in Sicily, Italy
Athena Resort
- Baby
- Toddler
- Kid
- Teen
Athena is where Italian families go, which is usually a good sign and occasionally a warning. It sits in over 100 hectares of the Pino d'Aleppo reserve on the south-east coast near Marina di Ragusa and Scoglitti: three pools including an Olympic one, three restaurants, a private beach five minutes away by free shuttle, tennis, archery, football pitches, and three clubs split by age. The detail that wins parents over is small and specific: there is a dedicated kitchen area for small children with hot plates, microwaves, bottle warmers and baby food, which is the sort of thing only a resort that actually watches families would build. The trade-offs are honest ones. The rooms are basic, the food is village-standard, and the beach is a shuttle ride rather than a doorstep. But this is the south-east, where the beaches are sandy and the sea stays warm, and per euro it is the best-equipped family resort in Sicily.
Our verdict
The best-value family resort in Sicily, especially with a baby or toddler in tow. Forget the decor and book it for the clubs, the space and that baby kitchen.
The rooms
A classic Italian villaggio: low-rise blocks spread through a huge site inside the Pino d'Aleppo nature reserve, with family rooms and quadruples as the default rather than the exception. Furnishings are plain and functional, and nobody is pretending otherwise. What you are buying is space, three pools, a private beach and three age-banded clubs, at a price that makes a fortnight possible.
At a glance
- Baby kitchen
- Hot plates, bottle warmers, baby food
- Clubs
- Three, by age band, included
- Pools
- Three, including an Olympic pool
- Beach
- Private, free shuttle, 5 min
How the KidProof Score works
Every hotel is rated on eight things families actually care about, then weighted by how much each one drives your choice. Room setup counts the most. The little touches break the ties.
Sleeps how many? Connecting rooms, family suites, a real extra bed?
Clean travel cot, high chair, bottle warmer, changing table, kit to borrow.
Shallow pool or paddling area, playground, kids club (free or paid).
Quick breakfast, kids menus, allergy options, snacks on hand.
Secured windows, protected corners, watched pool, well kept grounds.
Laundry, in-room fridge, stroller access, parking, reliable Wi-Fi.
Close to family attractions, easy transport, park tickets or access.
Welcome gift for the child, staff who talk to kids, themed rooms.
Why families love it
- A dedicated kitchen for small children: hot plates, microwaves, bottle warmers, baby food
- Three clubs split by age, plus daily and evening entertainment
- Three pools including an Olympic pool, all lifeguarded
- Private sandy beach with a free shuttle, five minutes away
🗓️A day here with kids
- 8:00
Breakfast, then the baby kitchen
Bottles warmed and purées done before the queue builds.
- 9:30
First shuttle to the beach
The 11am one is a scrum and the shade is gone.
- 13:30
Back for lunch and the clubs
Clubs restart after lunch, which is when the pines earn their keep.
- 17:00
Olympic pool, then archery
Lifeguarded lanes for the swimmers, targets for everyone else.
Family things to do nearby
Archery on the sports field
Supervised sessions that seven-year-olds treat as the highlight of the entire holiday.
Ragusa Ibla and the baroque towns
Ragusa Ibla, Modica and Noto are all within an hour. Modica also does chocolate, which is how you sell it to a nine-year-old.
The private beach at Kamarina
Proper south-coast sand, shallow entry, warm well into October. This is why you came to this side of the island.
Is it right for your kids?
Baby
0 to 1 yr
That kitchen with hot plates, microwaves, bottle warmers and baby food is a rare and practical thing. Ground-floor rooms and flat pine paths make the pram easy. Book it for this alone.
Toddler
1 to 3 yrs
Play areas, a mini club, lifeguarded pools and sand at the private beach. The main friction is the shuttle, which is tedious with a nap schedule.
Kid
4 to 11 yrs
Football on real pitches, archery, tennis, an Olympic pool and a club with staff who never stop. Six to twelve is who this resort was built for.
Teen
12 yrs and up
Sport keeps them going and the junior club exists, but it is an Italian family village in the countryside. A teenager who wants a town will be bored by day four without a car.
Plan your stay
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Live prices & availability
Stays near Athena Resort, Kamarina, Marina di Ragusa, Sicily, Italy
We compare Booking, Expedia, Hotels.com and more so you book at the best price. Prices update in real time.
Parents also ask
How far is the beach really?
About five minutes by the free shuttle. It is a private beach with sand, which is the point, but it is not walkable with beach kit and small children.
Do many British or French families stay here?
It is mainly Italian, and the entertainment is run in Italian first. Staff manage in English, but if you want everything in your own language this is not that resort.
Is it near Marina di Ragusa itself?
It is on the same stretch of coast, closer to Scoglitti and Kamarina. Marina di Ragusa, with its restaurants and promenade, is a short drive and worth an evening.
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