Athens, a city of highs and lows

We arrived in Athens airport at night, and took the metro into town. I was surprised to wait thirty minutes for the train (they only go every half hour) and it takes forty minutes into town, but of course you save a lot of money. Its usually 50 EUR in a cab from the airport into Athens but on the metro it is 9 EUR and children under ten are free.

I had booked an Airbnb called Acropolis Unique View Apartment. I was told to get the metro and change in Syntagma, the main station for all the metro lines there. We got out at Syggrou-Fix. I was really thankful for the “english” words on the metro and directions from the host otherwise it would have been hard to find. Greek is derived from the earlier Phoenician alphabet, and very hard for an English speaker to read.

Arriving late we were hungry and found a traditional Greek tavern The Trikyklo, specialising in “souvlaki” and other local dishes. just around the corner from the apartment. I am not sure if it’s because we were very hungry but it tasted great. It’s hard to go wrong with chicken souvlaki, chips, and greek salad.

Afterwards we walked around looking for our Airbnb, but every house looked the same. There were several drunk men on the street but I was assured Athens is safe so I tried not to be scared. One of the men was eating out of a garbage can but I presumed this was more out of hunger than intoxication. My daughter asked me why he was doing that. Trying to explain poverty, to a five year old who cries when she doesn’t every thing she wants, I do not think she understood.

The Airbnb was average outside but a nice surprise inside. Once you got into the flat it has a direct view of the Acropolis. It was beautiful all lit up at night, and I looked at it from both the balcony and main bedroom. We really enjoyed the balcony in the evening and it was cool enough to sit outside comfortably.

The next morning when we got to the supermarket around the corner I had another pleasant surprise. Like much of Athens things look grotty from outside, but inside the shop was shiny and new.
I enjoy looking for new products and found lots of Greek tahini, chocolate paste and unusual beers like Fix and other wines with no brand name that were local.

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Athens isn’t really a children’s city but as I had a friend to guide us around we made the most of it. It was hot in the day so my friend and I decided we should all go to the Acropolis Museum to keep cool in the air conditioning (and also amazing).

Once inside we enjoyed watching the video of the long ancient history of the Acropolis. It gave the ruins a new life and made them more impressive in light of the fact it survived so many different conquests, and natural disasters like earthquakes and fires. Maya liked the underneath of the museum the most. She could run around there in the cool and watch some turtles on the lawn outside the museum.

Half way through we had coffee and a snack in the somewhat pricey cafe (but decent) there. From there we took a walk left down the hill out of the Museum and in to the closed pedestrian walkway. For a mother this is by far the most relaxing area of Athens as I didn’t have to look over my shoulder the whole time for motorbikes or speeding cars.

I was on edge since the first time I exited a taxi in Athens a motor cyclist came right between my taxi door and the street curb just as I was about to open the door. If my daughter hadn’t needed help with her seat belt and delayed my exit, I would have been hit badly.

Forgetting the madness we enjoyed the walkway and soaked in the view around the Acropolis. There was no chance I could get my daughter to walk the many steps up to the actual building of the Acropolis so I didn’t bother to try. After some time wandering we found a play area for her and she played there in the warm evening.

After that we meandered down some side streets until we found a restaurant that a local had recommended called Avli tis Idylis. (yes that’s the English version). It has the usual greek food, saganaki, greek salad etc but everything was very tasty and well presented, the service excellent and ambience lovely.

After dinner it was a quick walk to the train to the Deos club, a roof top restaurant, with a view of the entire Athens opposite Panormou metro. At the very top is a swimming pool which is 30 euro for a day but worth the money for the ambience. It’s more of an Ibiza feel and would probably be better to go without children. The place has a sushi bar, a DJ, and 360 degrees of views of Athens below it.

After three days we had to leave our lovely little penthouse Airbnb looking over the Acropolis. We moved to another Airbnb near Aghios Nikolaos metro, which had a jacuzzi in the living room. While it was nice inside, the outside area was very dirty and full of graffiti. I like graffiti when it’s tasteful but this was mainly just random squiggles.

We drove past the Olympic Stadium but didn’t go inside. We went to the best tapas type food place, at Souare. It traditional Greek dishes with a twist, affordable and healthy with lots of locals on the terrace and fun decor.

After that we went to the Amphitheatre of Lycabettus to try get a ticket for James Arthur. It was sold out so my friend showed us a secret path to the top of the hillside opposite the stadium . We watched the concert for free from there! With the concert blaring out and lights flashing from the stage it was a real highlight, although a little bit scary scrambling up the stone path at night.

On a real high we descended the hill to end up right where the steps up to the church of Agios Georgios were. My friend explained that at the top of Lycabettus is the church of Agios Georgios (St.George.) and that of course we had to go.

There were quite a few steps to the top but we were rewarded for our effort with a stunning whitewashed church, which dates back to 1870. and the best views of Athens, and particularly the Acropolis, are from outside the chapel of St. George. One could see the lights of the city as we walked up the winding road surrounded by pine trees. After ice cream at the restaurant on top of the mountain we walked back down . I wanted to take the funicular but it was almost 20 euro per person and for a very short ride.

After that we took an uber to Balthazar, a popular bar restaurant near at the bottom of the hill and stuck our head in just to look at the great ambience and venue there.

I felt like you can love and hate Athens at the same time, I was happy to be leaving it on a love note and a high.

FAQs for Visiting Athens with Kids: Your Ultimate Guide

Picture this: You’re strolling through the ancient streets of Athens, the Acropolis looming above, with excited kids in tow. Sound like a recipe for chaos? It doesn’t have to be! Athens with kids can be an incredible adventure, blending history, culture, and fun in a way that’ll have the whole family buzzing. From climbing up to the Parthenon to chowing down on mouthwatering Greek food, the city’s got a treasure trove of experiences waiting for your little explorers.

But let’s face it, planning a family trip to Athens can feel like herding cats. That’s why we’ve put together this ultimate guide to answer all your burning questions. We’ll dive into the best time to visit, how to make historical sites like the Acropolis Museum kid-friendly, and where to find the tastiest souvlaki that’ll please even the pickiest eaters. We’ll also cover practical stuff like navigating public transport with a stroller and which family-friendly hotels won’t break the bank. So grab a frappe, get comfy, and let’s unravel the mysteries of family holidays in Athens together!