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Family outings

Family outings in Athens

Athens is a huge playground for curious children: Greek gods on every corner, museums you explore through play, shady parks and the sea at the end of the tram line. The secret is timing: early mornings or late afternoons in summer, and weekends on the nearby islands. Here are our landmarks, checked at the source.

Verified on 30 October 2026

Parks and fresh air

Athens is more stone than green, but its big parks are precious, especially in the cooler hours. And the sea is never far away.

Good to know

  • The National Garden, right in the centre, covers more than 15 hectares, is pushchair-friendly and has a shady playground and a small zoo; entry is free. Source
  • At the Stavros Niarchos Foundation park, an interactive musical garden delights toddlers; a shuttle links Syntagma Square to the centre. Source
  • Several southern beaches can be reached by tram from Syntagma. Source
  • In summer, go out in the morning and late in the day: the heat makes afternoons hard going with children. Source

Addresses

  • Parc de la Fondation Stavros Niarchos (SNFCC)

    Park

    Leoforos Syggrou 364, Kallithea

    Large park with a musical garden, sea views, the Opera and the National Library; light shows at Christmas.

    Website Source

  • Jardin national

    Park

    Avenue Amalias, Syntagma

    The green lung of the centre, with a shady playground and a small zoo.

    Source

  • Attica Zoological Park

    Park

    Yalou, Spata

    The Attica zoo, near the airport: big cats, birds, reptiles; free for under-3s.

    Website Source

  • Collines de Philopappou et de la Pnyx

    Park

    Face à l'Acropole, quartier de Thissio

    A walk over the hills with one of the finest views of the Acropolis, and a playground five minutes from the site.

    Source

  • Plages de la riviera athénienne

    Park

    De Palaio Faliro à Vouliagmeni, accessibles en tramway

    For a swim without leaving the city, from May to October.

    Source

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Museums and sites

Antiquity can be explored at child height: LEGO models, inventions to handle, a planetarium. The big museums combine well with a break in the park.

Good to know

  • Entry to the Acropolis is free for children, but you must collect their free ticket at the desk with ID. Pushchairs are not allowed on the rock. Source
  • The Acropolis Museum displays a 120,000-brick LEGO Acropolis and has a reading room on the 2nd floor with children's books on ancient Greece. Source
  • At the Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology, children can touch and operate the inventions. Source

Addresses

  • Musée de l'Acropole

    Museum

    Dionysiou Areopagitou 15, Makrygianni

    A must, at the foot of the rock; LEGO Acropolis and a children's reading corner.

    Website Source

  • Musée archéologique national

    Museum

    28is Oktovriou (Patission) 44

    One of the world's finest museums of ancient Greece, best in reasonable doses with children.

    Website Source

  • Musée d'art cycladique

    Museum

    Kolonaki

    Its Cycladic figurines are usually a big hit with children.

    Website Source

  • Musée Kotsanas des technologies antiques

    Museum

    Kolonaki

    Ancient automata, clocks and machines you can handle.

    Website Source

  • Musée Herakleidon

    Museum

    Thissio

    Art and science: the inventions of ancient Greece explained to children.

    Website Source

  • Hellenic Cosmos (Fondation du monde hellénique)

    Museum

    Pireos 254, Tavros

    Cultural centre of the Foundation of the Hellenic World, devoted to Greek history and culture.

    Website Source

  • Planétarium de la Fondation Eugenides

    Museum

    Leoforos Syggrou 387, Palaio Faliro

    The foundation's planetarium and science exhibitions, for children with their heads in the stars.

    Website Source

  • Musée Goulandris d'histoire naturelle

    Museum

    Kifissia

    The natural history museum of the northern suburbs, close to where French families live.

    Website Source

Libraries and books in French

To read in French, the first stop is the Institut français library, reopened after renovation with a children's corner. Lycée pupils also have their own resource centre.

Good to know

  • The Octave-Merlier library, on the 3rd floor of the Institut français, welcomes all ages Tuesday to Friday 10:00 to 19:00 and Saturday 9:00 to 14:00; entry is free. Source
  • Its children's corner offers story times, games and drawing workshops. Source
  • Members also get access to Culturethèque, the Institut français digital library (books, comics, press). Source

Addresses

  • Médiathèque Octave-Merlier, Institut français de Grèce

    Library

    Sina 31, 3e étage, centre d'Athènes

    The main French-language library in Athens, with a children's corner.

    Website Source

  • Bibliothèque nationale de Grèce (SNFCC)

    Library

    Leoforos Syggrou 364, Kallithea

    In the Stavros Niarchos cultural centre, to combine with the park.

