It’s a question we get asked regularly as soon as the season starts again: is Karpathos child-friendly or not? And answering this question is sometimes difficult, because when is something exactly child-friendly or not? Everyone has his or her own interpretation of this.

Karpathos is perfect for kids, but not exactly child-friendly

Why we always tell it this way, we also always explain to the person asking the question. When something is child-friendly, children are often very much taken into account. Think of all the kids clubs and entertainment at accommodations, lots of other children of the same age, restaurants that have a special area for children to play and where the child is really central. Think of activities for children such as (large) playgrounds. Compare it a bit with whether something is wheelchair friendly or not. Yes, you can go to many locations in a wheelchair, but wheelchair friendly is something else 😉 .

So Karpathos is nice for children? Yes it is! I, Athina, have been coming to the island for holidays since I was 8 years old and have always been able to enjoy myself. It’s not for nothing that I live there now 😉

What not to expect on Karpathos when it comes to how child-friendly the island is?

We already said it a bit: just don’t expect special entertainment aimed at children/teenagers. So don’t expect water parks, bananas or jetski’s on the water, special kids’ clubs (or babysitting service) or mini discos. As long as you don’t assume that, you and your child(ren) will have a great time on Karpathos. Even without this kind of entertainment, there is plenty to do! So let’s get into that!

What’s on the island for kids?

• There are several hotels with swimming pools
• Lots of different beaches where they can swim, jump off rocks (Amoopi and Kyra Panagia) and build sandcastles (Amoopi and Arkassa).
• Snorkelling is possible in so many places on the island, so if they like it, that’s also a nice option.
• At Arkassa there are often high waves so going into the water with a bodyboard is great fun!
• There are several activities that are fun for both adults and children, like a mosaic workshop, windsurfing, climbing or a boat trip to one of the many beaches.
• You may find a mini playground near or at your accommodation.
• Does your accommodation not have a swimming pool, but would you like to go for a swim? Take your children to the Island Pool bar in Pigadia.
• What’s nice is that Karpathos is not an island of young people. This is good for the children because you won’t run into groups of drunken youngsters who are going to act like animals. We mainly see parents without children (or who already left home) or couples between 20-35 years.
• Do you have teenagers with you? There are several bars and one club (Heaven stage; outside the city). Where they can enjoy a night out.