This post is brought to you by guest author, Alejandro Amores.
The high temperatures, the beaches and the lively nightlife – these are all plus points for adults on vacation to Greece. Kids however, are slightly more demanding when it comes to filling their leisure time and when their low boredom threshold is reached it’s up to the adults to keep them amused. Luckily, if you choose the right Greek destination you can find a wealth of attractions that easily beat building sandcastles on the beach.
Image by heatheronhertravels used under creative commons licence
The largest aqua park in Europe
Corfu is a stunning Greek island but in the past has been more famous for its nightlife than its family-friendly attractions. This has changed in recent years and the immense waterpark known as Aqualand in Agios Ioannis will provide as much fun as the kids, and adults, can handle. The waterpark is home to 15 adventure pools, 36 water slides and offers a children’s area (ages four to eight) and a family area that includes family rafting and a Caribbean adventure pool. Older kids of 12 years and upwards can enjoy extreme water games such as the Hurricane Twist and the Kamikaze rides. The Greeks do waterparks very well and there are also waterparks on Rhodes, Crete and Kos.
Watersports for beginners
The Greek islands are the perfect place for children to lose their fear of the water and learn some lifelong watersports skills. The sunny climate in Greece and the warm Aegean Sea provide the perfect conditions for watersports such as diving, surfing, sailing, snorkelling and kayaking. Alonnisos, which is part of the Sporades Islands, is incredibly beautiful and one of the best places to learn to dive with qualified instructors. However, it really doesn’t matter which of the Greek islands use choose to visit – if you are near the beach there will be watersports available.
Stepping back in time
Greece is famous for its archaeological ruins and if your children want to discover their Indiana Jones spirit then that’s an easy task on a Greek holiday. Athens is of course the number one tourist spot when it comes to historical sites and this historic capital city contains the famous Acropolis and the Parthenon Temple to name just a few. The island of Rhodes boasts its own Acropolis dating back to the 2nd century BC, the Grand Master’s Palace and the ancient ruined city of Kamiros.
Island hopping
Kids love seeing new sights and will particularly welcome the fun that comes with travelling by boat to new beaches on little Greek islands. The Cyclades contains around 56 islands including Syros, Tinos and the famous Santorini. Many of the islands are uninhabited and boat tours of the islands can include picnics on beautiful deserted beaches. Don’t miss the chance to visit the magnificent monastery on Amorgos and the historic ruins on Delos.
oh my, I would luv to go! The largest aqua park in Europe sounds fantastic – not to mention island hopping! It looks so beautiful! I’d luv to see Amorgos and Delos, too.