Halkidiki Beach

Written by Donna on August 21, 2009

easycar_halkidiki One of the funniest “travel” things anyone ever said to me was “Company XXX has got their brochure wrong! Halkidiki should be a Greek Island not on the mainland!” Well for anyone who has an understanding of the geography of Greece, they will know that Halkidiki or Chalkidiki is most definitely located on mainland Greece, and in fact covers a large peninsula in the north of the country between the Strymonikos and Thermaikos Gulfs which incorporates three smaller peninsulas (like a hand and three fingers).

If you haven’t explored Halkidiki before, then you won’t be aware of how important it is to know which peninsula you are staying on as each has its own character, although all are renowned for their fantastic beaches which cover most of the areas 550 km of coast line with nearly 50 of the Halikidiki beaches awarded the EU’s Blue Flag award.

The most popular holiday peninsula is Cassandra or Kassandra which is closest to the city of Thessaloniki and located to the west. The beaches are either of a fine sand, or shingle and sand mix, but all offer good facilities with cafes, shops, bars and restaurants nearby. Hanioti is a family favourite and visitors will discover a pleasant maze like town centre which will fulfil every holiday need, as well as boasting a long stretch of Halkidiki beach. There are quite a few hotels in Hanioti in Halkidiki and also a huge number of low rise apartments and holiday homes, so is quite a favourite with the Greeks and Russians.

For larger resort hotels head to the area around historic Kriopigi and the cosmopolitan resort of Kallithea on the Kassandra peninsula. Young groups of holidaymakers will love the nightlife in this area, as buses run to the outdoor nightclubs between the towns. Do spend an evening or two in Athitos if you’re looking for a more authentic break, as the winding hill side streets lead to fabulous views over the gulf towards Sithonia, and there is a choice of great Greek restaurants too!

Sithonia is the central peninsula in Halikidiki. Currently greener than Kassandra following forest fires on the first peninsula in 2007, the towns aren’t generally quite as touristy as its neighbour. Neos Marmaras is about 125 km from Greece’s second largest city of Thessaloniki and boasts 20 km of beach backed by pine trees where the sea is crystal clear. Neos Marmaras is a great base to stay with plenty of town facilities available including tavernas, bars, clubs, boutiques, supermarkets and a scuba diving school.

A living museum and the spiritual centre of Greece as well as being the monastic centre of the Greek Orthodox Church, Mount Athos or Agio Oros is the third and most eastern peninsula of Halkidiki. Only the top third of this peninsula is accessible to visitors – male and female, with Ouranoupoli the last resort (and popular stop off for boat tours) you can visit. No female, human or animal is allowed south of Ouranoupoli and into the holy area of Mount Athos, which is dominated by many beautiful monasteries where monks reside. Whilst males are allowed over the religious border, authority must be obtained in advance from Athens or Thessaloniki, and visitors are known to be carefully monitored during their stay. All is not lost though, if on holiday in northern Greece, make sure you take a break from your day on a Halikidiki beach and enjoy a boat excursion along Mouth Athos’ coast where you will see many of the stunning, large monasteries from the water’s edge.

British Airways fly directly from London Gatwick to Thessaloniki International Airport Macedonia which is just eight miles from the city centre, and car hire (prebooked with easyCar of course) can be collected at either the airport or from downtown Thessaloniki. There are a number of charter airlines that fly from various UK airports too during the summer.