3 places for children's activities in the Peloponnese
Whether you're in the Peloponnese or planning a family getaway I have three places to suggest for a great family vacation. I've visited them with my family and I highly recommend them — each one offers something unique!
The Ranch
📍 Sofiko in Korinthia
The most popular destination for sports and more in a setting like a Wild West ranch that, in the eyes of children, looks like something out of Lucky Luke comics.
What can you do here:
- pony riding
- train ride
- biking
- contact with animals
- educational village with professions of the past: flour mill, olive press, looms
- modern cheese factory
- modern sports facilities: football, basketball, tennis, archery, swimming pool, climbing, rodeo
Here children can come into contact with horses and ponies, pet them, explore the stables and take a ride around the fenced area just like on a ranch. The joy children derive from contact with animals is indescribable.
The next activity is the train ride that passes through the area where goats and deer are hosted, another unique experience!
The Ranch also provides bicycles for children of all ages. Children can do these activities as many times as they want since they are included in the ticket price.
The educational village with professions of the past to see the old technology of the flour mill, the olive press and the looms is very interesting. It also has a cheese factory with modern technology.
In addition to a one-day visit it is popular for the summer camp and for hosting children's sports clubs. For the camp search for information on the website. The great advantage of the Ranch is the wide range of sports activities on modern fields: football, basketball, tennis, archery, swimming pool, rodeo and climbing.
For food it has a restaurant and a bar. In the bar you will find fast food style food such as club sandwiches, pizzas and burgers. In the square there is also a canteen that grills souvlaki.
You will find it in Sofiko in Korinthia prefecture, just over 30 minutes from the Korinth Isthmus Corinth. The entrance ticket is €9.
Read more: The Ranch - the most popular destination for children
Farm Duckling (Papakia)
📍 Karytaina, Arkadia
If the Ranch is first in sports activities then the Duckling are top for playing in a natural environment, an oasis of joy and play with everything children and parents need to keep them busy all day long.
What you will find:
- playground with treehouse, zip line, seesaws and balance toys
- animals: deer, ostriches, pheasants, donkeys, partridges, ducks
- ponds and bridges to explore
The playground has rather interesting games for the little ones, with a tree house and a zip line being the most interesting, followed by swings, seesaws, balance toys and a zip line for the very young. There is enough space for them to play whatever else they want.
The parents sit on benches in the playground so they can easily supervise their children under the shade of the trees and the shade umbrellas. On the positive the shade of the trees for children and parents is enough, even where they play there is some shade, the large trees guarantee this. You can get water, coffee and soft drinks from the cafeteria next door.
The herds of deer are the top activity as they are so cute that they will surely enchant the children. Young visitors will be thrilled as they will have the opportunity to feed and pet them. In addition to deer there are also ostriches, donkeys, pheasants, partridges and turkeys.
And after endless play lunchtime comes and it is time for the tavern! Enjoy the delicious homemade dishes such as handmade deer sausage and wild boar sausage, deer spaghetti and vlach carbonara.
For children there is a children's menu with handmade veal burgers and spaghetti with minced meat. Next to the tavern is a pond with a bridge and ducks, as well as a playground for them to play while you eat. Everyone will be happy and no one will complain!
The entrance to Duckling is free and you only pay for what you eat and drink. It is located in Karytaina, Arkadia prefecture, 40 minutes from Tripoli and 15 minutes from Megalopoli. To get there follow the Tripoli - Kalamata Highway and take the exit for Athinaion or Megalopolis.
Read more: Farm Duckling (Papakia): a place for children in the natural environment
Varco Athinaion multi-purpose space
📍 Just before Megalopolis, Athinaion exit
This is a multi-purpose space that is not exclusively for children as it organizes concerts and festivals. It is also aimed at adults as I saw that the pool is a popular destination for locals to swim.
The activities:
- playgound
- swimming pool
- zip line
- kart track
- space for football and basketball
- trampoline
- closed tent with toys (like a circus tent) for children to play without being exposed to the weather
The playground has slides, swings and a small sandbox, but overall it is small and not the size I would expect for such a property. A hat is necessary for young and parents. In addition the swings are not stable on the ground so with a little more shaking they move from their positions.
In a separate area are the football field, a basketball court with a concrete floor without markings, the zip line and the go-kart track. The zip line at the starting point is made up of straw and pallets which does not seem very safe. The trampoline at that time at least had no superviso, resulting in many children entering and jumping at the same time with the risk of an accident.
I should emphasize that while the children are playing they are exposed to the sun, so if it is very hot, they will not be able to play much.
The swimming pool is suitable for children with sun loungers and umbrellas, so you can bring your swimsuit to enjoy your swim.
Now let's get to the restaurant. It is spotlessly clean with several tables both inside and outside under trees. It offers ice cream, milkshakes and cocktails. I ordered chicken with mustard sauce, which unfortunately was insipid, I left most of it. It also offers drinks made from forest fruits which I really liked.
In general we had a good time but it's not for the whole day because there aren't many games and the kids get bored quickly. The food obviously disappointed me but I hope this is a mistake.
It is located a little before Megalopolis at the Athinaion exit of the Tripoli - Kalamata Highway. It is less than 2 hours from Athens.
Read more: School trip to the Varco Athinaion multi-purpose space
