Planning to visit Halkidiki with kids? Here’s how I spent 5 days on a perfect family holiday in Halkidiki, Greece with Mr Aye Wanderful and our twin toddlers. Those turquoise waters, sandy beaches, incredible sunsets and delicious food are still on my mind.
About Halkidiki
Halkidiki, in Northern Greece, is made up of three peninsulas or three fingers as some say – Kassandra, Sithonia and Mount Athos.
Kassandra is more developed from tourism point of view. It’s famous for its beaches and nightlife.
Mount Athos is one of the most important destinations for Orthodox Christians with around 20 monasteries. Women are not allowed to enter the region.
Sithonia is the middle finger and was our choice to stay. Slightly less touristy than Kassandra, it’s a lush region with pine forests and long stretches of beautiful beaches.
Crystal clear blue flag beaches of Sithonia
Getting there
Halkidiki region is served by Thessaloniki Airport, also known as Makedonia Airport. It’s the 3rd busiest airport in Greece and is fairly modern and equipped. We had arranged with our hotel to pre-book a taxi that took us from the airport to the hotel near Nikiti which was about 1 hour 15 minutes ride away.
Tips for flying with Toddlers
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CeTeBbpDMqr
When to visit
June to August is the peak season to visit Greece. However, I would highly recommend booking your family holiday in the shoulder season that is May and September. You will be able to enjoy the glorious sunshine and warm weather while benefiting from lower costs when it comes to flight and accommodation.
Where to stay
Acrotel Athena Pallas Village
My last holiday was to Cyprus when I was pregnant with my twins. And then the pandemic happened! When we were ready to travel again, there was no doubt in my mind that I needed an all inclusive holiday where we could just relax and not do pretty much anything. Very unlike our previous travels but here we are 😉
So, we booked a full board stay at the Acrotel Athena Pallas Village for 5 days via Voyage Privé. Our package deal also included return flights from London with Wizz Air.
The hotel is located on western coast of Sithonia near the villages of Nikiti and Neos Marmaras. There is a variety of room types available and we opted for a family suite. This was the perfect choice with its two spacious bedrooms, two bathrooms and outdoor patio space overlooking olive orchards.
Rustic charm
Spread over a an expansive complex, the hotel has maintained the rustic charm of a whitewashed Greek village while being modern and classy. It offers various amenities including 4 restaurants, spa, convenience shop, 1 heated indoor swimming pool and 3 outdoor swimming pools including a kids pool.
Indoor heated pool
Spoilt for choice at the main buffet restaurant serving Greek and Mediterranean food, we were able to try different Greek delicacies every day in a relaxed, airy and bright setting.
Doxato – Buffet restaurant – Outdoor seating area
Traditional Greek Desserts
Birthday dinner setting in Lemoni restaurant in hotel
Things to do in Halkidiki with Kids
There were plenty of activities to keep the kids busy. Apart from spending time at the beach and swimming pool, the kids also loved going to the kids club where they could play, enjoy dance sessions and get tattoo paintings. There was a cinema as well but we never got around to it!
Kids club
The outdoor play area is very tired and can definitely use some refurbishment.
Private access from the hotel takes you to a long stretch of pebble beach situated right across the street. I was initially disappointed as it’s not a sandy beach. However, it turned out that we spent every evening at the beach, watching glorious sunsets while the kids threw pebbles in the see-through pristine water of the Aegean Sea.
Private pebble beach – Elia
Sunsets at Elia beach
For the sandy beach fix, we visited the nearby Kalogria beach. It’s a family-friendly blue flag beach boasting of crystal-clear stunning blue waters and fine golden sand ideal for making sand castles. We loved Mango beach bar with its tiki style umbrellas and sun-beds, lively music and friendly staff.
Mango Beach Bar at Kalogria beach
If we had more time we would have loved to visit some more beautiful beaches like Lagomandra and Kalamitsi, explore the dramatic eastern coast of Sithonia, stroll in the villages of Nikiti and Neos Marmaras and take a guided boat tour around Mount Athos.
However, this break was all about unwinding. We enjoyed a much needed and much deserved family holiday in Greece; Halkidiki was a great choice indeed. 5 days went in a flash!
Pin for later!
I hope you enjoyed my post on visiting Halkidiki with kids. Have you been on a family holiday to Greece or planning to go? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to know!
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Cheers,
Ameeta xx
