10 Great Family Hotels in the Cyclades

The Cyclades are the best-loved of Greece's hundreds of isles, where the blue domes of tiny churches, pots of scarlet geraniums and clumps of purple bougainvillea add splashes of colour to whitewashed village lanes, where cats snooze in the sun and wooden fishing boats bob at anchor. There is a wide range of accommodation on offer and our pick of family hotels in the Cyclades vary from luxury beach resorts to cheap and cheerful guesthouses or self-catering cottages or apartments.

Flickr user Stefanos Kofopoulo

With abundant sunshine from April until late October, these islands offer plenty to keep families entertained. Go snorkelling in shallow glass-clear water, walk with a donkey through fields and vineyards, take a boat trip to a neighbouring island, and enjoy an array of watersports from sailboarding and waterskiing to parascending and banana-boat rides. There's plenty to see here too, from bubbling undersea volcanoes to ancient Greek temples and miniature Venetian castles.

Where to stay – which island?

Many of the best family hotels in the Cyclades are on isles with airports, or are just a couple of hours by boat from Athens. Each island is different, so use our Guru's recommendations to pick the one that's perfect for you and your family.

Santorini

Santorini's best beach is at Kamari. Families will find plenty of watersports to keep older offspring entertained here – but the black sand gets too hot for tots, so a hotel with a pool is a must.

• Santorini Kastelli Resort, at Kamari on Santorini, has seven pools (three of them reserved for 'executive room' guests). That's a boon for families, because Kamari's famous black sand gets uncomfortably hot. Perks for grownups include tennis court and spa.

Mykonos

Mykonos's beaches are famous for golden sands, watersports and a hectic party scene. But the island also has its cultural side – take young explorers on a boat trip to uninhabited Delos to discover ancient temple ruins.

• OSOM Resort has just 12 rooms and large family suites around a big pool. Beach and restaurants are nearby. Active teens can windsurf at Korfos, a five minute walk from the resort.

Naxos

If an easy-going holiday on an authentically Greek island is what you're looking for, Naxos is the one for you. Long beaches of soft yellow sand? Check. Watersports? Check. Family-friendly tavernas? Yes indeed. Throw in a dash of ancient Greek and Venetian heritage and a hinterland of lemon groves and terraced hillsides, and you have the ideal isle!

• Mitos Suites, 400m from Agios Prokopios beach on Naxos, has just eight suites – four of them kitted out for families with perks like toys and board games. There's a children's pool and a grassy playground with games like mini-golf.
• The Naxian Collection at Stelida offers families the best of both worlds. Gorgeous villas have full kitchens and pools (each shared with just one other suite) plus there's a full sized pool and an excellent restaurant on site! Agios Prokopios beach is a 10-minute walk.

Paros

Unpretentious Paros has an island capital, Parikia, crammed with whitewashed houses, artisan boutiques and lively café-bars. Escape its bustle by taking a 20-minute ferry ride to Antiparos, Paros's smaller twin, for soft sands and shallow toddler-friendly waters, or head for newly-trendy Naoussa, on the north coast, for excellent beaches.

• Saint Andrea Seaside Resort, overlooking Kolimbithres beach on Naoussa Bay has 54 suites, rooms and villas grouped around a big lagoon pool. Services include on-site babysitting and bicycle hire, and the boutiques and restaurants of Naoussa are nearby.
• Beach House, on Antiparos, has eight unfussy suites on the white sand at Apantima, where children can safely splash and swim while parents watch from the waterside terrace. Families keen to explore can rent bikes and boats, and there are donkeys to ride.

Amorgos

Getting to Amorgos requires a longer-than-average ferry ride, but it's worth it. Head for Aigiali, in the north, for a long sandy beach that's as good as it gets for small children. Older offspring can snorkel or scuba dive around nearby islets, learn Greek dance steps, and hunt for supposedly healing crystals.

• Lakki Village, just outside Aigiali, stands right on the beach, so kids can scamper straight into the sea without crossing a road. Cottages and apartments surround a pool and produce from the gardens supplies the hotel's own taverna.

Ios

Formerly party central for hippies and ravers, Ios has grown up, calmed down and gone upscale. The superb Mylopotas beach is the big draw for families, and there are boat trips to other beaches like Manganari and Psathi.

• Levantes, has great views of Mylopotas beach (within easy walking distance), plus a pool. With 24 spacious whitewashed walls and suites, it's family friendly and budget-friendly (doubles start from as little as €80 per night including breakfast).

Andros

Delightfully untouched by mass tourism, but just a short ferry hop from the mainland, Andros is a big island (by Cycladic standards) with uncrowded sandy beaches. Its hilly hinterland embraces rocky hills and verdant valleys. Elegantly old-fashioned Andros Town (Chora) is a favoured retreat for well-off Greeks.

• Onar is a cluster of self-catering stone cottages and villas near a gloriously isolated crescent-shaped beach and next to a wetland conservation area where kids can explore woods and streams. Smaller cottages sleep two adults and two children, while villas can sleep up to seven.

Travel Information

• You can fly direct from many European airports to Santorini and Mykonos in summer (April-October). From Mykonos, you can hop on a ferry to Amorgos, Andros, Naxos, Ios or Paros.
• Flying from North America, Australia or Asia? It's easy to connect with local flights to Mykonos, Santorini, Milos and Naxos at Athens International Airport.
• Fast ferries sail from Rafina (a 20-minute cab ride from Athens International Airport) or Piraeus.

Where to stay? The choice is huge. Use our guide to the best family hotels in the Cyclades and start to plan your trip. Alternatively check out our recommendations for the best family hotels in Crete or on Corfu.

 

Written by Robin Gauldie

posted Thursday, 2nd May 2019