Should youโre planning a household metropolis break in Greece, youโre extra possible to have a look at Athens than the nationโs second metropolis โ however with loads of nice issues to do in Thessaloniki with youngsters, itโs nicely value visiting.
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The place to begin for a go to to Halkidiki, itโs simple to mix a while within the metropolis with a break by the seashores of Halkidikiโs peninsula โ the Kassandra peninsula is without doubt one of the best to succeed in, though the second prong, Sithonia has loads to tempt households as nicely.
Smaller than Athensโ typically sprawling centre, itโs simple to discover Thessaloniki with youngsters as nicely โ outdoors the most popular summer time months, itโs very walkable with a stunning waterfront, shady sq. and the kind of chilled-out buzz youโd count on from a college metropolis. Right hereโs what to place in your wishlist.
Thessaloniki Waterfront
The waterfront is probably the most family-friendly space of Thessaloniki and the right spot for a day stroll with youngsters of all ages.ย
The vigorous embankment space is lined with loads of cafรฉs, snack bars, and ice cream parlours. Avenue performers add to the colourful environment, whereas little ones can burn off some power at one of many many public gardens and playgrounds.
It’s also possible to rent a bicycle from the BikeIT stall subsequent to Makedonia Palace Resort and cycle alongside the lengthy stretch of waterfront. The rental firm has an important vary of grownup and youngstersโs bikes, mini go-karts, childโs scooters, and multi-person buggies out there to hire by the hour.
Or should youโre travelling with older youngsters and like a guided expertise, this e-bike tour of Thessaloniki takes you across the metropolis in addition to the waterfront space.
Arabella Cruise (Pirate Ship)
Whereas down on the waterfront, donโt miss the prospect to go out onto the water on Arabella, a standard wood naval ship that runs quick 30 minute cruises across the gulf.
The boat is kitted out like a real-life pirate ship, with skeletons and cranium and crossbones, and is manned by a crew of pleasant costumed pirates. The boat experience is free so long as you purchase a drink from the on-board bar (delicate drinks out there for youths).
The sooner cruises are higher for households because the night departures can get somewhat rowdy โ itโs a floating bar in any case!
Youโll discover different boat excursions leaving from the identical space close to the White Tower, whether or not you merely need to try the bizarre boats, or examine the totally different Thessaloniki boat journeys on provide
Hop on hop off bus
Should youโre visiting Thessaloniki with youthful youngsters, or seeking to keep away from strolling within the warmth of the summer time, a hop-on hop-off bus tour of Thessaloniki is a superb choice, with a few selections to select from.
Metropolis Sightseeing has one-day tickets, so you may also use it to get across the metropolis, in addition to taking in a few of the key sights, together with the White Tower, in addition to a few of its church buildings. The bus additionally stops on the Archaeological Museum plus the Ano Poli citadel, the port and extra.
Thereโs an audio information and buses run each half-hour (besides in the course of the center of winter), ranging from The White Tower. Should you get off at Aristotelous Sq., maintain an eye fixed out for the statue of Aristotle โ rubbing his toe will apparently convey you luck in exams!
Or the Thessaloniki Sightseeing bus passes another key websites (additionally beginning on the White Tower) with audio commentary, and 7 extra stops alongside the way in which. Runs each half-hour.
Meals strolling tour of Thessaloniki
Get a style of genuine Greece on a meals strolling tour of Thessaloniki, stopping at native markets in addition to extra unmissable spots by the town.
See one of many oldest conventional espresso homes in Greece, you’ll be able to style a standard Greek breakfast of bougatsa (cream-filled pastry sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon) and exploring Louloudadika, plus thereโs the prospect to see herbs and spices in addition to meat and cheese on sale.
Should youโd love to do extra cooking and consuming than exploring and tasting, attempt a cooking and eating expertise with a Greek household, making tzatziki (easy however all the time way more scrumptious selfmade) and moussaka, in addition to salad and dessert. Thereโs additionally a dance lesson to study some conventional Greek dance, plus native Greek tapas with wine, or native creations together with ouzo, tsipouro and retsina.
Spend a day at a close-by seashore
Being a coastal metropolis, there are many nice seashores near Thessaloniki the place you’ll be able to take pleasure in a calming day of sea, solar, and sand.
Most seashores within the area are family-friendly, with lengthy stretches of golden sand, calm shallow waters, and loads of facilities.
