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HALKIDIKI
The sun, vegetation and the sea reign jointly and in harmony, sharing
justly their influence over the piece of land called the Halkidiki
Peninsula, set, as the maps show, South of Thessaloniki, in Northern
Greece.
It may sound odd but, when a
visitor comes to Halkidiki, he gets the feeling that he has left behind
the familiar world and has suddenly entered what appears to be
unexplored ground.
Mountains succeed one another,
their curving skylines giving off varying shades of purple, while down
in the valleys cool clusters of trees grow among wild flowers of amazing
color combinations.
The Aegean Sea, which laps upon
the shores of all three prongs which extend out of Halkidiki (Kassandra,
Sithonia and Mount Athos) sends its spray and breeze across the
geranium-filled courtyards, the stairways and wooden corridors, the
streets and churches.
POLIGIROS
This is the capital of Halkidiki
(69 km from Thessaloniki) built amphitheatrically at the foot of Mt.
Holomon. There is an archaeological museum containing notable finds from
excavations in the surrounding area. Visitors can also see sections of
the old quarter of the town.
KASSANDRA
This is the most westerly of the
three prongs of Halkidiki. It is remarkable for its extensive beaches,
pinewoods and small villages. Bound together as one entity, they unfold
before the visitor's eyes as a different, pure and beautiful world which
might well have been created in accordance with the realm of one's
dreams.
By the village of Petralona the
cave (800 m. beyond the village) is worth visiting. It is located along
the west foothills of Mt. Katsika at an altitude of 250 m. It is one of
the most important caves with paleontological interest. The total length
of the corridors comes to 1,500 m. and it is adorned with wonderful
stalactites and stalagmites of all kinds, columns, discs etc. It was
first explored in 1959 by Mr. J. Petrocheilos, then president of the
Greek Speleological Society who named it "Kokines Petres" (Red
Rocks). In 1960 a human skull of the Neanderthal type was found, which
along with other findings (34 species of fauna) is kept at the
University of Thessaloniki. The first part of the cave has been
exploited and a Museum has been built nearby. Tel. 0396/31300. Cave
opening hours 09.00 - 17.00 daily.
Olivegroves and green fields line
the road which leads on to Nea Moudania after passing through Nea
Triglia. From Triglia one can visit two typically traditional villages,
Dionisiou and Zografou. Their low, stone houses with slanting roofs and
peculiar chimneys and the old Zografou Tower are reminiscent of an
earlier age and seem to remain oblivious to the development of their
surroundings which has taken place.
A short drive Southward along an attractive coastline, leads to Nea
Potidaea itself built over the ruins of ancient Potidaea founded by
colonists from Corinth. The road continues down the Eastern Kassandra
coastline dotted with fishermen's hamlets like Nea Fokea with its
Byzantine tower on the waterfront, the small but traditional village of
Afitos built upon one of the slopes of an ancient citadel, Kalithea with
its ruins of the temple of Zeus Ammon on its seashore, Kriopigi,
Polihrono and Pefkohori all set in thickly wooded country, by the side
of beautiful shores.
Words can scarcely describe the
extent to which this area preserves the natural beauty of the Greek
countryside, the limpid sea and the tranquil picturesqueness of the
whole setting. Well equipped for catering for tourists, the entire
Kassandra prong has several major hotels and organized camping grounds,
in among the pinewoods, close to sandy beaches. Paliouri, some little
distance inland, is picturesquely enchanting. Climbing vines and flowers
in pots decorate the old Macedonian corridors and courtyards of the
houses. Born in fertile green land, the inhabitants of Halkidiki are
nature lovers and preserve its beauty, even in the small corners of
their homes.
The asphalt road then runs
along the West coast, passing the villages of Agia Paraskevi, Agios
Nikolaos, Nea Skioni and Kaladra. This is believed to have been the site
once occupied by ancient Mendi, a colony founded around the year 750
B.C. by the Eretrians. The fishing villages of Nea Skioni, Possidi and
Siviri offer not only their attractively varied shorelines but also
seafood specialties prepared in the numerous small, seaside tavernas and
good local wine to match the general atmosphere of hospitality. The road
then leads through Kassandria which boasts the best preserved windmill
in the whole district. It ends at Sani Beach surrounded by thick
pinewoods.
