Are you in Athens this Christmas and do you need inspiration for your family outings? Here are some of my favorite activities, all tried and tested by me and my kids. Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of the year, and it’s magic in Athens too. In Athens, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get into the Christmas mood. In this list, I have included free and low-budget options too.
Christmas in Athens with Kids 2024
Put on your nicest outfit, eat some melomakarona, and go out with the family because there is lots to do in Athens during the 2024 holidays. Don’t forget to follow our social channels or stay tuned to this blog because this list will be constantly updated. Here we go!
Free events at the Christmas Village at Pedion tou Areos Park 2024
Until January 7, Attica’s largest urban park Pedion tou Areos, will transform into a festive wonderland, featuring a state-of-the-art ice rink, a grand carousel, and a food booth offering Greek traditional drinks and festive delicacies. Visitors can also explore forty wooden houses filled with handmade creations, gifts, and Christmas decorations.
Opening hours and events
Passing through a glowing gate, families, children, and adults can enjoy free concerts, educational activities, and impressive shows from 4:30 pm to 10 pm on weekdays and 10 am to 10 pm on weekends. Strolling along brightly illuminated paths, visitors can explore the park’s key attractions, including creative spaces for children with workshops and games, Santa’s sleigh, and booths offering commemorative photos and face painting. Combining education with fun, children can also visit the Santa Claus House, while the Robotics and Recycling Houses or can also enjoy themed installations featuring the Christmas tree, mistletoe, and the Star of Bethlehem, along with interactive Nutcrackers and creative face painting.
A view highlights from the program for families:
– December 24: Children’s songwriter Tassos Ioannidis and a theatrical performance will transport kids to the magical world of music.
– December 28: A modern children’s opera, inspired by the compositions of Greek musician Thodoris Lembesis, will be presented.
– December 31: Visitors will welcome 2025 with an unforgettable New Year’s Eve show featuring singer Christos Mastoras and the band Melisses.
Free Event by Athens Radio Station Athens’ Christmas Van
Athina 9.84, the official radio station of Athens, is set to bring the holiday spirit to life! Beginning December 8, the station will broadcast live from a custom-designed van traveling through the city’s neighborhoods, hosting festive activities, children’s events, and concerts at iconic landmarks.
The van’s schedule includes:
– December 8, 11 am to 1 pm, Agios Panteleimonas: The Christmas Van will kick off its journey in the Agios Panteleimonas neighborhood, engaging with residents and children from nearby schools. Aristea Yiannou hosts a live Christmas broadcast filled with festive spirit.
– December 14, 2 pm to 6 pm, Ermou Street: In the heart of festive Athens, Athina 9.84 will celebrate with the children of the Red Cross. Magicians, jugglers, and gifts set the tone for a magical children’s party, accompanied by a DJ set from Nikos Lymberopoulos.
– December 15, 12 pm to 5 pm, Ermou Street: From the city’s bustling Christmas market, the radio will broadcast live festive tunes while celebrities from the arts share their holiday wishes. Guests can enjoy traditional sweets, including kourabiedes and melomakarona, courtesy of producers Dora Apostolou and Nikos Lymberopoulos.
– December 21, 12 pm to 2 pm, Kypseli Municipal Market: Eleonora Orphanidou and Eleftheria Koumantou, known as the “Sword Ladies”, will present a Christmas blockbuster show with generous gifts. The event features an hour-long concert by the Big Band of the Athens Municipality, activities for children, and book readings by authors offering their works as gifts to families.
– December 24, 4 pm to 7 pm, Town Hall Square: The city will come alive with the “Night of Wishes”, as residents and visitors to the city light up the sky with biodegradable lanterns in a heartwarming holiday tradition.
Christmas Bazaars 2024
You will find many Christmas bazaars in Athens but most of them are only during a specific weekend (usually the first two weekends of December). There are several bazaars set up for a longer period. They are at the SNF, the Meet Market and the Kypseli Municipal Market. Family may enjoy the Christmas Book Fest activities on 13-15/12; 10 am – 10 pm. Here you can look for the perfect holiday reads, Christmas gifts, and lucky charms while enjoying warm drinks, snacks, and mulled wine. With activities for all ages—painting workshops, games, book presentations, performances, and live music.
