Things to Do With Kids in Greece

For the Young Archaeologist or Historian

• You shouldn't take the kids to Greece without touring the traditional Greek archaeology sites. The Parthenon and the Acropolis Museum offer breathtaking exhibits indoors and outside. Visit the Temple of Poseidon, positioned on the Aegean Sea, for a stunning view and for hiking and rock-climbing fun. Take in a play at the ancient theatre of Epidaurus. While actors typically perform these plays in modern Greek, viewers can request an English guide or synopsis. The archaeological site of Aigai, or modern Vergina, houses the stunning Golden Larnax and holds the tomb of Alexander the Great's father. Greece boasts dozens of other sites, many of which are suitable to explore with the kids.

Theme Parks

• Visit the popular Allou Fun Park for rides and games suiting the fancy of kids of all ages. This park features a Ferris wheel that provides a beautiful view of the historic city of Athens. While admission to the park is free, rides and food are not. Magic Park, in the Thessaloniki region, is another popular family hideout. This park is open in the evenings and has many traditional carnival rides as well as roller coasters for older kids.

For the Thinker

• The Attica Zoological Park includes exhibits with over 2,000 animals with many enriching educational opportunities. The park has exhibits from five continents including a popular marine mammal area. Established in 1987 as an interactive learning experience for children, the Hellenic Children̵7;s Museum offers children an opportunity to learn about local cooking and make lifelong friends. The Museum of Children's Art holds more than 7,000 exhibits created by local and international children between 5 to 14 years old.

For the Spelunker

• Kids and adults alike will marvel at Melissani Cave. This cave and underground lake was "discovered" in 1951 by speleontologist Giannis Petrochilos. Explore this cave by boat and witness a shrine to the Greek god Pan and to Nymph Melissanthi who, according to the myth, committed suicide by jumping into a lake when the half-man, half-goat refused her advances. While this is an exciting cave, due to the geology of Greek mainland and islands, there are more than 8,500 caves for your family to explore.

Island Getaways

• Many families travelling with kids like to get away from the mainland to one of Greece's many islands. Rhodes features crystal-clear and exhilarating beaches where kids can play for hours. While there, be sure to visit Petaloudes, or Valley of the Butterflies, to see the nesting ground of the Panaxia Quadripunctaria butterfly. The island is also home to a popular aquarium with wonderful marine exhibits. The island of Crete holds the shocking Cretaquarium in Heraklion that gives the kids a birds-eye view of countless varieties of fish and other sea life. Crete is home to an entertaining water park in Chania complete with excellent rides and giant water slides.