SITHONIA
The middle prong of the Halkidiki
peninsula offers similar natural beauty in its countryside with fine,
sandy beaches, picturesque small harbors, peaceful fishermen's hamlets
and well wooded expanses. In these surroundings the visitor has a unique
opportunity to appreciate the beauty of nature at its best. The road
east of Nea Moudania leads to Olinthos. Close to the village lie the
ruins of ancient Olinthos built by Athenian colonists. Further on one
comes to Gerakini on the coast where there is a fine sandy beach, clear
waters and modern tourist installations. Driving down towards the
Sithonia prong, the visitor will come upon solitary inlets flanked by
olive groves and then, taking a left turn, will find himself in Ormylia
(26 km from Poligiros), interesting for the traditional, popular
architecture of its houses and churches. The village of Vatopedi is
likewise interesting for the way it has preserved the local
characteristics. Its beach, about 2,5 km further along, is attractive
not only for its extensive golden sands but also for the way the pine
trees grow right down to the water's edge, mingling their own shade of
green with the blue waves beneath them. This feature is repeated along
the beaches leading to the villages of Metamorfossis and Nikitas.
From the beach at Nikitas one can
single out the chimneys and red roofs of the old houses built on a
wooded hill while 2.5 km away stands a restored early 5th century
Christian church. The first impression of the Sithonia prong, gained by
the visitor as he enters Nikitas (36 km from Poligiros) will be to
increase his desire to acquire more detailed knowledge of the area. A
new pleasant sensation will await him as he pauses at each of the
villages of Agios Nikolaos, Pirgadikia, Sarti, Sikia and Neos Marmaras.
Clear seas and scent of the
pinewoods in the air is the characteristic of the entire area. The
visitor cannot forget Agios Nikolaos's narrow lanes and its old houses
with chiseled stone and carved woodwork. He will also remember the
island atmosphere in the village of Pirgadikia, the charming little
coves and the anchored fishing smacks at Vourvourou and Ormos Panagias,
the limpid waters of Sarti and Sikia, the small natural harbor of Porto
Koufo and the beaches at Neos Marmaras and Porto Carras.
From Poligiros to Mount Athos
It is an interesting journey. At the outset there is mountainous scenery
gradually giving way, through woodland, into vineyards, gardens and
orchards, ending up alongside sandy beaches, passing Arnea on the way.
The last town on the Mt. Athos prong, outside the independent Monastic
State is Ouranoupolis which can be thought of as the gateway to the Mt.
Athos State. Picturesque Arnea comes into sight after a 38 km run
Eastward from Poligiros, along the slopes of Mt. Holomon, through
forests of chestnut, beach, fir and pine trees. Arnea is best known for
its choice wines and excellent hand-woven fabrics. The womenfolk of
Arnea are proud of their skill at the handloom and maintain a tradition
which goes back deep into the ages. After leaving Arnea, one should not
omit a visit to Stagira (14 km), the birth place of the great
philosopher Aristotle. On a wooded knoll at the approach to village
stands the philosopher's statue. It is at this point that the ways part
for those going to Stagira and those bound for Stratoniki, a small
village right opposite. The landscape creates an atmosphere of unmatched
peace and quiet. Southwards, the visitor will come upon Ierissos from
where he will be able to pick out the series of mountain ranges which
constitute the Mt. Athos prong of the peninsula. Following the road
along the shore, he will be led to the small port of Nea Roda which lies
at the narrowest point of the neck linking the Mt. Athos prong to the
main Halkidiki peninsula. It was at this point that Xerxes, King of
Persia, sought in 481 B.C. to cut a canal to let his fleet through so
that he would not have to circumnavigate the Mt. Athos Cape.
Driving further down the
West shoreline of the prong, the small, wooded island of Amouliani comes
into sight. Its picturesque little fishermen's hamlet and fine sandy
beach is ideal for a day's excursion by caique from the little harbor of
Tripiti or from Ouranoupolis. The latter is where a rest can be taken,
after the long run across Halkidiki, or preparations can be made for a
visit to the sacrosanct territory of Mount Athos. Starting from Ierissos,
there is constant change of scenery as the road winds inland. The route
leading to Gomati and Megali Panagia is one of the most beautiful as it
traverses the lush vegetation of the area. The first to come into view
is Gomati and then Megali Panagia, both villages having genuine
traditional character, picturesqueness and charm are unknown to most
travelers as they lie tucked away in the ravines amid scenery of
incredible tranquillity. The visitor will have one more occasion to
ascertain that Halkidiki is an inexhaustible source of pleasant
emotions.
