A Toddler’s Guide to Athens

“You can do it mummy! You can do it! You did it! Yay!” says my nearly three-year-old boy as, gritting my teeth, I push his pram up a road that’s so steep I’ve almost grazed my knees. It’s in these moments that I feel I should be laughing in the face of Iron Man as I accomplish the unachievable by superhero fitness standards. But I’ve had practice, you see, because I’m an outdoorsy mother living in central Athens. That means I’ve had to learn to agilely maneuver the pushchair along the sidewalk around potholes, randomly and illegally parked vehicles and trees artistically planted bang in the middle of what are often narrow walkways. I’ve also had to take our lives in my hands by stepping onto busy roads in order to avoid those parked vehicles or tree obstacles and walk up steep hills to avoid those crazy roads that are just no place for a child.

That said, the trials and tribulations of pram-bulating around the capital with my little boy have never kept me from enthusiastically pursuing the joys of outdoor adventure. With the amazing climate that Greece is blessed with year-round, and the lovely parks and play areas that are on offer, I just can’t stay indoors.

When my son was born, we spent his first two years living in the dreamily beautiful, tranquil neighborhood of Makryianni, where, starting when he was just two weeks old, I would place him in my baby carrier and stroll along pedestrianized Dionysiou Aeropagitou Street under the Acropolis. When he began to observe the world around him, his eyes lit up as he saw the tourist Happy Train (the driver would often ring the bell as he passed), joggers, dog-walkers, horses and carriages, mimes and the chattering, giggling streams of schoolchildren visiting the Acropolis Museum. The museum itself became a key destination: he delighted in running around its side lawn, smelling all the herbs along its entrance and looking through its transparent floor at the stunning ancient ruins below. Pushing a wooden IKEA buggy, my son took his first steps along Dionysiou Aeropagitou. In no time, he was off with his father climbing through and exploring the ancient ruins scattered in the gardens that run up to the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. One of my most beautiful memories is when, on a restless winter night, I took a giant umbrella and, with the baby resting on my chest, walked up to the ancient theater in the rain, where it was completely quiet. The golden sky reflected majestically on the ground of the theater, as if there was a lake beneath it. The privilege of being there, alone, with my baby, was pure magic.

Acropolis made for a splendid base from where we could head to all our favorite places, all of which we still visit and enjoy now that we have moved elsewhere. On the streets of Plaka, which alternate from blaringly lively, touristy and somewhat tacky to quaint, romantically old fashioned and tranquil, we stop to look at gaudy souvenirs and wooden toys. A favorite Plaka destination remains the fantastic Hellenic Children’s Museum on Kydathineon Street. Filopappou and Pnyx hills, two mesmerizing locations steeped in ancient history and covered in lush greenery, are both ideal for running, climbing, kicking a ball around and taking in sweeping views of the Parthenon and Lycabettus Hill, as well as the sea at Pireaus. At Thiseio, we often stop to listen to African drum beats, R&B guitar, bouzouki playing puppets or Indian sitar, or to play at the playground and the parks. Regardless of the season we can always find refuge in the National Gardens from the noise and concrete of the city, enjoying the playground, visiting the ducks, goats, peacocks, rabbits and parrots and climbing wonderful trees. Apart from snacking on freshly made pizza, at the nearby Zappeion Athletic Center we chase balls around the basketball court, play with giant chess pieces and jump on the trampoline.

Since moving to Lycabettus, I’ve expanded my repertoire of exciting locations to enjoy with my kid. On the hill itself we delight in long walks through the trees, playing with sticks and cones, snails and stones, crossing wooden bridges and greeting the many dogs that are walked there. Our strolls usually lead to a playground just above Deinokratous Street in Kolonaki, which is located within a pretty, well-kept park. The parents who bring their kids there organize regular events to clean, maintain or paint the playground, where toys are left for kids to share. Sometimes we go further still to Dexameni, past the St George Hotel, where there is yet another playground as well as a great café/bar where parents can pause for a coffee or an early-evening ouzo and meze.

Finally, a new addition to my list of favorite places to play with my little boy is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. The massive opera house-cum-cultural center only recently opened to the public, but we have been visiting the grounds for around a year. My son loved watching the diggers when it was being built, seeing older kids sailing in the marina and riding his scooter along the expansive seaside paths. On Sundays it has now become the place to go for kids, who can run around in the central main lawn. It’s a little too busy for my taste, so I prefer to visit on a weekday, or head to another favorite playground near there, the Flisvos Park in Faliro, where your kid can play for hours.

*Illustrations by Philippos Avramides