Free Events by the Municipality of Athens
From December until January 10, 2025, Athens will transform into a lively hub of holiday celebrations, offering activities and entertainment for all ages. Residents and visitors alike can fully embrace the Christmas spirit through many events, including musical concerts, theatrical performances, storytelling sessions, educational programs, art workshops, outdoor film screenings, exhibitions, guided tours, and festive celebrations on both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. You can find the entire program here.
Enjoy the Christmas lights at Syntagma Square
Being so festive and abundantly decorated every year, a walk around the city center is a great thing to do with kids in Athens during Christmas. Watch the colorful decorations at Syntagma Square, the massive Christmas tree, and the buildings around, all dressed at their best. Grand avenues like Stadiou and Panepistimiou stand out because of their Christmas lights. A free activity that will certainly get you in the mood for Christmas.
Discover Sparkling Psiri during Christmas
You can opt to walk from Ermou Street towards the bohemium neighborhood of Psiri and admire twinkling lights everywhere. No need to spend money, the warmth of the shops and the twinkling lights will bring anyone in the Christmas spirit. Plus Psiri has a lot of street art. Don’t miss a stop at the Little KooK Cafe and Kings Theater Wine bar.
Admire Christmas lights with by City Tuk-Tuk
An activity that is fun all year around but especially during the beautifully decorated Christmas days is a tour by City Tuk-Tuk.
If you do not want to walk the entire time, the sustainable Tuk-Tuk ride is a fun alternative? Kids (and adults alike) will find this a great way to see the lights in the city when you book an afternoon tour. The tuk-tuk will bring you to Syntagma Square, the Acropolis, and the beautifully decorated avenues of the city center.
Click here for more information and booking the City Tuk-Tuk Tour
Join a Christmas Walking Food Tour for Families
If you like to walk around the city, and admire Syntagma square, Psiri, and the festive Plaka, you could also opt for a walking food tour. Why not see twinkling lights AND indulge in yummy food at the same time?! Consider booking a food tour for families. You and your kids will be guided by a local foodie and walk around the city center.
We did a food tour in December that included all the Christmas sweets. You will also make food stops at traditional shops and taverns. It is your chance to try typical Christmas sweets such as kourabiedes and melomakarona. A Christmas family food tour in Athens combines a festive stroll through the city with indulging in the very best of the season.
Click here for more information and to book your food tour in Athens
Ride the Athens happy train
Take a ride on the Athens Happy Train through the sparkling city center. This toy-like street train (no rails but wheels) will take you on a sightseeing tour starting every 30 minutes from Syntagma Square. It tours around the historic city heart, old neighborhoods, and Acropolis hill. It is a fun way to join the festivities in a relaxing way.
Bus Tour in Athens
Older kids may also enjoy the tour bus in Athens. I find these tourist site-seeing buses a great way to discover any city, especially in sunny Athens where you can usually sit outside, also in winter time.
I recommend the Athens Hop-On Hop-Off Tour. This tour goes along three different routes. You’ll travel on an open-top, double-decker bus as you take in the many important sights and attractions. The tour is around 90 minutes and encompasses central Athens, commencing at Syntagma Square and leaving every 15 minutes.
Click here for more information and to book your Athens Hop-On-Off Bus tour
See a Christmas performance
Each festive season, there are many Christmas performances in Athens. It is best is to check the Athinorama website (translate with Google for English). Every year, there is a good choice of family holiday theater, ballets, and other Christmas performances in the Athens Concert Hall. We also love to see a Christmas ballet. Last year we watched the Nutcracker at the Christmas Theatre. This year, they are doing it again (but this time on ice) as well as classic orchestra performances, musicals, acrobats, and more.
Alternatively, you can take your family to the birthplace of theater and create your own play. One of the most ancient Greek theaters is located at the Acropolis. To visit this theater, I recommend you book an Acropolis guided tour that includes the Dionysos theatre, the Parthenon, and the other ancient monuments at the Acropolis Rock.