MOUNT ATHOS
Basic Conditions for Admission
to Mount Athos
In accordance with a "Chryssobul"
(edict) issued by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomahos, in 1060
A.D. which still remains valid, conditions for entering the territory of
Mt. Athos are as follows:
- (a) A permit is required for
both individuals and groups. This is issued by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, Directorate of Churches (at No 2, Zalokosta Street,
in Athens, tel: 3626894) or by the Ministry of Northern Greece,
Directorate of Civil Affairs at Diikitiriou Square in Thessaloniki,
tel. 031/270092.
- (b) Women are not admitted
into the territory.
- (c) Overnight stay is
forbidden except for those who have proven religious or scientific
interests in the area and are over 18 years old.
A visit to Mount Athos
The land of Mt. Athos which forms one of the most beautiful parts of
Greece, lays before the visitor all the grandeur of Nature. The
landscape is varied with small valleys and gorges, well wooded mountains
interspersed with bare and precipitous rocks and occasional views of the
coastline. Mountain scenery on one hand and the sea on the other create
that essential framework of isolation in a different, strange world
chosen by the hermits for their monastic state. It is a community of
monks which, for more than 1000 years, has lived the daily life and
religious practice of the Byzantines. The oldest monastery on Mt. Athos
is that of Megisti Lavra which is also the wealthiest in treasures and
relics. It was founded in the 10th century by Ossios Athanassios.
However, even prior to that date, monks and hermits had begun to retire
to that area. The beneficent activity of Byzantine emperors soon made it
possible for the number of monasteries to multiply to 40 and their
inmates to 40,000. At the moment, only 20 monasteries are functioning
and the total number of monks does not exceed 1,700.
Once the entrance permit has been secured, the visitor setting out from
Ouranoupolis or Tripiti by motorship will sail to Dafni and thence
overland to Karies, the capital where the elders used to assemble to
decide on matters of internal administration. In Karies stands the
church of Protatos, the oldest in the area (10th century). It is without
doubt an important architectural monument and contains frescoes painted
by Emmanuel Panselinos, the last of the great painters of murals of the
Macedonian School of Art to which the older of the frescoes in other
churches on Mt. Athos also belong. Murals of this school of art as well
as murals of the Cretan School of Art, which flourished later, decorate
the churches in the monasteries of Agia Lavra, Vatopedi, Iviron,
Koutloumousiou, Doheiariou, etc.
As he roams through the various
monasteries, the visitor will feel impressed not only by the frescoes
but also by the rich libraries, the mosaics, the precious art
miniatures, the ecclesiastical utensils and the various relics kept in
the treasuries.
Useful Information
Communications
By Road
Athens - Thessaloniki, tel.: 5148856, Athens and from there daily
departures by bus for all towns in the Halkidiki peninsula. Information:
KTEL Thessaloniki: 68, Karakassi St., tel.: 031/924444 and the G.N.T.O.
office in Thessaloniki.
Conducted Tours
Thessaloniki Sightseeing and Shopping/Philipi-Kavala-Amphipolis/Greek
Evening at a Village Taverna in Halkidiki/Petralona Cave/Nea Moudania
Shopping
Tour/Kassandra Round-trip/Sithonia Tour/Alexander the Great Tour/Mount
Athos
Cruise/Meteora/Dion/Poligiros-Arnea Shopping.
Events
- Carnival festivities at
Poligiros (end February - early March).
- Exhibition of local
handicrafts and products at Arnea in July accompanied by fiestas and
dancing, called "Sokratia".
- Religious Fair and
traditional celebration on 15th August at the villages of Megali
Panagia and Sarti.
- Folkloric celebrations at
Nikiti on the 15th of September.
Tourist Information
- Thessaloniki Tourist
Police. New Railway Station: tel: 517000
- Nea Moudania Police
Station: tel: 0373/21370
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