Perea and Agia Triada are two of the closest seashores to Thessaloniki. Each are nicely organised, with no scarcity of sunbeds, eating places, and bars alongside the coast.ย
Potamos is an even bigger and prettier choice to the south, with a lot of house to unfold out on the huge stretch of sand. Or should youโre keen to journey somewhat additional, Asprovalta Seashore is a picturesque seashore to the east of Thessaloniki thatโs good for a seashore day.
Youโll discover buses which run alongside the coast, particularly throughout peak season, or count on to pay round 35 Euros + every method for a taxi.
NOESIS Science Heart and Expertise Museum
Positioned within the outer Termi district, NOESIS Science Heart and Expertise Museum makes an important time out in Thessaloniki for households with youngsters who love science.
The thrilling science centre incorporates a digital planetarium, an enormous 3D cosmotheatre, and movement simulators (youngsters 7+ solely). Wi-fi headphones permit you to watch their vary of academic movies in English and Greek.
Thereโs additionally a implausible family-friendly museum with a number of everlasting and non permanent exhibitions, together with a complete space devoted to historical Greek know-how.
A spotlight for youths must be the museumโs technopark, which has over 40 interactive exhibitions and hands-on science experiments to have interaction youthful minds.ย
Dino Park Thessaloniki
Thessalonikiโs Dino Park is a large 4-acre academic park on the outskirts of the town the place you’ll be able to stroll amongst life-sized fashions of dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures. Good for dino-obsessed little ones!
Itโs not solely dinosaurs youโll discover right here although. Youngsters may uncover extinct mammals from Greeceโs historical past, study in regards to the Ice Age on the Mammoths Museum, and even assist excavate a prehistoric cave to uncover the story of human evolution.ย
Throughout the advanced, youโll additionally discover the bizarre Human Physique Museum, the place you’ll be able to journey by the physique of a pregnant girl (nicely, an enormous mannequin of 1) to find out about biology and anatomy. Youโll want to purchase a joint ticket to go to each points of interest.
On prime of all of this, the big park additionally has a restaurant, swimming pool, childโs playground, and botanical gardens to take pleasure in.ย
Skip this: Should youโve obtained youngsters who love animals, you is perhaps tempted to identify some extra trendy creatures at Thessaloniki Zoo. Nevertheless, itโs grow to be very run down over latest years, with the present inhabitants restricted to goats and some birds โ undoubtedly not value visiting.
Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki
The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki is without doubt one of the largest museums within the nation, with hundreds of historical artefacts and displays showcasing the historical past of Northern Greece (beforehand Historic Macedonia).
The exhibitions provide a glimpse into the lives of our historical ancestors, with the whole lot from pottery and mosaics to funerary altars and superb 2,000+ 12 months previous Macedonian tombs.ย
The museum could also be somewhat boring for young children, however itโs a enjoyable and academic approach to spend a few hours with older youngsters and teenagers.ย
The shows are translated into English and the knowledge is straightforward and simple to digest. Touchscreen shows, interactive movies, and multimedia video games additionally assist convey historical past to life.
Youngstersโs Museum of Thessaloniki
The Youngstersโs Museum of Thessaloniki is a enjoyable and interactive museum designed particularly for youths between 4-12 years.ย
The small museum focuses on the subject of childhood all through time. It incorporates a conventional classroom stuffed with college gadgets from the previous, together with previous desks, textbooks, typewriters, and college luggage. Thereโs additionally a set of historic toys, dolls, and board video games.
The displays encourage youngsters to study by play, with hands-on actions, academic video games, and role-play. The museum additionally runs storytelling classes and youngstersโs workshops, however sadly, these are solely in Greek.
The White Tower
The image of Thessaloniki, youโll spot the White Tower looming like a chess piece on the finish of the townโs waterfront, so itโs simple to mix with a stroll by the water or a cruise aboard the pirate ship.
However the inside of the tower, which has beforehand been a fortress and jail, has now been transformed right into a museum telling the historical past of Thessaloniki, with displays on every ground overlaying totally different elements of the town.
There aren’t any indicators in English however thereโs free WiFi and QR codes to entry an audio information as you go โ realistically, Iโd say itโs higher for older youngsters as we discovered the audio information to be informative however not desperately entertaining. Should you take heed to the entire thing, it takes some time to get by the go to too.