Click here for more info and to book your guided tour to the Dionysos theater and the Acropolis
Visit a Theme Park: Christmas Factory
Need more action and cannot sit still? In the Christmas Factory in Gkazi near the city center, kids can visit Santa’s Toy Factory, write him a letter at the Santa post office or participate in Christmas crafts workshops or cooking baking. The big wheel and the cooking workshops are our favourites each year.
Santa Claus Kingdom
The Santa Claus Kingdom in Peania (outside the city center) is an enormous indoor play park of 13.000 m2 including roller-skating, ice skating, race cars, bouncy castles and more. Each year it is getting larger and larger. Very suitable for the little ones too because of the soft play areas. My kids loved the trampolines and the slides.
Allou! Fun Park
With older kids, head over to festive Allou! Fun Park, the largest fun park in Greece. Allou! Fun Park is open all year but in an especially festive mood in the holiday season. Feel their heart race on a 40-metre drop, enjoy panoramic views of Athens from the “Panorama” Ferris wheel and take a trip to the stars in the “Star Flyer” or ride the sky at speeds of up to 30km/h with your hands and feet hanging in the air!
Click here for more information and booking your entrance tickets for Allou! Fun Park
Christmas Buffet with Family
One of the traditional things to do in Athens during Christmas with kids is to enjoy a festive Christmas meal together. However, eating out with kids during the holidays can be a challenge. Children cannot sit long at the table. Luckily, several major hotels offer Family Christmas lunches and dinners with entertainment for the little ones. We have tried Christmas brunch and dinner at the following hotels:
St. George Lycabettus Boutique hotel offers a festive Family Christmas Buffet at Le Grand Balcon with Christmas activities for the kids. New Year’s Day will be celebrated with a Brunch Buffet with a kids’ Christmas movie in the screening room. For more information on the program, visit the website or call for reservations at 210-7416191.
Read Also: Where to eat Christmas dinner in Athens with Kids
Christmas in Athens with Kids: Visit the Zoo
Attica Zoological Park, organizes Christmas activities during the holidays too, including arts and crafts and educational tours. Did you know that the Athens Zoo has more than 350 animal species, and half of these species are endangered? The zoo hosts exotic animals and one section of the park is dedicated to Greek fauna, where the brown bear is the stand-out attraction.
Click here to book your online tickets to Athens Zoo
Christmas Magic at Little Kook Café
Little KooK Themed Café cannot be missed in a list of things to do during Christmas in Athens with kids. The abundantly decorated fairy tale café is definitely worth your visit! Your kids will like the fairy tale cakes and crêpes and the theatrical performances of the staff.
Read more about Little Cook Themed Café in Athens here.
Adults can enjoy the King’s Theatre next door, set up as a wine—and cocktail bar. During Christmas, Little Kook gets very busy. Although it is still a good spot to take some photos, you may want to avoid the crowds and visit another time.
Try a Greek Christmas sweet
A difference between Christmas in Greece and in other parts of the world is in the Christmas treats. Melomakarona and kourambiedes are two examples of traditional Christmas sweets, and you can find them literally everywhere over the Christmas period. They look nice, don’t they?!
If you want to try Greek sweets during Christmas in Athens, you can also opt for a food tour including a visit to a local bakery. With children, pick a small group tour that is no longer than 3.5 hours.
Click here for more information and booking a small group food tour in Athens
Christmas activities at the Athens shopping malls
For a low-budget option (that is if you do not get tempted by the stores) with lots of festive atmosphere, you can opt for one of the shopping malls in Athens. All of them organize free Christmas activities for children. Do you want to meet Santa and prefer to be indoors with easy parking options, changing room facilities, and a safe place for your little ones to run around?
Head over to your nearest shopping center. I love going to a mall at Christmas, especially with babies! Golden Hall in the Marousi suburb usually creates a Christmas village with games and crafts for kids. It also hosts one of the largest Christmas trees in Athens.
Christmas shopping
The Athens Mall (pictured below) and all other shopping centers in Athens, are decorated abundantly and bring you straight into Christmas mode! For Christmas shopping, you can opt for memory from Greece. If you want to buy food, think of olive oil, or sweets like amygdalota (almond pastries) or baklava to take home, too. Olive oil soap is another favorite product.
