Athens

Allou! Fun Park has rides to suit every age group and thrill threshold. Visitors soon realise why it's the city's most popular theme park.Access is technically free, meaning anyone can enter and soak up the festive atmosphere. Otherwise, all rides and activities accept a variety of payment options. Visitors planning to spend a few hours enjoying themselves should purchase an Allou! Day Pass. It allows limitless access to almost all of the rides and games on offer.

Address : Agios Ioannis Rentis

Website : www.allou.gr/en/

Telephone : +30 21 8092888

Opening times : Open 5pm-10.30pm

Admission : Daily pass for all games is €16. Concessions available.

Attica Zoo is unique in Greece. Featuring exotic animals such as lynxes, Angolan lions, and Persian leopards, plus more than 30 bird species, it's a must for animal lovers of all ages.Striving to combine education with entertainment, the zoo takes visitors on a journey through a number of themed sections, showcasing more than 2 000 animals from 350 species. Visitors can explore a reptile house, a children's farm, a monkey jungle and other walk-through enclosures.

Address : Yalou, Spata 19004

Website : www.atticapark.com

Telephone : +30 21 663 4724

Transport : Bus Lane 319 (From Doukisis Plakentias Station) every 35 minutes.

Opening times : Open daily from 9am until sunset.

Admission : €18 (adults); €14 (children aged 3 to 12, pensioners over 65, and students with valid ID); children under 3 are free. Other concessions available.

The Hellenic Children's Museum is a non-profit educational and cultural organisation that was established in Athens in 1987 and aims to encourage children to explore, learn, discover and question all around them. The museum is located in two houses which have been specifically designed for use by children, and kids will be excited to find a museum dedicated to their amusement rather than the more traditional ones they get dragged to. The space is full of games and interactive exhibits and a variety of activities are organised for visitors. An activity might be something like learning how chocolate is made, helping to make it, and then getting to eat it! The Hellenic Children's Museum is both educational and extremely entertaining and it is frequented by locals as much as by tourists. The staff are very friendly and capable and know just how to entertain their little visitors. The museum is best for children under 10.

Address : 4 Kidathineon

Website : www.hcm.gr

Opening times : Open Tuesday to Friday 10am to 2pm. Saturday and Sunday 10am to 3pm. Closed on Mondays.

Admission : Free entry.

Picnicking with the children at the National Gardens on a Saturday has become a common pastime for local Athenian families and is a great way to spend a sunny summer's day when the days are long. The gardens used to be called the Royal Gardens because they were the gardens of the king and the locals are very proud of this lovely green space in a city which doesn't actually have many parks. The gardens have a collection of plants and trees from all over the world and plenty of water features which add coolness in the heat. The Gardens feature a small zoo, duck ponds, resident cats, a Botanical Museum, a playground and lots of wide-open space for children to play in. For children who love books, the gardens are also home to a Children's Library. There are many beautiful areas to relax in the shade and get some respite from the busy city of Athens, and the gardens are also wonderful for walking or running. Locals enjoy playing games together at makeshift tables and often they don't mind if you want to join them. The gardens are located just behind the Greek parliament building, next to Syntagma Square, and are easy to locate.

Address : Amalius Avenue

Website : www.greece-athens.com/place.php?place_id=109

Telephone : +30 21 0721 5019

Opening times : The gardens are open every day, 6am to 9.30pm

Admission : Free