    Website Source

  • Salon de lecture du musée de l'Acropole

    Library

    Dionysiou Areopagitou 15, 2e étage

    Children's books on ancient Greece, for a break during the visit.

    Website Source

  • CDI et BCD du LFHED

    Library

    Agia Paraskevi

    The Franco-Hellenic lycée's resource centre, for pupils only, with an online catalogue.

    Website Source

Activities and workshops in French

Activities in French revolve around three hubs: the Institut français, the lycée and Athènes Accueil. For sport, look to neighbourhood clubs and the lycée's activities.

Good to know

  • The Institut français offers French classes for children and teenagers, with assessment by appointment; classes start in early September. Source
  • The LFHED offers optional extracurricular activities, after-school care and homework help, billed yearly. Source
  • Athènes Accueil organises activities for children, such as carnival and an Easter egg hunt. Source

Addresses

  • Institut français de Grèce : cours enfants et ados

    Activity

    Sina 31, centre d'Athènes

    French classes and cultural activities for young people.

    Website Source

  • Activités extrascolaires du LFHED

    Activity

    Agia Paraskevi

    After-school clubs and workshops for lycée pupils.

    Website Source

  • Théâtre au LFHED

    Activity

    Agia Paraskevi

    Drama teaching offered by the French section.

    Website Source

  • Athènes Accueil : activités familles

    Activity

    Dans toute l'Attique

    Carnival, Easter egg hunt and family meetups, through the online calendar.

    Website Source

Through the seasons and festivals

The Greek calendar follows the Orthodox church and national history. Orthodox Easter, often on a different date from Catholic Easter, is the big festival of the year.

Good to know

  • Clean Monday (Kathara Deftera), the first day of Orthodox Lent, is a public holiday: people picnic and fly kites. In 2027 it falls on 15 March. Source
  • Orthodox Easter is the big Greek family festival, with the Good Friday procession and lamb on Sunday. Source
  • On 28 October, 'Oxi' (No) Day, schoolchildren parade in every town. Source
  • Open-air cinema is a classic of Athenian evenings in spring and summer. Source

Addresses

  • Cinémas en plein air

    Dans de nombreux quartiers, du centre aux banlieues

    Screenings under the stars, often in the original language with subtitles.

    Source

  • Noël au centre Stavros Niarchos

    Activity

    Leoforos Syggrou 364, Kallithea

    Light and music shows over the festive season.

    Website Source

  • Plages du sud par le tramway

    Park

    Palaio Faliro, Alimos, Glyfada

    The first swims of spring, without a car.

    Source

Go further

Getaways under two hours

From Athens, islands, ancient sites and lovely Peloponnese towns are under two hours away: ideal for a weekend or a day trip during school holidays.

Good to know

  • The Saronic islands (Aegina, Agistri, Hydra) are reached by ferry from Piraeus; Agistri is about an hour away. Source
  • The Corinth area, with its canal and Acrocorinth, is an hour's drive away. Source
  • Nafplio, the first capital of modern Greece, is a weekend destination under two hours away. Source

Addresses

  • Cap Sounion

    Pointe sud de l'Attique, par la route côtière

    The Temple of Poseidon facing the sea, magical at sunset.

    Source

  • Égine

    Golfe Saronique, ferry depuis le Pirée

    The easiest island to reach, famous for its pistachios.

    Source

  • Agistri

    Golfe Saronique, environ 1 heure d'Athènes

    Small island with turquoise water, perfect with young children.

    Source

  • Hydra

    Golfe Saronique, ferry depuis le Pirée

    A car-free island, where you get around on foot or by donkey.

    Source

  • Corinthe et son canal

    Péloponnèse, à 1 heure de route

    The Corinth Canal, seen from above or by boat, and the Acrocorinth citadel.

    Source

  • Nauplie

    Péloponnèse, moins de 2 heures de route

    A Venetian-style town, with the Acronauplia citadel and the seafront.

    Source

Go further

A place has closed, something has changed? Tell us: the mums of Athens will thank you.

Sources for this page

The public pages these landmarks come from. The official website always prevails.

  1. 1 Vivre Athènes : bons plans avec bébés et enfants
  2. 2 Vivre Athènes : que faire à Athènes avec des enfants
  3. 3 Institut français de Grèce : médiathèque
  4. 4 Institut français de Grèce : cours enfants et ados
  5. 5 Athènes Accueil : activités pour les enfants
  6. 6 Calendrier scolaire 2026-2027 du LFHED
  7. 7 Musée de l'Acropole

Get updates to the Athens guide

Verified addresses, official sources, school-year dates: we write when the Athens guide changes, never more than once a week.

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