The Greek island of Santorini is one of the most popular for tourists and is known for its great landscape, quaint villages, and amazing beaches. While it’s not always the first destination people think about when planning a family trip, it can be very family-friendly, as long as you’re prepared. Below are a few tips for your next family trip to Santorini. We’ll also share a few things you should know first so that you can avoid the problems that can come from visiting Greece’s most popular island with your children.
Travel During the Low Season
The high season in Santorini goes from June through September. This is when the planes are full, beaches are crowded, and tourist attractions are packed. If you’re travelling with kids, try to travel when there are fewer people.
One option would be to travel between March and May. The mild weather is great for sight-seeing, and things aren’t crowded. You also won’t have to work so hard to book a hotel. Another good period is from mid-September through to October. The tourist volume falls during that period, but most restaurants and tourist attractions remain open. It is often warm enough to hit the beach, too.
Book a Private Residence Instead of Staying in a Hotel
Booking a villa could be a good idea if you’re travelling with your family. Villas are a bargain when you compare them with other luxury accommodation. Another great thing about villas is that you get to cook your own food, and you don’t have to share amenities with other people. It’s the added luxury and privacy that makes villas such a great choice. Not to mention that you can always keep an eye on the kids, but let them have their fun as well.
If you want to find a great villa, you can check out BlueVillas at https://www.bluevillascollection.com/santorini. They have villas in Santorini that range from large apartments in town to spacious rural estates. You can further sort by price, the number of bedrooms, and location. They will even let you search for a child-friendly villa. These villas are designed for the maximum comfort of your little ones. They will be able to enjoy the villa as much as you and will be happy and safe under the Mediterranean sun, without the dangers you don’t want your children exposed to.
Stay in a Less Popular Town
While Santorini is the most heavily visited island in Greece, it is full of smaller towns that see far fewer tourists. For example, you could stay in Pyrgos instead of Oia. Pyrgos offers amazing views of the caldera instead of the open Aegean Sea you can watch from a balcony in Oia. But Oia’s steep hills are harder to manage with children or strollers. Pyrgos is the former capital, and it offers the same whitewashed buildings along with castle ruins and ocean views.
Rent a Car
Santorini offers ancient history, modern art museums, world-class seafood, wineries and beaches in several different colours. While it does have buses and taxis, families should rent a car instead. Then you don’t have to walk long distances or try to negotiate public transit in a foreign country with kids in tow. And you can drive back to your villa when the kids get tired after exploring ancient ruins. Furthermore, you won’t have to wait 10 minutes for one of the few taxis on the island, hoping you don’t get ripped off.
Skip the Ferry and Book a Flight
While you might spend a few hours staring at the sea on a ferry ride, it will bore your children to death. Skip the ferry, and fly into Santorini. If you want them to experience time on the Aegean Sea, go on a boat tour around the caldera instead. Your children can swim in a real volcanic hot spring when they arrive.
Explore the Beaches
Volcanic activity has created black, white and red beaches on the same island. And your kids will love the beach, whether it is teenagers who want to go kayaking or toddlers who will be thrilled to play in black sand. Just know when your kids aren’t capable of making a steep climb like the red beach in Akrotiri.
Take a Baby Carrier
If you have a young child, take a baby carrier. The steep hills can be hard to walk up with a pushchair. However, the older parts of town are harder to access with a buggy, since they don’t have sidewalks or ramps. Just make sure you get in shape carrying your baby on your back before you try to hike two kilometres of twisting, narrow pathways.
While Santorini is best known as a getaway for couples and newlyweds, it remains a great place to take your family. Just plan in advance so that you can get the most out of your Greek vacation.
To read more on topics like this, check out the family category.
Leave a Reply