Family trip to Leros Island with children. Ideas on where to go with your child

Many monuments of history and architecture of different periods, untouched natural beauty, and a rich choice of options for active pastime – that's what Leros is. The island is not too large, and there are no amusement parks or water parks here. Nevertheless, there are a lot of interesting cultural, historical, and natural objects on Leros that will interest children of any age. For the students who have already begun the world history course, there is an opportunity to witness firsthand the evidence of many major events of the past.

To the north of Alinda, for example, you can climb up with a child to the hill and admire not only the beautiful view but also the ruins of the temple of Artemis. It is not just that: the ancient Greeks believed that the island had long been fond of the goddess of hunting, and the temple itself was inhabited by the sisters of Meleager, whom, according to legend, the inhabitant of Olympus turned into guinea-fowl. For a child, visiting the ruins of the temple of Athena is a great opportunity to immerse in the multifaceted mythology of Ancient Greece.

Lakkion, the island's main port, does not look too ancient. Still – almost all the buildings here were built during the reign of the Italians just before the World War II. Small art fans will like the collection of the medieval icons in the church of Agios Theologos. With a child of any age, you can just stroll through the streets of the city – here you can see the beautiful churches of St. Spiridon, St. Nicholas, St. George, and St. Zacharias. But the most interesting, especially for boys, will be a visit to the military museum, located in the suburbs of Lakkion. During the war, there was the base of the Italian Navy. To the north of the building of the museum, you can see the ruins of an ancient acropolis. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The capital of the island, the city of Platanos, is much more ancient than Lakkion. Be sure to take your child to the Kastro's castle. It will appeal not only to older children who know about knights from the history books but also to kids who like to present themselves as brave warriors or beautiful princesses. Going up to the castle, look into the uppermost windmill, located on the road to the fortress. There you and your child can see how the real mill mechanism worked in the Middle Ages. The child will be able to feel the spirit of the Middle Ages in the church of Panagia-tu-Kastro, where there are many religious objects of the past.

Not far from the village of Alinda, you and your child can visit another castle, Bellini. You should walk through its halls at least because it is the largest museum on the island with a large exposition dedicated to the history of Leros from ancient times to our days. In Bellini, which, although it looks like a real medieval castle, was built in the 20th century, there is also a press museum and an art gallery that young artists will like. The fans of art will also be interested in painting the chapel of Agia-Kioura, which, although not done in accordance with the church canons, is the national treasure of Greece.

However, a child in Leros can not only look at the historical monuments and art objects. There are all conditions for snorkeling and windsurfing, and older children can try themselves in diving: due to a large number of the artifacts lying on the bottom of the sea in the water area of ​​the island, it will be interesting to dive even to the experienced divers. Rent a boat and go on a sea voyage around the banks of Leros or to the neighboring Kalymnos, Strogili or Trypiti – for a child, this will be a real adventure. Allow your child to swim and sunbathe on the local beaches, the best of which can be found near Pandeli and Grune.