Some shows are fairly self-explanatory although, and there are some nice views (and welcome breeze!) from the highest degree of the tower, with somewhat cafe as nicely. Entry prices 6 Euros for adults, free for youths who’re EU residents and half-price for youngsters from nations outdoors the EU.
Waterland
Should youโre visiting Thessaloniki in the course of the sizzling summer time months and want someplace for the entire household to chill down, be certain that to take a look at Waterland, the most important waterpark in Greece.ย ย
Positioned near Thessaloniki airport, the big aquapark has an important vary of swimming pools, slides, and enjoyable water actions for all ages.ย
Toddlers and young children will love the devoted kidsโs pool and enjoyable Pirates Island, whereas these looking for one thing extra adventurous can cruise alongside the Loopy River, attain dizzying speeds on the Simvoli Slides, and tackle Europeโs greatest wave pool.
While youโre able to calm down, youโll discover loads of solar loungers scattered all through the park, good for absorbing the solar. A number of eating places and cafes provide meals and snacks to maintain you sustained all through the day.
Magic Park
One other enjoyable place to go to in Thessaloniki with youngsters is the Magic Park, a family-friendly amusement park within the south of the town.ย
The park has loads of enjoyable fairground rides, together with carousels, bumper automobiles, a log flume, a ghost practice, and a 25-meter-tall Ferris Wheel. Thereโs a devoted play space for infants and toddlers, whereas teenagers can take pleasure in a extra adrenaline-pumping expertise on the massive curler coaster or 4G swing.
With basic amusement video games like hook the duck, ring toss, and horse races too, thereโs one thing for your entire household.
To go to the park, youโll want to purchase a day ticket which incorporates limitless rides on all points of interest (aside from the ability video games).
Ziogas Western Metropolis
Positioned round a 40 minute drive from the town centre, Ziogas Western Metropolis makes an important household time out from Thessaloniki. The weird attraction incorporates a makeshift Wild West city the place youngsters can study to be cowboys for the day.
The ranchโs essential exercise is horse using, with choices starting from a brief 10-20 minute experience across the city to an all-day trek by the worldโs beautuful countryside (earlier using expertise required for this). Smaller ponies can be found for youthful kids.
Within the city itself, you may also take pleasure in a small petting zoo, archery and taking pictures ranges, a number of scenic climbing routes, and an genuine western-style saloon.ย
For extra tips about household journeys to Greece, try my information to Greece with youngsters
Selfie Museum
The Thessaloniki Selfie Museum payments itself as the primary Selfie Funhouse in Greece, and itโs an important place to spend a enjoyable hour and are available away with some hilarious photograph souvenirs.
There are 30 totally different installations, together with the prospect to dive right into a ball pit with 5,000 white balls, lose your self in an infinity mirror museum, dance beneath a disco ball and get a digital new hair salon, in addition to enjoying round with an entire string of props, all captured for posterity (and social media).
Tickets entitle you to 60 minutes inside. Purchase tickets with free cancellation right here.
Museum of Illusions
Whether or not youโre in search of someplace to flee the warmth (or a uncommon wet day in Thessaloniki with youngsters), or simply fancy one thing a bit enjoyable to interrupt up the sightseeting, the townโs Museum of Illusions is nice enjoyable for households.
With 40 separate visible and interactive illusions, you’ll be able to defy the legal guidelines of gravity, shrink or trick your eyes as you wander spherical โ plus there are many alternatives for some nice household pictures.
Proper by the port, itโs very simple to get to and equally simple to kill an hour. Purchase tickets with free cancellation right here.
Set proper on the waterfront, Dali: Cybernetics is a superb place to go to in Thessaloniki with teenagers. 3D screens stretch throughout the 400m sq exhibition house, together with digital actuality to assist customer step into the thoughts of the Spanish surrealist painter.
You’ll be able to browse documentaries and pictures, or experiment on the interactive ground, in addition to unleashing your individual creativity. Presently working to September.
Day journeys from Thessaloniki with youngsters
Whereas thereโs loads to maintain you entertained within the metropolis, itโs simple to plan in just a few days out when youโre staying in Thessaloniki with youngsters.
Go to Vergina
The royal capital of Macedonia, Vergina is an interesting place for a day journey from Thessaloniki when you have youngsters who love historical past.
Yow will discover royal tombs in addition to a museum with artefacts from the time of Alexander the Nice, together with an urn with the cremated stays of Phillip II, Alexanderโs father.
