no one-size fits all answer to this question and it depends on what you are looking for. I wouldn’t put Santorini on a list of kid-friendly destinations and, if you are looking for a great, romantic getaway or girls/guys trip without the kids, I would say Santorini should definitely be on those lists. There are several reason why it would make two of theses lists and not the other: it’s expensive, a lot of the charm of Santorini is in hanging out at fancy clubs and going out to gourmet dinners, the steep and winding walkways are not conducive to a stroller, it’s relatively difficult to get there, and transportation on the island is a mess.
The kids with Nicole enjoying gelato from Zoto’s in Thira.
All of that being said, we had a great time there and were able to find things our kids really enjoyed without spending an obscene amount of money. We don’t really vacation without our kids. Anytime we travel without them, I find myself just wishing they were there. Additionally, our kids are older (14, 12, and 10) and enjoy fine dining and are able to walk a lot in a day. These things made Santorini a nice stop for us. In summary, if your kids are older (at least 7) and you want to take your kids to Santorini, you can make it work and you should go for it. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a good vacation for a couples getaway, this is a great one to do without the kids. Take the kids to somewhere cheaper and easier instead. If you decide a family vacation to Santorini is right for you, read on for my tips on how to make it work.
Wendi enjoying the caldera rim views from the scenic walk in Thira.
Tips for planning a vacation in Santorini with kids:
1. You don’t have to stay in Thira/Fira or Oia to enjoy the amazing beauty of Santorini.
Thira is the largest town and the center for nightlife, shopping, and restaurants. Oia is the most expensive place to stay, the second largest town, and located on the Northwestern tip of the island. While both of these are beautiful examples of Cycladic style architecture, so are multiple other smaller and quieter towns scattered around the caldera. Imerovigli would be my top choice for where to stay. It is just as beautiful, with views just as grand (maybe even better since it has the highest elevation along the rim and you can see both Thira and Oia), and it isn’t quite as loud, crowded, and crazy as the two bigger towns.
Sunset in Thira
Firostefani is another smaller town that kind of blends into Thira but isn’t quite as crazy. Megalochori is also a quaint little town with a lovely central square located inland from the caldera rim. Pyrgos is another, even quieter option that isn’t on the rim of the caldera but, perched high atop the largest hill on the island, has spectacular views. When looking for a place to stay, there were several more secluded houses on Airbnb that also looked amazing. If we ever go back, I would consider staying in one of these as well.
Wendi at the Galini Cafe perched right between Thira and Firostefani.
2. Rent a car.
Since many of the areas on the island are pedestrian only, we assumed Santorini would be a pedestrian friendly island. That was an incorrect assumption. There are no sidewalks along the roads, so, if you need to get from one town to the next via a road, you will be walking in the street. The roads are narrow and cars drive ridiculously and dangerously fast on the island. I never once saw any evidence of police attempting to regulate this. Every time we included walking on the road in our plans (to get from Akotiri to Vlacchata or from Karterados to Thira, for example) I really regretted it because I was constantly worried that someone was going to die. Additionally, the buses are very nice but they are limited in the hours that they run, extremely confusing, and many destinations are not easily reached by bus. The bus schedules are unreliable as the schedule online, the schedule posted at the Thira station, and the schedules at individual stations were all different. We ended up wasting a lot of time waiting on buses and walking to the limited bus stops. If you choose not to take my advice and rent a car, make sure you stay close to a bus stop.
Donkeys in a field of daisies on the walk from Karterádos to Thira.
3. Visit in the spring.
We visited the last two weeks of April and it was amazing. It was still lively, buy not crazy crowded. The temps ranged from 55-70 and it was sunny 8 out of 9 days. The wildflowers were in bloom all around the island and they accentuated the beauty of the landscape and architecture. It was a bit chilly for swimming but nice and warm sunbathing and playing on the black sand beaches.
Wildflowers in bloom (I think Eritrichium, aka Alpine-Forget-Me-Not)
4. Consider renting a place with a kitchen so that you don’t have to eat out for 3 meals a day.
For the most part, the food and drinks in Santorini were twice as expensive as anywhere else in Greece. I also don’t like eating out for every meal and our kids were happy to have dinner at the house a few evenings after long days of lots of walking.
Enjoying a family dinner of potato leak soup in our cyclidic cave house in Karterados.
5. Plan your travel to and from the island far in advance, especially if you plan to travel in the off season, like we did.
I assumed there would be abundant options, but the Seajets (fast boats) and direct flights from Crete were not running until the week after we arrived. If you are traveling direct from Athens, however, you should have more options.
