Santorini is famous as a honeymoon island, but it works well with children too if you plan around them. The volcano boat trip is a genuine hit — a real crater to climb and warm springs to swim in — while family beaches like Kamari and shallow Monolithos, a water park, gentle caldera mini-cruises and the air-conditioned Lost Atlantis show fill the gaps between grown-up villages and viewpoints. Here are seven family-friendly outings, with age guidance, prices and practical tips.
€€Santorini Water Park (Kamari)
Area
Kamari
Category
Water park
“A reliable half-day of slides and pools to break up the sightseeing; go in the morning before it gets hot and busy.”
€€Volcano & Hot Springs Boat Trip
Area
Caldera
Category
Boat excursion
“Kids love the boat ride, the 'real volcano' crater walk and the warm sulphur swim; bring water shoes for the sharp lava.”
FreeKamari Beach
Area
Kamari
Category
Beach
“The organised beachfront with sunbeds, shallow entry and lots of tavernas makes Kamari the easiest beach day with young kids.”
€€Santo Winery (family visit)
Area
Pyrgos
Category
Winery / Views
“The huge terrace, grape juice for the kids and knockout caldera view make this an easy early-evening stop the whole family enjoys.”
€€Lost Atlantis Experience
Area
Megalochori
Category
Museum / 9D
“The immersive 9D show about the eruption and the Atlantis myth is a fun, air-conditioned hit with older kids on a hot afternoon.”
€Donkey Ride, Fira Old Port
Area
Fira
Category
Novelty ride
“A traditional but ethically debated experience — many families now prefer the cable car and simply watch or photograph the donkeys.”
€€Mini Cruise & Swim Stops
Area
Caldera
Category
Boat excursion
“A gentler alternative to the full volcano hike — a relaxed cruise with swimming and snacks that suits younger children.”
Family things to do in Santorini in detail
1.Santorini Water Park (Kamari)
Santorini is famous for romance and scenery rather than family thrills, so for parents travelling with children a water park near Kamari is a genuinely useful ace up the sleeve. With a cluster of water slides, splash pools and shallow areas for younger kids, it offers a few hours of pure fun and cooling-off that has nothing to do with clifftop views or archaeological sites — exactly the kind of break children need between the grown-up sightseeing. The east-coast location near Kamari's long beach makes it easy to combine with a beach day, and facilities typically include sunbeds, a snack bar and shaded areas for parents. As with any water park in the Greek summer, going early in the day means smaller crowds and cooler temperatures before the midday heat peaks. Ticket prices are reasonable by island standards, with family options usually available. While it won't be the highlight of an adult's Santorini trip, for families it can be the highlight of the children's, and a happy, tired-out afternoon here buys plenty of goodwill for the next day's villages and viewpoints.
Hours
Daytime in summer season
Price
Day tickets; family rates available
Getting there
Near Kamari on the east coast; bus from Fira or car
Insider tip: A reliable half-day of slides and pools to break up the sightseeing; go in the morning before it gets hot and busy.
2.Volcano & Hot Springs Boat Trip
Of all Santorini's activities, the boat trip out to the Nea Kameni volcano tends to be the one children remember most. The adventure begins with the boat ride itself across the caldera, followed by a walk up a genuine, still-active volcano — a moonscape of black lava rock leading to steaming vents and a crater rim, which fires up young imaginations far more than another pretty village. The trip usually continues to the warm sulphur springs off Palea Kameni, where kids and adults alike jump from the boat and swim into bath-temperature, rust-coloured water, a novelty they'll be talking about for weeks. Most tours combine the two and can be paired with the Oia sunset on the way back. Practical tips for families: bring water shoes because the lava path is sharp and hot, pack sun protection and water, and note the springs will stain swimwear orange, so use old costumes. Suitable for children old enough to manage the short uphill walk, it's an active, memorable half-day that blends real science and fun.
Hours
Daily departures in season
Price
Boat from about €25; site entry small extra
Getting there
Boats from Fira Old Port (cable car down) or Ammoudi
Insider tip: Kids love the boat ride, the 'real volcano' crater walk and the warm sulphur swim; bring water shoes for the sharp lava.
3.Kamari Beach
For families, Kamari is one of the most practical beaches on Santorini. This long stretch of dark volcanic sand and pebbles on the east coast is fully organised, with rows of sunbeds and umbrellas, a paved promenade lined with tavernas, cafes, shops and ice-cream stands, and lifeguards in high season — everything you need to keep both children and parents happy for a full day. The water tends to be calm and the entry gradual, which suits younger swimmers, though the dark sand and pebbles get genuinely hot underfoot in midday sun, so water shoes are a smart idea. The promenade means lunch, snacks, toilets and shade are always close at hand, removing much of the stress that wilder beaches bring. There are also watersports and pedalo hire for older kids. Because it's away from the caldera cliffs, Kamari offers easy, flat, buggy-friendly access too. Combined with the nearby water park and the cable-car-free simplicity of a beach day, Kamari makes an ideal low-effort, high-reward outing for families needing a break from villages and viewpoints.