Whereas itโs simple to go to independently, together with buses working from Thessaloniki, youโll additionally discover loads of excursions to Vergina, that are a straightforward approach to probe for households. Today journey to Vergina features a cease on the archaeological museum of Pella (lunch and entry tickets not included), or this related non-public tour to Pella and the Aigai royal tombs is an efficient choice with youngsters.
Alternatively, this half-day tour to Vergina additionally stops at Veria, which has hyperlinks to Biblical historical past, together with associations with St Paul.
Canyoning in Mount Olympus Nationwide Park
For a day journey from Thessaloniki with a distinction, head to Mount Olympus Nationwide Park for an opportunity to attempt your hand at canyoning in an journey that wants no earlier expertise.
Appropriate for age 10+, thereโs a brief hike to the canyon entrance, earlier than you get some tips about leaping, sliding and abseiling, earlier than spending the day testing out your new abilities among the many mountain waterfalls, together with an opportunity to swim in a few of the swimming pools.
Halkidiki Blue Lagoon Cruise
The Halkidiki peninsulas are solely round an hourโs drive from Thessaloniki, with some beautiful boat journeys out into the clear blue waters of the Aegean.
This full-day boat tour contains bus transfers from the town, in addition to the eight-hour boat cruise, together with lunch. Cruising by the Gulf of Mount Athos, youโll see Ammouliani Island on the boat journey (and dolphins should youโre fortunate) earlier than making a short cease to discover on land.
Thereโs additionally a cease at Banana Seashore for lunch and time to calm down, earlier than heading to the Halkidiki Blue Lagoon to admire the calm turquoise waters there.
Appropriate for all ages (though when you issue within the journey, itโs an 11-hour day, so higher with barely older youngsters than toddlers and infants!).
Discover Halkidiki
From the beautiful villages to the attractive seashores, someday in Halkidiki isnโt actually sufficient โ however should youโve solely obtained time for a style, profit from it on a day journey from Thessaloniki.
This eight-hour non-public tour of Kassandra (the primary peninsula) takes you to Hanioti seashore, in addition to time to discover picturesque Afytos and Nea Fokea (plus you’ll be able to tailor your itinerary as lengthy itโs nonetheless the identical size, if you wish to spend kind of time in a specific space).
Or should youโd fairly discover the second prong of the trident, this small group day journey to Sithonia takes somewhat longer however contains stops at Karydi Seashore and Fava Seashore, plus Kavourotrypes Seashore (or Kalamitsi Seashore), plus time to discover Sarti, Porto Koufo and Neos Marmaras.
In order for you an extended keep in Halkidiki, try my Cora resort assessment of a stick with youngsters
The place to remain in Thessaloniki with youngsters
You gainedโt be wanting locations to remain in Thessaloniki with youngsters, with an entire string of inns within the centre of the town.
Should youโre visiting with older youngsters and teenagers, our base on the fashionable MonAsty resort (the place we have been invited to remain for assessment for my day job) was good. Itโs solely round quarter-hour from the White Tower, lower than 10 minutes to Aristotelous sq. in addition to to the waterfront.
There are an entire string of cafes, bars and eating places (plus locations to get an ice cream) inside strolling distance, in addition to the resortโs personal eating places. Try the little rooftop pool, open from round 11am to 6pm, with rooftop bar Ennea subsequent to it โ an important place for a cocktail/mocktail because the solar units, in addition to snacks served till late (attempt the bao buns!)
Add in somewhat balcony off the rooms, big beds, attractive Phytomer toiletries within the lavatory and Nespresso machines, and itโs an important style of luxurious to return to between exploring. Preserve an eye fixed out for the artworks impressed by silks traded alongside the Silk Route in centuries passed by.
E-book rooms at MonAsty resort with free cancellation on reserving.com
Should youโre travelling with youthful youngsters and seeking to self-cater, there are some nice family-friendly residences in Thessaloniki. Plum Information vets all of the properties listed on their web site, in addition to outlining the professionals and cons, and whether or not theyโre appropriate for infants in addition to older youngsters.
Disclosure: This submit comprises affiliate hyperlinks โ any purchases you make are unaffected however I’ll obtain a small fee
Foremost picture/Aristotle/White Tower inside + views/MonAsty Resort copyright MummyTravels, all different photographs courtesy of Depositphotos
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