Gus finding extra warmth as the sun sets in Pyrgos.
6. Be prepared for rapid changes in the temperature at sunset during the spring.
One minute, we would be basking in the sun’s warm rays and the next, we would be in full jackets with our hoods pulled up.
Wilson and Gus in Imerovigli on the steep cobble stone walkway down to Thira.
7. If you do decide to bring a toddler or baby, bring a carrier or backpack to carry them in, because strollers do not work in Santorini.
Our favorite things to do in Santorini:
Looking back towards Imerovigli on the hike to Oia.
1. Walk from Thira to Oia.
Gorgeous caldera rim views on the hike from Thira to Oia.
This is an amazingly beautiful 11 km walk along winding city walkways, dirt paths, and caldera rim trails with only a small section on the road.
Wilson enjoying the warmth of the sand at the Perivolos Black Sand Beach.
2. Visit a black sand beach.
We loved Vlachata with its black sand and surrounding carved cliffs, but there are many to choose from.
3. See Akotiri, the ancient city buried in ash from the Thira eruption.
The story of this town and the eruption is so fascinating and the bio dome covering the excavation is worth seeing alone.
Due to the harsh conditions the grape vines are trained into baskets that protect the grapes which grow in the center.
4. Visit Santorini’s wineries.
Santorini has unique grapes and many lovely, small wineries. We visited Gavalas Winery in Megalochori and had a great experience but there are several to choose from.
100+ year old barrels aging Vinsanto desert wine at the Gavalas Winery in Megalochori.
5. Watch the sunset from a caldera rim restaurant/cafe.
Oia gets all the sunset credit, but we honestly preferred the sunset views in Thira. Do yourself a favor and try them both.
Enjoying Cocktails and Mocktails at Hotel Villa Renos in Thira.
6. Visit Pyrgos and Megalochori and walk the two kilometer path between the two.
These are both quaint villages. The central square in Megalochori has some low key but adorable cafes and many of the wineries are located here. Pyrgos offers amazing views of the island and has a cool old castle to explore.
Stopping for gelato and espresso at Mr. Scoop in the old square of Megalochori prior to hiking up to Pyrgos.
7. If you happen to be in Santorini for Greek Easter, don’t miss the lighting of the torches in Pyrgos on Good Friday.
See our separate post on Good Friday in Pyrgos for details.
8. Take a boat ride.
We took a cruise to see the volcanic island of Nea Kameni and the hot springs nearby. The hot springs were a cruel joke and we had to swim 100 meters in freezing cold ocean water to get to the rusty/mucky lukewarm springs. I would not recommend the hot springs but the volcano portion was fun and there are many other boating options. There are also day trips to surrounding islands and sunset cruises galore.
Our tour was a bit of a tourist trap with lots of people on a fake pirate ship, but it only cost $100 for the whole family. We had fun. Caldera’s Boats
9. Visit a fish spa.
This isn’t my jam, but the kids loved it.
10. Wander the maze-like streets of Thira and Oia.
Our favorite restaurants:
Yogi and Gyros, Thira: With the super inflated prices throughout Santorini, this place is a gem, offering delicious gyros for 3 Euro. We loved the lamb doner, but the pork was good too.
The scene at Yogi Gyros in Thira. A great street food option that is delicious and cheap.
Skala, Oia: Reasonably priced Greek restaurant with a seafood focus in Oia. This place doesn’t have the caldera views but still has a nice ambiance and solid food.
The panoramic sunset view from Franco’s Cafe at the top of Pyrgos.
Franco’s cafe, Pyrgos: This place is worth it for the view alone! Perched high on top of the city, you can see for miles from here. I highly recommend the Franco Spritz, but the house wine is also a solid bet. They offer a limited menu of small plates, so this place is great for a snack or a light meal. The prices are much better than in the bustling towns of Oia or Thira and the views are just as good, if not better.
The Franco's Spritz was a perfect accompaniment for the sunset.
Galini, Thira: Fantastic brunch. Don’t miss the savory pancakes.
The "Savory" pancakes at Galini Cafe were excellent with fouantre ham, edam cheese, cherry tomatoes, mustard mayonnaise and a fried egg.
Final thoughts on travelling to Santorini with kids.
Santorini is stunning. If you have older kids and don’t like travelling without them but want to see Santorini, you can definitely create an amazing experience that they can appreciate there. If you have young kids (younger than 7) and are looking for a family friendly destination, however, I wouldn’t put Santorini at the top of the list. Hopefully, with these tips, you can plan a trip that works for you. Share your tips and experiences visiting Santorini with kids in the comments below.
