Santorini With Kids: Pros And Cons Of Visiting As A Family

Santorini is a popular destination for couples but what about visiting the Greek island as a family? We spent five days in Santorini with a toddler and 5 year-old during autumn half-term and had a brilliant family holiday. Yes, some parts of the island are tricky to navigate with children but Santorini with kids is possible.

I’ve compiled a list of pros and cons of visiting Santorini with children and some ideas on things to do there as a family. Have a read and decide for yourself whether a family holiday to Santorini is right for you.

Family holiday in Santorini, Oia

Pros

Black and red beaches

Why have yellow sand when you can have black, red and even white beaches! Santorini’s volcanic activity means there’s multi-coloured beaches to explore. Not something you get on your average beach holiday!

Black beach in Santorini, Greec, Santorini with kids

My daughters loved playing in the black sand at Santorini’s Perissa beach. They had never seen black sand before so it had the novelty factor. As the particles are larger – and black – they are easier to see (especially when getting caught up in sandwiches). They also brushed off better than regular sand.  If you want a family beach holiday in Santorini  then  I suggest  going  in  low  season  when  the  sand is cooler. I can image it gets hotter in the summer months. Perissa beach in Santorini, family holiday

Picturesque villages

Santorini is famed for its hilltop villages with whitewashed buildings and blue domed churches lining the coast. The village of Oia (pronounced ee-ya) is the most popular and it absolutely lives up to expectations.

Oia Santorini holidays, Greece

We drove to Oia and found parking fairly easily. There is a pedestrianised walk through the village so had no problems navigating with a buggy. See my ‘cons’ below for advice about the steep drops around the castle area and hotels in Santorini.

Make sure you have plenty of storage available for photographs when you visit. Oia isn’t the only stunning village though. Fira, Pyrgos and some of the lesser known villages such as Finikia, Emboreio and Megalochori are also worth a look.

Click here for things to do in Oia and accommodation inspiration.

Views

Almost everywhere you look in Santorini, there are stunning views. The volcanic activity which has shaped the island has left a legacy of rugged coastline and colourful rock formations.

Caldera in Santorini, Greece
The repeated volcanic eruptions of lava has also created the three islands in the caldera: New Kameni, Old Kameni and Thirassia. It is possible to get boat cruises to the islands including the crater of New Kameni (although I wouldn’t advise going with younger children). The good news is you can get incredible views all along the western coast and from its hilltop villages. On the east side of Santorini you can spot the islands of Crete and Folegandros.

View of the Santorini caldera from Fira

Sunsets

Where there are great views, there are fantastic sunsets. Santorini has some rather special ones. My daughter loved taking photos of them with her camera.

Sunset in Pyrgos, Santorini

Educational

My eldest daughter was fascinated by Santorini’s volcanic rock formations. One of our highlights was viewing the red beach and its towering russet rocks overhead. For older children, who are learning about geology, Santorini is a wonderful lesson on volcanoes and what they can create. Santorini is made up of several islands formed after a volcano collapsed into itself creating the current caldera.

The red beach, Akrotiri, Santorini, greeceHistory

Santorini doesn’t just have geological wonders, it also has a Bronze Age settlement. A powerful volcano which erupted in 1627 BC buried the town of Akrotiri preserving it until it was discovered in 1967. It is still being excavated but you can walk around what has been uncovered so far. It is buggy friendly so my toddler was happy and my eldest content to look around too.

It turns out the ancient town had plenty of modern touches such as  multi-storey buildings, colourful frescos, ceramics and a sewage system. Santorini also has a number of Roman ruins too.

Akrotiri, Santorini, Greece

All Day Eating

Greece’s restaurants stay open all day! Getting something to eat with children can be difficult in countries such as Spain and France where restaurants close after lunch and don’t open until 7pm. We were able to eat at our leisure and not worry without them falling asleep or getting cranky. Always a bonus. The food was very good too.

Cons

Hilly terrain

Much of Santorini’s appeal is its clifftop villages and their picturesque views over the caldera. Those views do come at a price though – it’s hilly. It was hard work at times with the pushchair and our eldest daughter had the odd moan. We managed though. If you have a young child, a baby carrier would be a good idea. It isn’t all steep though, the east side is a lot flatter and there’s plenty of other things to see and do in Santorini with kids.

Oia, Santorini, Greece
Steep drops

Oia is Santorini’s most popular village and one of its highlights is the walk along the cliff top to the ruins of the Venetian castle. The views from there over the caldera and rest of the village are spectacular.

Mrs T in Oia, Santorini, Greece

People gather at the castle in Oia for sunset which is said to be one of the best in Santorini. However, it is a steep drop down and no real safety measures so do be careful! Hold onto those little ones. Personally, I wouldn’t go there for sunset with children. It would get too busy and stressful. It may not suit those with vertigo either. We went in the daytime and got some great shots.

Oia, Santorini, Greece

Lack of pavements

Although the centre of Santorini’s towns are pedestrianised, you have to walk on the road to get to them. Santorini is lacking in pavements so keep children close to you when walking on the roadside.

Few high chairs

Some of the restaurants in the less touristy places didn’t have high chairs. If you are going with a small child, be prepared for them to sit on your lap or take a portable booster seat. In Fira and Oia this wasn’t a problem.

