Toddler friendly tour of Santorini

We recently returned home from the most blissful family holiday in Santorini. We were lucky enough to get away before the half term madness hit, so thankfully we weren’t impacted by any of the major delays that have been affecting several UK airports.

It was our first sun holiday as a family of three and as it was somewhere neither of us had been before it was an even bigger adventure! Normally our holidays are jam packed with exploration and activities however this time around it definitely had a slower pace. While Dylan is a great traveller and sleeper, holidays with a toddler do mean some adjustments must be made. We spent the majority of the holiday relaxing, swimming in the pool, strolls on black sand beaches, enjoying some belt-unbuckling meals and of course plenty of naps in between!

Now if you’re like me when you think of Santorini, you probably don’t think of it as an ideal family holiday destination. However I was pleasantly surprised by how toddler friendly our trip actually was. If you have an open mind and want both the option to relax AND have opportunity to explore an amazing island full of rich history, stunning views, authentic Greek cuisine and volcanic wine then Santorini is the perfect destination for you.

The Tour

We decided the best way for us to pack in some exploration on the island with a toddler in tow was to book a private car for an evening. We arranged a driver through our hosts (which worked out around 50% cheaper than booking online through Viator/Trip advisor so definitely ask around before you book!). In just over 4 hours we covered:

📍 Akrotiri Lighthouse
– 19th-century lighthouse offering impressive views and recommended by locals for sunset views (after Oia) 🌅

📍 Santo Wines
– Winery with impressive views overlooking the Caldera. We didn’t have time for a tour/tastings so we bought a bottle of wine from the gift shop to take away with us instead!

📍 Profitis Ilias
– the highest point on the island. Panoramic views of the island with an old stone monastery at the summit. 5 practicing monks still live there!

📍 Oia
– the Santorini village famous all around the world for its authentic Cycladic beauty, whitewashed houses, labyrinth-like alleys and amazing hotels. Although we like all the other tourists it seemed came to Oia to see its magical sunset. We spent the majority of our time here and while there is amazing photo opportunities – be prepared for the crowds!! We visited in May when the crowds are supposedly scarce – but I was still shocked at how busy it was!

Top Tips

✅ A baby carrier/sling is essential. Not all the places we visited were stroller friendly and in Oia where the crowds can be overbearing a sling makes the narrow streets much easier to navigate

✅ Snack, snacks, snacks. Travelling with a toddler is hungry work – don’t forget to bring snacks for the adults too!

✅ If you are able to travel outside of peak months (June/July/August) you will see cheaper prices, fewer crowds, and slightly cooler weather. Temperatures reached 33 degrees for us even in May so plan your littles outfits/sunscreen etc accordingly. I brought a mini fan from amazon in our nappy bag and extra water to keep cool on our trip !

✅ Manage expectations – our initial itinerary also included a stop in Thera (the capital city). However our driver recommended we do that on a separate day and allow more time in Oia to explore the town before sunset. I’m so glad we took her advice as even with the time we had we still didn’t have much “downtime”.

Travelling with a toddler is a new experience but it doesn’t have to mean the end of adventure as you know it. So long as you are open to a new way of exploring and are willing to make some adjustments, you can absolutely still travel the world and create new memories with your family.

Thanks for reading and happy travelling!

Jess x