Santorini with kids is more rewarding than many expect, with black-sand beaches with shallow water, a boat trip to the volcano and hot springs, a water park, an open-air cinema and easy village walks. This guide covers the best family activities, the family beaches, where to stay and tips for visiting with children.
The island has plenty for families beyond the romance, a fun side of the wider Santorini travel guide. The volcanic landscape fascinates children. The sections below cover a family trip.
Is Santorini good for families?
Santorini is good for families, with calm, shallow black-sand beaches, fun boat trips to the volcano and hot springs, a water park, an open-air cinema and charming villages to explore. The main caveats are the heat, the crowds and the many steps in the caldera villages, so plan around them.
Santorini surprises many families with how much there is to enjoy. Beyond the honeymoon image, the island offers calm, shallow beaches ideal for children, the thrill of stepping onto an active volcano and swimming in warm hot springs, a water park and an open-air cinema, plus pretty villages made for wandering. The dramatic volcanic scenery genuinely fascinates children. The things to watch are the strong summer heat, the busy crowds and the steep steps and cliff edges of Oia, Fira and Imerovigli, which suit older children better than toddlers in pushchairs, set within the wider things to do in Santorini. The boat trips are a highlight.
What are the best activities with kids?
The best family activities are a daytime catamaran or boat tour of the caldera, with swimming and a hot-springs stop, the Santorini Water Park at Perissa, the open-air cinema at Kamari, the Akrotiri ruins, and easy parts of the caldera walk. Boat trips are usually the children’s favourite.
Santorini offers plenty to keep children happy. The standout is a boat trip across the caldera, ideally a daytime catamaran cruise with swimming straight off the boat and a splash in the warm volcanic hot springs, which children love, with the volcano hike adding adventure. On land, the Santorini Water Park at Perissa has slides and a play area, and the open-air cinema at Kamari is a magical novelty under the stars. Older children enjoy the buried Bronze Age town of Akrotiri and the easier, paved first stretch of the Fira-to-Oia caldera walk, hopping between viewpoints, set out alongside the guides to Santorini boat tours and Akrotiri. The beaches are family-friendly.
What are the best beaches for families?
The best family beaches are the long, organised black-sand beaches of the south-east coast: Kamari, Perissa, Perivolos and especially calm, shallow Monolithos, with lifeguards, sunbeds, playgrounds and tavernas. The black sand gets very hot, so water shoes are essential for children.
The south and east coasts hold the family beaches. Kamari, Perissa and Perivolos are long, fully organised black-sand beaches with shallow, calm water, sunbeds, lifeguards and tavernas, well suited to a family day, while Monolithos, with its very calm shallow water, gentle slope and playground, is the most toddler-friendly beach on the island. The Red and White Beaches near Akrotiri are scenic but better admired or reached by boat than used with young children. On every beach, the black volcanic sand gets extremely hot in summer, so water shoes are a must for little feet, set out alongside the guide to Santorini beaches. The right base makes a difference.
Where should families stay, and what are the tips?
Families are happiest staying near a beach, such as Kamari or Perissa, for shallow water, space and value, rather than the clifftop villages with their steps and drops. Visit in the shoulder months for cooler weather and fewer crowds, carry water and sun protection, and use the buses or a car.
Choosing the right base and timing keeps a family trip relaxed. The beach resorts of Kamari and Perissa are the most practical and best-value family bases, with flat terrain, shallow beaches, pools and amenities on the doorstep, far easier with children than the stepped, cliff-edge caldera villages of Oia and Fira, which are better for short visits. Travelling in the shoulder months of April to June or September to mid-October brings comfortable temperatures and thinner crowds, ideal for children. Carry plenty of water, sun cream and hats against the strong sun, and use the cheap KTEL buses or a hire car to get around, set out alongside the guides to where to stay in Santorini and the best time to visit. The questions below cover the points travellers ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Santorini suitable for young children?
Santorini is suitable for children, with shallow black-sand beaches, fun boat trips to the volcano and hot springs, a water park and an open-air cinema. The main challenges are the summer heat and the many steps and cliff edges in the caldera villages, so plan around them.
What is there to do in Santorini with kids?
With kids you can take a daytime boat cruise of the caldera with swimming and a hot-springs stop, visit the Santorini Water Park at Perissa and the open-air cinema at Kamari, explore the Akrotiri ruins, and enjoy the family beaches of Kamari, Perissa and Monolithos.
Where should families stay in Santorini?
Families are happiest staying near a beach, such as Kamari or Perissa on the south-east coast, which offer shallow water, flat terrain, pools and good value. These are far easier with children than the stepped, cliff-edge villages of Oia, Fira and Imerovigli.