About 2.5 million people visit Santorini each year, but very few of them are pushing a stroller up the caldera steps. The island’s famous cliffside villages—Oia, Fira, Imerovigli—are built into a volcanic cliff with narrow cobbled lanes and hundreds of uneven steps, making strollers close to useless. For families with babies or toddlers, the real Santorini is on the flat southeast coast, where Kamari and Perissa offer paved promenades, shallow beaches, and ground-floor rooms. Here are the hotels that actually work with a stroller.
Stick to the beach towns of Kamari, Perissa, and Perivolos. Hotels like Santorini Kastelli Resort, Aqua Blue, and Sea Breeze by Hilton are step-free, close to flat beaches, and have family rooms with kitchenettes. The caldera is worth a day trip, but not a base with a stroller—too many steps, too narrow, too impractical.
Why beach towns work
Kamari and Perissa sit on long, flat black-sand beaches with lifeguards and shallow entries. The hotels here are built on level ground, with few stairs and wide doorways. When my husband Julien and I traveled with Sofia, who was just learning to walk, we found that a lightweight folding stroller rolled easily from our room to the beach. The research confirms it: Discover Cyclades notes that these towns are the only stroller-friendly areas on the island.
Here is a breakdown of the top accessible hotels, all within a short stroller roll of the water.
| Hotel | Location | Stroller Access | Key Family Feature | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santorini Kastelli Resort | Kamari | Flat walk to beach (~150 m) | Kids’ club, four pools, playground | Five-star, rooms sleep up to 5, high chairs available |
| Aqua Blue | Perissa | Step-free beachfront | Three pools (kids’ pool), private beach, kitchenettes | Maisonettes with two bedrooms and two bathrooms |
| Sea Breeze, Curio by Hilton | Perivolos | Direct beach access | Private heated pools or hot tubs on terrace | Opened 2022, two adult and two kids’ pools |
| Nissia Beach Apartments | Kamari | On beachfront, flat | Kitchenettes, cribs on request, child pool | Complimentary breakfast, good for self-catering |
| Stelios Place | Perissa | Flat walk to beach | Shared 24-hour kitchen, small pool | Budget-friendly, family-run |
| Aressana Spa Hotel & Suites | Fira | Some steps in town | Junior Suites for four, main pool | Only for confident walkers 6+; caldera views but not stroller-friendly |
The table above covers the best options, but note that Aressana in Fira is the only caldera-side hotel that might work for families with school-age kids who can manage a few stairs. For babies and toddlers, the beach towns are the only real choice.
Santorini does not have large all-inclusive resorts with water parks and kids’ clubs. The island’s limited flat land and fresh water supply mean most family hotels are small, family-run, with modest pools. If you want a waterpark, consider Crete, Rhodes, or Kos instead.
Caldera hotels: skip with a stroller, fine for older kids
If your children are teenagers who can handle 80–100 steps, the caldera is worth considering. Hotels like Tholos Resort in Imerovigli and Athina Luxury Suites in Fira offer cliff-edge infinity pools and dramatic views. But the research is clear: Family Travel Path emphasises that Oia has over 200 steps from the village to the old port, and Fira’s main street is flatter but still involves stairs on caldera routes. For a stroller, these areas are a daily workout—you’ll end up carrying both the stroller and the child.
Oia’s sunset crowds. Even if you manage the steps, the narrow streets become impassable with a stroller from 6 PM onward. Skip the sunset dinner in Oia with young kids; instead, book a catamaran sunset cruise where the views are better and the kids can move around.
Logistics and insider tips
Bring a compact folding stroller—cobbled streets will damage heavy ones. Baby carriers (Ergo, Tula) are more practical for exploring villages. Pre-book car seats with rental companies; availability is limited in peak season. The Santorini Secrets guide recommends a 3-night stay in Kamari or Perissa, then pairing with Naxos or Paros for a longer trip.
Monolithos beach is the top family beach: super-shallow water 50 m out, a playground, and lifeguards. It’s a short drive from Kamari and perfect for toddlers who want to splash safely.
For activities, most families enjoy a volcano boat trip (ages 6+), the Akrotiri archaeological site (ages 7+, stroller-accessible), and the Open-Air Cinema Kamari. You can look into day cruises or catamaran sunset cruises that include swimming stops—kids love the hot springs. There are also private sightseeing tours that can be tailored to your family’s pace. If your child is old enough for a cooking class, cooking classes are a fun way to spend a morning.
Affiliate disclosure: This article includes affiliate links to Viator. If you book through one of them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the site!
Reader questions
Is it worth staying in Oia with a stroller?
Not really. Oia has over 200 steps, cobblestones, and narrow alleys. You’ll be carrying the stroller most of the time. A better plan is to stay in Kamari or Perissa and take a bus or taxi to Oia for a sunset view (arrive before 4 PM to avoid crowds).
If you must see the caldera up close, a sunset cruise gives you the same experience without the steps.
Can we find all-inclusive resorts in Santorini?
No. Santorini lacks large all-inclusive resorts with water parks and kids’ clubs. The island’s limited flat land and fresh water supply make them unviable. If that’s what you want, consider Crete, Rhodes, or Kos, which have many all-inclusive options.
For self-catering, Nissia Beach Apartments and Stelios Place both have kitchenettes, which helps with baby food and snacks.
What about the caldera views—can we get them from a beach town hotel?
Not directly. Beach towns face the sea, not the caldera. But you can drive to Fira or Oia for a sunset view, or book a sunset cruise. The trade-off is a five-minute walk to a flat beach instead of a 20-minute walk down 100 steps.
If you really want caldera views, Aressana Spa in Fira is the only hotel that works for families with older kids (6+), but expect to carry a stroller up a few steps.
Are there any stroller-accessible beaches besides Kamari and Perissa?
Monolithos is the best for toddlers: super-shallow water, a playground, and lifeguards. It’s a short drive from Kamari. Vlychada is calmer but deeper—better for ages 8+. Red Beach is rocky and access can close due to landslides; skip it with young children.
All caldera-side beaches are pebbly, deep, and lack facilities; they are not recommended for strollers.
Closing
Choosing a beach-town hotel in Kamari or Perissa doesn’t mean sacrificing Santorini’s magic. You get flat promenades, warm black sand, and the same electric sunsets from a boat or a hillside viewpoint—without the stress of carrying a stroller up 200 steps. For a full overview of the island, including ferry routes and restaurant recommendations, see our main Santorini destination guide.
Sources and further reading
Best Family Hotels in Santorini. Santorini Secrets, 2025.
Santorini with Kids: A Practical Guide. Discover Cyclades, 2025.
Santorini with Baby & Toddler Guide. Family Travel Path, 2025.