Just as herbs and spices, such as dried Greek oregano or basil. Natural sponges, good luck charms, and magnets are some of my favorite gifts as well as Christmas tree ornaments. They are small and easy to bring home in your luggage.
Best places for souvenir shopping in Greece? In Athens, head over to the area of the central public Varvakeios Market for food and handicrafts. Very close to Monastiraki and Omonia metro stations, this particular area offers thousands of colours, aromas and memories. The public market is open daily except for Sunday.
For fashion and gifts, Plaka and the Monastiraki flea market are the best places for shopping. For high-end fashion shopping, head over to Kolonaki with a nice selection of Greek designer stores and Attica Department store on Panepistimiou street near Syntagma.
The museum shops in Athens have an excellent choice of high-quality souvenirs and Greek design items. Have a look at the Acropolis Museum shop, the Benaki Museum store or the MCA shop at the Museum of Cycladic Art.
In Athens, you will also find a wide selection of great souvenirs for kids such as (coloring) books and games about mythology. Many toy stores sell ancient Greek Playmobil figurines. Instead of carrying them home, you can order them here:
Events at Stavros Niarchos Cultural Center
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) is the largest cultural center in Athens. Each year, numerous festive lights illuminate the plane trees of the canal and the decorated firs of the agora. There are also impressive light installations.
Check out the complete program for SNFCC on the website and don’t miss a walk around its beautiful park decorated with tons of Christmas lights (below are some photos from previous years).
Ice Skating
Ice skating rinks are very popular during Christmas and there are several around Athens (ICE ARENA at Athens Concert Hall, Athens Heart Mall, and floating ice rink in the SNFCC Christmas World). The largest ice skating rink in Athens is located in Kontzia square in the center of Athens.
The Ellinikon Experience Park Christmas Events
The Ellinikon Experience Park is a great place for a festive walk. Lots of activities are taking place too. From light shows to eco-fireworks. For the entire Christmas period, each area of the park will “hide” a unique, interactive experience that will “come to life” with its visitors’ energy, giving sparkle and light to the decorated park. The journey will begin at the Hill of Lights and continue at the Garden of Reflections, where guests can play a specially designed game with mirrors.
Christmas in Athens FAQs
What can I do in Athens with kids during our Christmas vacation?
For more activities and a list, of tried and tested things to do in Athens with kids, head over to my complete list of Top Things To Do in Athens Greece with Children
What is the weather like in Athens during Christmas and New Year?
Athens experiences a mild winter compared to much of Europe, with daytime temperatures usually between 10-15°C (50-59°F). Nights are cooler, often around 5-8°C (41-46°F), so it’s wise to bring a warm jacket, especially for evening outings. While rain is possible, it’s not very frequent, and you can often enjoy clear, crisp days perfect for sightseeing and outdoor activities. Snow is rare in the city but can occasionally be seen on the nearby mountains. In the 30 years that I spent Christmas in Athens, I do not remember one rainy day!
Where to stay with the family in Athens?
For the ultimate family hotel in Athens, I advise you to take a look at my guide for Best family hotels in Greece.
What is open in Athens on Christmas day?
Christmas Day and Boxing Day (25 and 26 December) are public holidays in Greece, resulting in the closure of many establishments, such as shops, museums, and archaeological sites. However, many restaurants and cafes, especially in the city center, remain open, and hotels typically operate as usual. Public transport follows a holiday schedule, and taxis charge a holiday tariff.
A winter vacation in Greece with children?
Christmas is festive everywhere in Greece. Why not consider Greece for your winter escape or ski vacation? For a family winter holiday close to Athens or a bit further out, look at my list of family-friendly ski resorts and winter destinations in Greece. For a winter story in Greek Mythology, check out winter traditions in Greece!
What are some unique traditional Greek festivities I will experience if I visit Athens during Christmas and New Year?
If you want to immerse yourself into the Greek way of celebrating Christmas and New Year, have a look at Christmas Traditions in Greece with Kids and New Year Traditions.
Happy Holidays!
