Porto Rafti with kids.

Why this villa works for families

• Three bedrooms on two floors, so adults and kids can have separate sleep zones
• A fenced garden — toddlers can wander without you panicking
• Self check-in — useful for late-flight arrivals with sleeping kids in the car
• Full kitchen — for the inevitable 6 am toddler breakfast
• Crib and high chair available on request (let us know at booking)
• Mosquito nets on every window — important from May to October
• Washing machine — for the inevitable beach-day laundry
• 20 minutes from Athens airport — short transfer with tired children

Best beaches for kids

Agia Marina (12 min north)

The longest sandy beach in the area with very shallow water that stays kid-friendly for a long way out. A parking area just behind the beach, beach umbrellas to rent in summer, a kiosk for ice creams. Our top pick for under-fives.

The villa beach (300 m walk)

Sand and small pebbles, calm water, lifeguards in high season. Good for half-day stops between meals, easy walk home if someone melts down.

Avlaki (10 min south)

Slightly deeper water and a bit more breeze — better for older kids who can actually swim, and for families who want a lunch on the sand at one of the tavernas.

Rainy-day & in-between activities

• Attica Zoological Park, Spata — 15 minutes from the villa, the real deal (lions, big aviary, rainforest house). Half a day easily.
• Allou Fun Park, Athens — 40 minutes inland. Big amusement park with rides scaled for everyone from toddlers to teenagers.
• Hellenic Cosmos Cultural Centre, central Athens — interactive ancient Greece exhibits, kid-friendly.
• The Goulandris Natural History Museum, Kifissia — dinosaurs, minerals, a planetarium.
• The villa garden — kids will spend more time in it than you expect. There's a BBQ, the sun, room to run. Bring a paddling pool if you have a baby; we don't keep one.

Eating out with kids

Greek tavernas welcome children. There's no "kids' menu" tradition — instead, you order a few mezze and everyone shares. Souvlaki, chicken on the grill, chips, tzatziki, melon — picky eaters are very well catered for without anyone calling it a kids' meal.

Dinners start late by northern European standards (9 pm is normal) but tavernas open from 7 pm. Bring a book or a phone for the wait; portions are generous and worth it.

Logistics & practicalities

What we provide

On request, free of charge:

• Crib (travel cot)
• High chair
• An extra set of pool / beach towels for the kids

Just mention what you need when you enquire.

What to buy locally

Diapers, formula, baby food, sunscreen, mosquito repellent — all available at the supermarket and pharmacies in Porto Rafti centre, 5 minutes by car. Greek pharmacies are excellent and the staff usually speak good English.

Driving with car seats

Greek law requires car seats for children up to 135 cm tall. Every car-rental company at the airport rents them — book in advance, they sometimes run out. About €5–8 per day.

The honest stuff

Porto Rafti is residential, not resort-y. There's no kids' club, no animation team, no buffet breakfast. If your kids are happy with a beach, a garden, a BBQ and ice cream after dinner, they'll love it. If they need constant programmed entertainment, an island resort might fit better.

It's also not flat — the villa sits on a slope (common in coastal Greece). Buggy access is fine on the main streets but you'll handle a kerb here and there. Most families bring a sling for younger babies and that solves it.

The thing kids remember from a week here, in our experience: swimming twice a day, eating dinner outside, being allowed to stay up late once or twice. The thing parents remember: the kids actually let them have a glass of wine in peace.