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. We had a brilliant family holiday but is Santorini family friendly? Admittedly, some parts of the island are tricky to navigate with a toddler in tow but Santorini with kids is possible and plenty of ways in which Santorini is a child friendly place to visit.

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.

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!

My daughters loved playing in the black sand at Santorini’s Perissa beach in the south east of the island. 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 recommend  going  in  low  season  when  the  sand is cooler. I can image it gets hotter in the summer months.

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.

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.

There are plenty of things to do in Oia including guided tours and check out some accommodation options in Oia if you are interested in staying there.

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.

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.

If you are with older children, check out these boat cruises, this one includes walking around the crater and swimming in the hot springs.

Sunsets

Where there are great views, there are fantastic sunsets. Santorini has some special ones which the children visiting Santorini are sure to appreciate. My daughter loved taking photos of them with her camera.

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.

History

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 happy 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.

Pre-book a ticket and skip the queues or get a guided tour of the site as well as visiting the black and red beaches.

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. This is especially good if you are visiting Santorini with a toddler, as we were. It mean 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.

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.

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.

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 really 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. There are plenty of other villas and hotels to stay at in Pyrgos to suit most budgets.

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 more 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 or go ahead and book your holiday to Santorini.

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?

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