Introducing guest blogger Anna from Dreamista Twins and Travels
I am Anna and I’ve lived in Athens almost all my life. Since we became parents of twins back in 2016, we came to discover a new side of our city together with my partner in crime, Costas.
We’re still exploring new parts of the city and making day trips out of them – even during a lockdown. Here are our favorite day trips in Athens and even some short trips for 2 or 3 nights!
This post is part of our Explore My City series – come and visit cities around the world through the eyes of locals
Day Trips from Athens
Explore the coastline
And there’s so much of it and so many different things to do. We recommend Sounio and Pasa Liman beach for swimming and chilling; Nalu beach bar in Alimos for a sunset dinner while the kids play with the pebbles, or Marida 1955 tavern at Artemida, for a great seafood dinner after the kids have played with their buckets and spades.
We love Marathon coast (yes, this is where the Classic Marathon route starts from, so it’s 42 kilometers from the center of Athens), because the alley is perfect for the boys to ride their bikes while we power walk across the beach.
Explore the mountains
As most ancient cities, Athens too is built among hills and mountains. They used to be its natural fortress. Now, they are our playground. We prefer Ymittos mountain, as it has countless easy hiking paths with a great view of the city. We love Bafi Refuge in Parnitha mountain, as it’s so quiet and remote and offers some wholesome food options.
We also enjoy Plaka of course, the historic city center of Athens, where a stroll can take more than 5 hours, with lunch breaks and ice cream stops! It’s located right under the hill of the Acropolis, the emblem of our city.
Short Trips from Athens
The Islands
We are so lucky to have so many beautiful islands just a short ferry ride away from home! Andros, Tinos, Mykonos, Kea, Kythnos, Agistri, Aigina, Hydra, and Poros islands are 1 to 3 hours away via ferry, and all the other famous Greek islands are 20 to 40 minutes away by airplane!
Popular tourist destination Santorini is a 20-minute flight away from Athens and we love that there’s always a family-friendly hotel there waiting for us – it’s easy to spend a couple of days in Santorini.
Rivari Hotel is a short walk away from Kamari beach and its black volcanic sand – amazing! The beach road is pedestrianized at night and we can have dinner by the sea while the kids are playing. Paros island and its golden sand beaches are also perfect for a long weekend; We love Paros Agnanti Resort, just steps away from a wonderful beach, its amazing cuisine, playground, and suites with private pools.
Short Road Trips
Definitely our area of expertise! Before we became parents, we were away every single weekend – even for a short hike and lunch at some mountain gorge 4 hours away. Every parent who lives in Athens recommended a baby-friendly hotel 1-hour’s drive from Athens, so we had to check it out when the twins were born.
Daphne’s Club Hotel Apartments is right on the beach and it has everything a new parent might need, even babyproofing! We also love exploring the mountains of Greece with the boys and Karpenissi, 4 hours drive from Athens, is our go-to trip when we have a few days off. We always choose Ninemia Stay & Play, because we lose track of time there with the kids playing safely for hours at this amazing estate by the river.
Our choice of trips has been sliiiightly modified since we became parents, but what has definitely shifted was our choice of accommodation. We needed more space from the get-go, as we became from couple to parents of 2 babies in a fortnight.
That’s why I decided to help more parents explore family-friendly, spacious accommodation all over Greece – it has become my personal project. 3 weeks ago, I went online with Family Hotels Greece, my new website, featuring only family-friendly properties and family rooms in cool hotels around the country.
About the Blogger
You can visit Anna’s blog and catch up with her and her family in Athens here.
BLOG | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM
With thanks to Anna for her contribution to our guest series. You may also like to read about fun things to do in Athens, Greece with kids or Rome, Italy.
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