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Fantastic beach and countryside retreats with great activities and amenities make the Greek islands a great choice for happy family holidays. Rachel Howard selects 10 of the best for the guardian.com
Family fun in the Greek sun … at the Ammos Hotel
Ammos Hotel, Crete
This stylish seaside resort is cheerily colourful: clashing cushions, mosaic tiles, mismatched chairs. The hands-on owner, Nikos Tsepetis, upgrades the hotel every year, which may be why so many guests come back. The whole setup is ideal for babies and toddlers: a shallow, sandy beach, small kids’ pool, huge playroom, endlessly accommodating staff, and excellent, affordable home cooking. Garden view suites (the only rooms that can accommodate a family of four) are so in demand you will need to book a year in advance.
• +30 28210 33003, ammoshotel.com, from €105 a night for a garden studio (sleeps two adults and a toddler)
Nearest airport/port: Chania (9 miles)
What to do: It’s a 10-minute drive to the lively Old Town of Chania. An hour’s drive west, Falasarna is a cliff-backed beach where daredevils (aged 10 and over) can take a tandem paragliding flight with instructor Yannis Katsandredakis (+30 69740 69350).
Where to eat: It’s worth paying extra for breakfast (free for under-twos); it’s a feast of local specialities that will keep you going until dinner. In Chania, Chrysostomos (Defkalionos Street, +30 28210 57035) cooks authentic Cretan food in a wood-fired oven – fun for kids to watch.
Red Tractor Farm, Kea
Red Tractor Farm, Kea aka Tzia.
Kea, an hour by ferry from Athens’ Lavrion port, is surprisingly under the radar (apart from Athenian weekenders who arrive in their yachts and Land Rovers). A 10-minute walk from Korissia town, this working farm feels blissfully rural. Kostis Maroulis and his Californian wife, Marcie Mayer, produce organic wines, preserves, and acorn cookies, and kids can help on baking days. Whitewashed cottages lie among vineyards and olive groves. Room have their own entrance and veranda but can be interconnected. Cosy interiors have fireplaces and sleeping platforms that kids will love. There’s a beach at the bottom of the drive and bicycles for rent nearby.
• +30 22880 21346, redtractorfarm.com, from €110 a night for a studio (two adults, one child), with transfers and daily housekeeping but no breakfast
Nearest airport: Athens (20-minute drive from Lavrion port)
Nearest port: Korissia (less than 1 mile)
What to do: Charter Kostis’ traditional wooden boat, Soultana; he’ll take you to coves only the locals know about. Explore the stone-paved footpaths that crisscross Kea’s terraced interior.
Where to eat: For breakfast, stroll to Odale for omelettes, pancakes, and cinnamon-and-custard croissants. Anna’s taverna (+30 22880 21680) is a lovely lunch spot overlooking Otzia beach, with a playground nearby.
Ydrousa, Tinos
With just five studios and split-level suites connected by steep steps, this guesthouse is a recent addition to Isternia, a hilltop village where tourists are scarce. Simply decorated with slate floors, rough-hewn marble sinks, and dark wooden furniture, the rooms all have a terrace suspended between sea and sky. There’s free Wi-Fi, but all adults will want to do is gaze at that view. Kitchens are well-equipped, but Tinos has the finest food in the Cyclades, so eat out as often as you can.
• +30 694 781 6242, isternia.net/en/tourism, from €80 a night for a studio sleeping two adults and two children
Nearest airport: Mykonos (30 minutes away by ferry)
Nearest port: Tinos (8 miles)
What to do: Visit the Museum of Marble Crafts (admission €3) in Pyrgos, a pretty village famous for its sculptors and galaktoboureko(syrupy cream pie). Go bouldering in Volax or rock climbing inExomvourgo.
Where to eat: Right next door: Exomeria does a gob-smacking brunch on a lovely terrace that’s even more dramatic at sunset. A five-minute drive downhill is Thalassaki (+30 22830 31366), where you can eat cheese with bee pollen, shrimp risotto, and mastic and rose ice-cream at the water’s edge. In Greece, even gourmet restaurants such as this one welcome children.
Corona Borealis, Naxos
Corona Borealis, Naxos
On a remote hillside with only goats and sheep for neighbours, this idyllic seven-suite retreat is a natural tranquilliser. Chill by the pool or down at the tiny pebble cove, with sun loungers and parasols exclusively for guests. Gardens are beautifully landscaped to blend in with the rugged landscape. The architecture is classic boxy Cycladic, and eclectic interiors filled with antiques and modern art make it feel more like someone’s home than a hotel. The friendly welcome from manager Anita Papantoniou is just as personal. Beautifully presented breakfasts feature local products, and the pool bar does smoothies, snacks and phenomenal sunsets. You can pre-order home-cooked dinner, too, and Anita is happy to adapt the daily menu to suit picky eaters. You’ll need a hire car to explore the island’s many sandy beaches, ancient sites, and medieval towers.
• +30 22850 25448, coronaborealis.gr, from €120 a night for an open-plan suite, suitable for a couple with one small child
Nearest airport: Naxos (5 miles)
Nearest port: Naxos Town (3 miles)
What to do: Visit the olive press museum nearby, gallop along the beach on horseback (naxoshorseriding.com), and go in search of the two Kouros statues that have been lying in the fields by Melanes village for 2,500 years.
Where to eat: Some swear that Haris (+30 22850 62266) at nearby Eggares does the best froutalia (stuffed omelette) on Naxos. It’s also famous for grilled meat. Organic produce and fresh fish get top billing at Axiotissa (+30 22850 75107) near the sandy beach of Kastraki. They’re happy to do kids’ portions if you ask.
Kapetan Tasos, Milos
In the peaceful fishing village of Pollonia, these family-run suites epitomise Cycladic style: white interiors with wooden ceilings, brushed concrete floors and built-in sofas that double as kids’ beds. (Cots and high chairs are free). There’s a small library, board games, and a plunge pool for kids, but it’s only 300 metres to a sandy beach shaded with tamarisk trees. You can also walk to a playground, and volleyball and basketball courts. There are plenty of perks for parents: quality mattresses, rain showers, and babysitting on demand.
• +30 2287 041287, kapetantasos.gr/suites, from €95 a night for a four-person suite
Nearest airport: Milos (9 miles)
Nearest port: Adamas (6 miles)
What to do: Volcanic Milos has a spectacular coastline. Aussie resident Ron Feldtmann leads sea kayaking expeditions (seakayakgreece.com) to caves, rock pools and uninhabited islands. For a lazier option, take a day trip on Captain Petros’ yacht Kirki, bookable through Athena Travel (athenatravel.gr).
Where to eat: Pollonia has great fish tavernas, including Armenaki. After snorkelling at Sarakiniko, eat meze at Medousa (+30 22870 23670) in Mandrakia – try stuffed peppers, grilled octopus, and ouzo for the grownups. In Adamas, Aggeliki (+30 22870 23059) does home-made ice-cream.
Big Blue, Antiparos
With its shallow bays, step-free town, and compact size, Antiparos is perfect for babies and toddlers (as plenty of Scandinavians have discovered). The little port is lively in high season, when boho Greeks with holiday villas arrive. Set back from Glyfa – a sandy bay that’s rarely busy, even in August – this unpretentious restaurant with rooms is the perfect hideaway. Lazy days are spent lolling in hammocks, playing ping-pong, or tucking into homemade moussaka. You’ll soon be as laid-back as the friendly owner, Damianos.
• +30 69776 65870, facebook.com/bigblueantiparos, from €70 a night for a studio sleeping four
Nearest airport: Paros (10-minute drive to Pounta, then 10 minutes by ferry)
Nearest port: Antiparos (2.5 miles)
What to do: The cave of Agios Ioannis will thrill older kids (there are lots of steep steps). Take teenagers to Beach House, a trendy beach bar with watersports, boat hire, and yoga classes for mums and dads.
Where to eat: Treat the kids to pizzas at Lollo’s (+30 22840 61215) on the port or French toast with honey and walnuts at La Louche.
Hotel Familia, Ithaca
Hotel Familia
On a quiet street behind the horseshoe harbour of Vathy, this three-star hotel is converted from a 200-year-old olive mill. Seven rooms are individually decorated in rustic, earthy tones, with wooden floors, embroidered curtains, and comfy beds. Some rooms are a little dark and only one room has a terrace, but the biggest draw here is the sunny welcome from Makis and Christina. Breakfast of homemade jams, cookies and cakes in the garden is a treat. There are free bicycles for exploring the port (which is pleasingly flat) and the rest of the island (which is horribly hilly)
• +30 26740 33366, hotel-familia.com, from €85 a night for a double room with a baby cot. An extra bed for kids under 7 is €10 a night including breakfast.