Hours
Daylight hours
Price
Free; sunbed rental extra
Getting there
East coast at Kamari; regular bus from Fira or car
Insider tip: The organised beachfront with sunbeds, shallow entry and lots of tavernas makes Kamari the easiest beach day with young kids.
4.Santo Winery (family visit)
A winery might sound like an odd family outing, but Santo Wines works surprisingly well with children in tow, making it a nice way for parents to enjoy a taste of Santorini's wine culture without leaving the kids out. The huge caldera-edge terrace has plenty of space, and while the adults work through a tasting flight of the island's Assyrtiko and Vinsanto, children can be kept happy with soft drinks, grape juice, and platters of local cheeses, bread and olives to graze on. The real draw for everyone, though, is the view: an unobstructed panorama across the caldera to the volcano and Oia, spectacular at any time and magical at sunset. Because it's set up for large numbers of visitors, it's relaxed about families rather than precious, and an early-evening visit before the peak sunset rush means more space and a calmer atmosphere. It's an easy, low-effort stop that lets parents feel they've done something for themselves while the children enjoy the snacks and the drama of the view. Combine it with nearby Pyrgos village.
Hours
Daily until late in season
Price
Tastings for adults; soft drinks and food for kids
Getting there
Near Pyrgos on the caldera side; bus toward Akrotiri or car
Insider tip: The huge terrace, grape juice for the kids and knockout caldera view make this an easy early-evening stop the whole family enjoys.
5.Lost Atlantis Experience
The Lost Atlantis Experience is a modern, family-friendly attraction that turns Santorini's dramatic volcanic history and its links to the legend of Atlantis into an immersive, entertaining show — perfect for engaging children who might glaze over at ruins and museums. Using multimedia, a detailed model of the ancient island, and a '9D' cinema experience complete with motion and effects, it tells the story of the catastrophic Bronze Age eruption that destroyed the Minoan settlement at Akrotiri and may have inspired Plato's Atlantis myth. It's educational without feeling like a lesson, and being fully indoors and air-conditioned, it's an ideal thing to do during the fierce heat of a summer afternoon or on the rare cloudy day. Older children and curious adults get the most out of it, and it pairs neatly with a visit to the actual Akrotiri excavation to bring the real history to life. Tickets are reasonable with family options, and the whole visit is easily digestible in an hour or so. For families seeking a fun, cooling, screen-based break that still teaches them something about the island, it's a solid choice.
Hours
Daytime into evening in season
Price
Ticketed; family options
Getting there
Near Megalochori; ATV, car or bus toward Akrotiri
Insider tip: The immersive 9D show about the eruption and the Atlantis myth is a fun, air-conditioned hit with older kids on a hot afternoon.
6.Donkey Ride, Fira Old Port
The donkeys that carry visitors up and down the steep zigzag of steps between Fira and the Old Port are one of Santorini's oldest traditions, and for many children the sight of them is a memorable novelty. Historically the donkeys and mules were the only way to move people and goods up the caldera cliff before the cable car arrived, and they remain a photogenic part of the island's character. However, the practice has become ethically controversial, with animal-welfare groups raising serious concerns about the loads, the heat and the treatment of the animals, and many responsible travellers now choose not to ride them. The kinder and more comfortable option for getting up and down the cliff is the cable car, which is quick, cheap and offers great views — while children can still enjoy watching and photographing the donkeys along the path without adding to the burden. If you do want a gentle, brief donkey encounter for young kids, seek out operators with visibly well-cared-for animals. For most families, the cable car plus a look at the donkeys strikes the right balance of tradition and conscience.
Hours
Daytime in season
Price
Small per-ride fee
Getting there
Between Fira town and the Old Port, alongside the cable car
Insider tip: A traditional but ethically debated experience — many families now prefer the cable car and simply watch or photograph the donkeys.
7.Mini Cruise & Swim Stops
For families with younger children who might find the volcano crater walk too demanding, a relaxed caldera mini-cruise offers the fun of a boat trip and swimming without the effort. These sailing or motor-catamaran excursions cruise gently around the caldera, stopping at scenic spots like the Red Beach and White Beach where kids and parents can jump in and swim in clear, sheltered water, snorkel over the volcanic rocks, and lounge on deck between dips. Many include a barbecue or snacks and drinks on board, turning the trip into an easy half-day out where the sea does the entertaining. The gentler pace and the swimming make it more suitable for small children than the sulphur-springs-and-crater expeditions, and semi-private options keep group sizes manageable for nervous parents. Timed for the afternoon, some cruises finish with the Oia sunset from the water, a lovely end to a family day. Bring swimsuits, towels, sun protection and a change of clothes. It's one of the most enjoyable and low-stress ways to get children out on the famous caldera and off the villages for a few hours.
Hours
Morning and afternoon departures in season
Price
From around €50 including some food
Getting there
Boats from Vlychada or Ammoudi marinas; hotel pickup often included
Insider tip: A gentler alternative to the full volcano hike — a relaxed cruise with swimming and snacks that suits younger children.