Accommodation

A lot of the hotels, especially in Oia, are built into the clifftop and as such aren’t hugely family-friendly. Some hotels are for adults only. We booked this apartment in the lesser-known town of Pyrgos which was cheaper and suited us very well. The town was beautiful and great place to wander around. The apartment had everything we wanted including an incredible terrace with sun beds, a pool and this view from the terrace.

Click here to book a villa in Pyrgos or search for hotel options in Pyrgos, Santorini

Pyrgos, Santorini, Greece

Price

Parts of Santorini are tourist hotspots and this is reflected in the restaurant and bar prices. If you don’t want to shell out for a mediocre meal, do your research. We found restaurants a lot cheaper in Pyrgos and discovered an excellent bakery with reasonable prices (and delicious ice cream). Accommodation is also expensive in the main spots.

Santorini holiday with kids

Santorini is a fantastic place to visit as a family holiday, particularly if you go in low season. If you are going to Santorini with younger children, be beware of the potential hazards and manage your expectations on what you can and can’t do. Make sure you read my 10 tips on visiting Santorini with kids. To book your holiday to Santorini, click here for deals on accommodation.

Is Santorini good for families? Take a look at how we got on visiting Santorini with kids in a film of our trip.

Have you been to Santorini? Would you visit with children?

 Pin For Later

Pros and cons of visiting Greek island of Santorini with kids



SUBSCRIBE TO OUR MAILING LIST

For the latest news, posts and competitions sent directly to your inbox -
sign up below:


*You can view our privacy policy here


Wander Mum

I've always loved to travel so when my two daughters came along, I didn't stop. Travelling as a family can have its ups and downs but I love showing my children the world and helping others navigate travelling with children in tow.

28 Comments
  1. Really useful post! When I was a travel agent, I never managed to send any families to Santorini, one of the reasons was the fear of hot black sand in summer time but I’d imagine this is less of a problem by October. My 6 year old would love the geology of Santorini and the restaurant opening tines are a big appeal too!

  2. Greece is on our radar for next year and so this was perfect timing. I am overwhelmed by all the choice of islands and am torn between choosing one of the most visited ones or a quieter island. We will be there in August if it works out so crazy busy! So glad to hear that Santorini was great with kids. It is absolutely beautiful and I would love to see it, just not sure if we will be able to brave the crwods in Aug! Thanks for sharing:) #fearlessfamtrav

    1. There’s so many great Greek islands. It’s going to be hot whichever one you go to in August but perhaps choose a quieter one or do an island hot. Santorini is very close to Crete!

  3. Santorini is so beautiful and I think you have described the pros and cons wonderfully. Each family is different and you have to make allowances for your own situation don’t you? We decided to skip Santorini this year because I had premonitions of moaning and complaining and there was no way I was pushing a double buggy with a couple of four year olds around up those hills! My friend had a wonderful holiday there with her 9 year old daughter. I see it in my future. Thanks for sharing on #farawayfiles

    1. Thanks Katy! You probably made the right decision! It was tough in places and with a double buggy probably not worth it. Definitely one to visit in the future though ?

  4. I loved Santorini, I can see why it’s a great place to take kids! We stayed right by the black beach. And even as an adult I struggled with some of those hills! #farawayfiles

  5. I haven’t been at all, let alone with kids, but I like the way you’ve broken this downd – very handy for parents. My best friend attempted it with her two little ones last year, they did one week on the east, one on the west of the island and they absolutely loved it! #fearlessFamTrav

  6. How were the crowds? We chose not to go to Santorini at half term and chose Kefalonia instead because I was worried about the tourist throngs and masses. It is so stunning so there are reasons for the masses, but wonder if they are worth navigating? Would love your perspective? Thanks for sharing with #FarawayFiles
    Erin Gustafson | Oregon Girl Around the World recently posted…Sample Some Scandi Ear Candy for Your Holiday HyggeMy Profile

    1. Hey Erin, we found October half-term much quieter. It was still busy but nothing like the summer months. It helped we were staying out of the main tourist hot spots too. Will be posting more about the trip in next few weeks!

  7. We loved Santorini with our 5 year old in August! We took busses and discovered she can walk as much as we can if not more. We also loved Folegandros. She keeps asking to so we are going back!

  8. I happened upon your blog as I’m trying to decide whether it is worth it to stay with our two daughters (6 & 9) on the Caldera smack in the middle of August. The views seem stunning but it’s ridiculously expensive. Which other villages would you recommend? What about Ammoudi bay? We will be spensing most of our holiday in Naxos but figured it would be a shame to miss such a beautiful island, even with all the tourists.

    1. Hey Noyah, thanks for getting in touch. I’d definitely recommend where we stayed in Pyrgos. The town is much quieter and still great views plus cheaper. We didn’t go to Amoudi Bay but looks like a great location! We really loved Santorini – definitely worth visiting! Good luck with your travel planning!

  9. We are in Greece at the moment with our almost 4 yr old and almost 2 yr old. Wanted to ask.about getting to the red beach?having to hear lots of mixed reviews

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

CommentLuv badge

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Pin It on Pinterest

%d bloggers like this: