Best Greek Islands for Families

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Written By: Pavlos Inglesis

Greek islands are some of the most family-friendly destinations in the world, but they are not all the same, but there are lots of similarities to be honest. Crete is the largest greek island and it is in my opinion the best option for a family vacation in Greece but Santorini and Naxos are also some of the best greek islands for families with younger (or even older kids).

greek islands for families
My younger cheeky daughter is enjoying the deep blue of the Aegean Sea on the island of Amorgos

The best greek island for families is Crete , with hundreds of family-friendly beaches and some of the best family resorts in Greece.

BEST FAMILY HOTELS ON THE GREEK ISLANDS:

There are very specific things you might be looking for a family trip to the greek islands, but I honestly believe that being close to amazing sandy beaches is probably the top thing you will be doing. In my opinion, the best places in Greece for families ar the ones that are close to the beach and are safe and quiet in general with good resorts.

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To be totally honest, you won’t have a bad time on any of the greek islands but islands such as Crete, Naxos, Santorini, Corfu, Skiathos, Paros or Ios probably have a slightly better infrastructure to make your family trip an amazing experience. 🏖️

READ ALSO: 
Best Family Hotels in Santorini
Best Family Hotels in Mykonos
Best Family Hotels in Athens
Best Family Resorts in Greece
Best Greek Islands for Teenagers

The best greek islands for families are:

greek island for families
The beaches of the Greek islands are ideal for kids as they provide an endless playground!

VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW:

Which Greek island is most family-friendly?

The greek island that is most family friendly is Crete, as it has the best beaches overall, the best amenities and definitely some of the best family and kids-friendly resorts in Greece. However, Crete is quite a big island and it’s not the typical small and cute greek island you may have in mind, which makes the family holidays logistics slightly different, in my opinion. Crete is also the island with the best family resorts in Greece. If you want a small greek island for families then Naxos is your next best option with endless sandy beaches and shorter distances overall within the island. Naxos island is one of my favourites as well, but it does not have large resorts as Crete. Overall both Crete and Naxos are two of the best greek islands for kids in general.

Where is the best place in Greece for families?

The best place in Greece for families is Crete island and Naxos island as they both are very family-friendly places with lots of amenities, great hotels and beautiful family beaches , overall. There are however other family friendly places in mainland Greece that are equally beautiful. These are Parga, Tolo or Zacharo and Chalkidiki.

Is Santorini or Mykonos better for families?

Santorini is calmer and more relaxing but it does not have the beautiful sandy beaches of Mykonos. However, none of these islands would be my first options if I was looking for a family holiday on a greek island. Naxos and Crete are much better option and they have more family friendly beaches and overall a better atmosphere for younger kids. You will definitely find families having a great time in Santorini (especially places like Kamari or Perissa beach) and the same applies to Mykonos. Bear in mind though that most of Mykonos beaches are not 100% family friendly and they amenities can be extremeluy expensive as the island has recently become a VIP spot for wealthy people. If i really had to choose one of these islands though , I would go with Santorini and I would stay in Kamari or Perissa.

Which is the best Greek island for teenagers?

The best greek island for teenagers is Santorini. The island offers lots of options for exploration, curiosity, ancient ruins with amazing unique tours (such as a visit to an active volcano) that won’t let your teenager daughter or sone to be bored even for a minute. Since social media seems to be “important” for teens these years , bear in mind that Santorini is a world famous destination that is all over social media and any picture/video of it will become popular immediately..!

🛏️ Booking.com is the website with the most available rooms and Private Villas in Athens, Santorini , Mykonos & Crete (more than Airbnb!)

⛴️ Ferryhopper is the best website to book your ferry tickets or check the timetables for Santorini, Mykonos , Crete & all greek islands

🏺 Get Your Guide has the best and largest variety of Tours in Athens and the greek islands (Santorini, Mykonos, Crete etc)

🚙 Rentalcars is the easiest way to rent a car or a quad for Greece with thousands of available options

✈️ Booking.com Flights has all the available flights to and from the greek islands

🚕 Book Your Driver (Taxi) directly with booking.com’s large and safe platform of available certified drivers

So, let’s see the best greek islands for families:

1. Crete

Crete has the best family resorts in Greece

Crete is the best greek island for famiies and the best family hotels in Greece. In Crete you will find amazing family-friendly beaches along with an endless option for things to do, museums, archaeological and historical sites, picturesque towns like Chania and lots of opportunities for water sports, kite surfing or sea kayaking which can be great for older children (Chania beaches are the best in my opinion). The great thing about Crete is that there direct flights to the biggest cities of the island, from pretty much every European capital during the high season (April to October). Make no mistake, Crete is one of the best places in Greece for families and the best greek island for kids.

2. Santorini

santorini kids
Kamari beach in Santorini is perfect for kids in the afternoon hours (not in the day though as the volcanic black sand can be extremely hot)

Santorini island is without a doubt the most famous Greek island and eventhough it’s not famous for family holidays, I still think it’s great for families. Perissa beach (Black Beach) , Kamari beach, and Vlychada beach are ideal for children of any age with lots of amenities and restaurants around. Santorini has numerous things for kids to explore such as a visit to the famous volcano or the Akrotiri historical site.

READ ALSO: Best Family Hotels in Santorini

3. Naxos

Naxos with its long sandy beaches and the pieceful and family friendly environment, is one of the best greek islands for families.

Naxos is one of the biggest greek islands and in my opinion it is perfect for family vacations. Naxos has some of the best family friendly beaches in Greece with soft sand and usually warm shallow waters. Because Naxos is a big islands there are lots of things that even older kids can do and amazing cruises to the nearby less busy islands (such as this one) . The inner villages of the island (such as Apirathos) is considered one of the most beautiful and unique villages in Greece and it is not a secret that local delicacies and food in Naxos is one of th ebest you can find in the Cyclades islands in Greece.

4. Corfu

Corfu has some of the best family resorts in Greece

Corfu is in the west side of Greece in the Ionian islands between Greece and Italy. There are tens of direct flights to chose from all major european cities during the summer (May to October usually) and it’s an island known for its green landscape and its quiet and family friendly beaches. Corfu town is a lovely town with venetian architecture with lots of options for food and entertainment after a long day at the beach.

5. Skiathos

koukounaries beach skiathos
Skiathos is a family friendly paradise with its pristine beaches

Skiathos is a greek island that sits on the northern side of the Cyclades islands group and it has lots of direcct flights from outside of greece during the summer months (high season). In my opinion, Skiathos has the perfect size for a family trip and it is ideal even for older kids. Lots of family resotrs have been developed on the island the last years and you may even see Kate Hudson lying on a beach as it’s been her go-to location for relaxation and family holidays for the last 10 years.

6. Ios

mylopotas beach ios
Mylopotas beach is a family friendly sandy beach in Ios island

Ios in my opinion is a very underrated greek island because it used to be a party island back in the 90’s but honestly, it’s not anymore (that’s purely Mykonos nowadays…). Ios now has some of the best resorts and hotels in Greece and it’s family friendly atmosphere makes it ideal for kids. Yes, there are plenty of options for adults or even people who do want to party but it’s definitely an island in Cyclades that worths a visit with your family. There are lots of options for watersports and its fantastic beaches with the beautiful beach bars and restaurants are ideal for families.

7. Paros

Paros island is ideal for families as it has beautiful family friendly beaches with golden sand

Paros island is in the Cyclades group of islands and there are many reasons why this is one of the most visited greek islands by families. Paros is a very diverse island with many different and unique sandy beaches and some of the best restaurants and greek tavernas in Greece. It is an island that is also preferred by lots of greeks and that says a lot about the island. Paros is one of the best greek islands for kids because of its size and amazing golen sand beaches.

CONCLUSION

So, these are the best greek islands for families. I honestly think that you will have an amazing family trip on any greek island but you will get the most out of your holidays in Crete or Naxos. They are both ideal for a family vacation with fantastic beaches and lots of amenities and cultural opportunities for the whole family. Crete has probably the best family hotels with kids clubs and lots of water sports, while Naxos is a more quiet but extremely well organized island with lots of things to do and explore for older children and teenagers as well.

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AUTHOR
Pavlos Inglesis
Greek, born and raised in Athens. I have been to almost every greek island and pretty much in every region of mainland Greece. I have also been eating souvlaki and gyros since the 80s. I love being a dad to my 2 beautiful daughters and also taking great photos of the places I visit. This is my blog to help you out explore the places I have visited with my inside tips as a Greek, knowing the ins and outs of my country and culture. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section under the post you are interested in and I wIll try my best to respond asap.

🛏️ Booking.com is the website with the most available rooms and Private Villas in Athens, Santorini , Mykonos & Crete (more than Airbnb!)

⛴️ Ferryhopper is the best website to book your ferry tickets or check the timetables for Santorini, Mykonos , Crete & all greek islands

🏺 Get Your Guide has the best and largest variety of Tours in Athens and the greek islands (Santorini, Mykonos, Crete etc)

🚙 Rentalcars is the easiest way to rent a car or a quad for Greece with thousands of available options

✈️ Booking.com Flights has all the available flights to and from the greek islands

🚕 Book Your Driver (Taxi) directly with booking.com's large and safe platform of available certified drivers

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