Active Family Vacation to Greece

In the morning, the scent of fresh-baked pastries emanates from the bakeries filling the historic streets of Athens’s city center. Cafes begin brewing Greek coffee from fresh grounds, encouraging patrons to sip their brew slowly avoiding the rich, strong grounds at the bottom of the cup. Your guide greets the family in the hotel lobby before leading you through the marvels of myth and history winding up Acropolis Hill to the summit at 490 feet above sea level. The captivating tales of Greek mythology springs to life amid the marble steps and Doric columns of the Propylaea, the entrance to the sacred plateau of the Acropolis. The Erechtheion was built between the 5th and 4th centuries BC containing numerous sanctuaries including the tomb of King Erechtheus.

The six caryatids remain the most iconic image of the temple complex. The six sculpted maidens took the place of ordinary pillars with intricate detail apparent in the draping robes and braided hair. The founder of the Athenian royal line had his tomb situated beneath the Porch of the Caryatids. The Parthenon continues to embody the beauty of ancient Athens and the prestige of the former city-state’s commitment to beauty, power, and philosophy. Doric columns create harmonious rows supporting the former marble-tiled roof. The kids watch the stories emerge from the friezes, including the legend of Athena’s birth from the head of Zeus.

The stunning island in the Aegean Sea symbolizes the picturesque beaches and endless sunlight for which the Greek islands are celebrated. Chora, the main town sharing the same name as the island, boasts a labyrinth of pedestrianized cobblestone lanes twisting and turning between whitewashed houses leading to shady plazas and terraced cafes. A collection of old merchant homes has doors overlooking the sea, where the merchants would load or unload goods, as well as have access directly to their boats. The colorful facades stand out against the glistening homes around town.

After breakfast, the family boards a boat bound for the rocky island of Delos less than six miles from the shores of Mykonos. The island is the birthplace of Apollo, the god of light and balance. Pilgrims from around Greece traveled to the island from the 9th century BC onwards paying their respect to Apollo before Delos became a free port in the 2nd century BC. A wide, paved path with Doric columns approaches the Sacred Precinct marked by the remains of the 2nd century BC Propylaea. The Ionic temple of Keraton stands on granite foundations. Your guide leads the family to the Sacred Lake, the birthplace of powerful Apollo in view of the Terrace of the Lions. The palm trees provide shade around the banks with the white marble lions crouching in guarded position defending the waters since the 7th century BC.

At breakfast, the scent of phyllo pastry dough drifts through the kitchen and into the dining room of your hotel accompanied by the aroma of sizzling sausages. Your private transfer escorts the family to the harbor at Chora to board the ferry bound for Santorini. As the ferry enters the caldera, you can see the shining whitewashed homes decorating the soaring cliffs of the crescent-shaped island reaching upwards of 1,312 feet above sea level. The blue rooftops and shutters match the water while contrasting the bluffs’ black and gray volcanic stone. Step into a kayak and paddle the calm waters of the celebrated caldera. The Aegean has warm, soothing water flickering with azure and turquoise hues.

The cliffs tower around you while the narrow stretches of pebbled beaches provide exclusive space in which sunbathers bask in the golden light. You kayak to the Red Beach, known for the rare color of pebbles and volcanic rock gleaming a coppery, rustic color from the oxidization. You can pull your kayaks on the shoreline and relax on the soft pebbles, dipping your toes into the clear dark blue water. At dinner, the kids have a great time getting to know Greek cuisine by making the renowned tzatziki sauce. You peel and shave cucumbers into Greek yogurt, adding garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Your instructor adds dill and lemon zest, as well as some salt for extra flavor before you dip fresh-baked pita into the mixture to sample the delicious creation.

The family sets out in the morning on to the edge of Santorini’s caldera by following the old donkey trail leading from Fira to Oia. The hike takes you over six miles connecting Santorini’s capital city to the charming town on the southeast side of the island. The whitewashed homes and sporadic windmills climb up the cliffs in the distance. Tufts of windswept grass grow along the craggy volcanic rock. You have an unfettered view over the caldera. The azure water shines in the inescapable sunlight. You pass a secluded church with rosy walls and eventually enter onto the marbled lanes of Oia.

In the afternoon, you board a sailboat at the main marina bound for the caldera. The captain shares with the kids the formation of the impressive waterway. The sea rushed into the volcanic crater after an eruption in the 16th century BC. You sail beneath the impressive cliffs of the crescent island with the wind carrying salt crystals from the splashing water. The boat weighs anchor at the uninhabited island of Nea Kameni. Steam vents puff against the barren landscape ascending to nearly 375 feet above sea level reminding you of the historic volcanic activity still present around the island.

The kids are enticed by the idea of Akrotiri, an ancient city covered in ash and pumice stone by the same volcanic eruption that created the caldera in the 16th century BC. You travel across the island to reach the active archeological site. The ancient settlement represents the remains of a flourishing Minoan civilization versed in shipping and trade connecting Europe with North Africa. The eruption was so violent that it destroyed the thriving Minoan settlements on Crete nearly 124 miles away. The rare glimpse into the urban life of the Minoan’s immerses the family into a city of 40 unearthed buildings representing one-thirtieth of the entire complex.

Stores and warehouses line the main street where archeologists have uncovered jars filled with traces of olive oil, fish, and preserved onion. Your guide locates the West House showcasing storerooms, workshops, and a mill-installation. The fresco “Yong Priestess,” displays a woman with snake-like tendrils of hair emerging from a shaved head colored soft blue. Shaggy yellow robes drape across her shoulder symbolizing Egyptian priesthood. She sprinkles saffron into an incense burner but also offers subtle insight into the powerful role women played in the Minoan world.

In the morning, the family indulges in the comforts of a delicious breakfast from the terrace of your hotel. The vista provides a panorama of Santorini’s cliffs arching around the caldera. Your private transfer greets you at the hotel and escorts you to the airport for a brief flight back to Athens. The remainder of the day is yours to discover the remarkable beauty of the city at your preferred pace. The whitewashed homes on the northern slopes of the Acropolis remind you of the architecture decorating the Cycladic islands echoing the history of 19th-century migration to the capital. Bougainvillea blossoms along the walls adding bursts of vibrant color to cobblestone streets.

For deeper insight into the ancient treasures of Athens, you visit the New Archeological Museum exploring the Golden Age of the city around the 5th century BC. The different floors layer the ruins upwards drawing your eye to the looming presence of the Acropolis above. A glass floor lets you look into the ruins of an ancient neighborhood built into the museum plans of preservation after being uncovered while excavating the foundations. The kids find the 6th-century kore, statues of young women carrying pomegranates, wreaths, or birds.

The morning light washes over the staggering columns at the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The stunning example of Greece’s largest temple rises out of the center of the city. The complex was erected in the 6th century BC but completed in 131 AD under the reign of Roman Emperor Hadrian. History takes a different shape inside the Benaki Museum, which opened in the late 19th century and continues to display treasures from the Bronze Age to the Second World War. Byzantine icons and Macedonian mansion embody the vast extent of the collection. After breakfast, your private transfer greets the family in the lobby. You could always extend your vacation with time discovering the history and culture of Italy.