Nearest airport: Kefalonia. Ferries from Patras or Sami on Kefalonia.
What to do: Swim at family-friendly Filiatro or snorkel round Kritami Bay in search of the underwater shipwreck. Unravel the legend of Odysseuson Homer’s Walk (islandwalks.com), a 3-mile hike that’s free for under-12s.
Where to eat: Fresh pasta at Libretto Trattoria, on the waterfront; though tangerine risotto and crab ravioli may be challenging for tots.
Idilli Villas, Lefkada
Lefkada Milos beach, near Idilli Villas, Lefkada .
As with all the Ionian Islands, Lefkada is exceptionally green but it’s best-known for white sand beaches such as Porto Katsiki and Egremni, the stars of countless tourist posters. Secluded among pine and cypress groves, these seven villas with five swimming pools were revamped by the architect-owner this year. The new bathrooms and kitchens are gorgeous. Flagstone terraces are standard and amenities endless – washing machines, dishwashers, barbeques, and a generous welcome hamper. The charming caretakers, Valentin and Lecia, are always on hand for assistance. A scenic footpath takes you to the beach and tavernas of Agios Nikitas in 10 minutes (20 minutes on the way up, after a few ouzos). Best of all, it’s surprisingly affordable.
• +30 21080 72593, idillivillas.com, from €140 a night for a two double-bed villa with a swimming pool
Nearest airport: Aktaion (20 miles)
Nearest port: Igoumenitsa (68 miles)
What to do: Agios Ioannis beach is one of Europe’s top spots for kite-surfing (milosbeach.gr). Take a guided mountain bike ride to the waterfalls at Nidri, with trailer bikes for wee ones (getactivelefkas.com).
Where to eat: Enjoy fresh fish at Sapfo (+30 26450 97497) while the kids scamper on Ayios Nikitas beach. Rachi serves farm-fresh food on a terrace 600 metres above the sea – unforgettable at sunset.
Keros Surf Club, Limnos
Keros Surf Club, Limnos, at nightKeros Surf Club, Limnos, at night. Photograph: Pantelis Ladas
Limnos is off the beaten track, unless you’re a windsurfer or kitesurfer. Keros surf club, run by surfers who dreamed of working in flip-flops, is on a sandy beach where the meltemi wind always blows. A 10-minute walk from the sea is this restaurant (with a healthy kids menu) and glampsite, whose safari tents come with wooden floors, hot showers, espresso machines and mosquito nets. Parents can surf in peace while four- to 12-year-olds are entertained at the Kids’ Club (10am – 8pm daily), with activities from treasure hunts to wildlife spotting.
• +30 6944 1 56679, camp.surfclubkeros.gr, glamping from €60 a night in a three-person safari tent, €10 a night in your own tent
Nearest airport: Limnos (9 miles)
Nearest port: Myrina (21 miles)
What to do: Surfing, kitesurfing, and windsurfing lessons . The whole area is a nature reserve; you might spot migrating flamingos in the wetlands and salt lakes.
Where to eat: Mantella (+30 22540 61349) in Sardes is a local institution: try traditional specialities such as rooster with flomaria(sheep’s milk pasta) and wild rabbit stew (don’t tell the little ones). Glaropoula (+30 22540 92325), a family-run fish taverna in Nea Koutali, does great spaghetti with shrimps.
Perleas, Chios
Chios is famous for producing mastic (plant resin usesd for chewing gum) and shipping magnates. Many shipowners have summer homes on Kambos, a lush plain of citrus orchards dotted with crumbling manor houses. Built in 1640, Perleas is the only one that operates as a B&B. Behind the high stone walls, more than 1,000 orange, lemon and tangerine trees are planted in perfect symmetry. Three bedrooms in the main house are a time warp: brass beds, antique armoires and family portraits. Two cottages in the grounds are more private. The gardens are a wonderland for kids, who can help milk the goats, ,feed the pigs, and make organic preserves and pickles.
• +30 22710 32217, perleas.gr, from €120 B&B for a triple room
Nearest airport: Chios (2 miles)
What to do: Bike through fragrant lanes to the Citrus Museum, a fascinating collection of farm tools, vintage fruit wrappers and edible souvenirs. Watch a movie at the outdoor cinema in Chios.
Where to eat: Rousiko (+30 22710 33352) for Greek classics in a garden setting, with occasional live music and a big garden for kids to run around in.
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