Mountain or seaside? Beach bar or secret cove? Traditional villages or luxury resorts? Halkidiki caters to every taste

“There is nothing like Halkidiki,” say the northern Greeks and they know what they’re talking about. Get ready to succumb to the charms of its three beautiful ‘feet’: Kassandra, Sithonia, Athos. The first two don’t discriminate, but the third is off limits to women, as it’s home to the famous monastic state, Mount Athos. What will your holiday in Halkidiki look like?

Turquoise water, dense pine forests, dreamy hotels, small coves with fish tavernas and cafes, beach bars, archaeological sites, traditional villages in Sithonia, the Petralona Cave in Kassandra. A microcosm of miracles. Explore it with all your senses.

What to do in Halkidiki

Swimming under the pines
Pine trees to the water’s edge, white sand, beautiful bays, crystal-clear water, hidden coves.Halkidiki’s beaches are numberless. You can’t count them all, so just take out a map and mark it: Kavourotripes, Mikro (small) and Megalo (large) Karidi, Kalogria, Kriopigi, Agios Mamas, Sani… Dive into unspeakable beauty.

A five-star stay
Halkidiki tempts you to live a life of luxury at any one of its many luxury, beach resorts. High-end service, activities, spas and a plethora of unique experiences: private dining on the beach, soothing spa treatments, roomy villas right on the water, molecular gastronomy and renowned wines. You can also find private marinas, casinos, boutique shops, high-end bars and restaurants… the epitome of classic 5 star luxury in Northern Greece.

Petralona Cave and the 700,000-year-old man
Here you’ll wander in awe among masterpieces sculpted by nature, centuries in the making: stalactites that sparkle in the dark, dazzling ‘dwarf stalagmites’. One of the most stunning caves in Europe and one of the most impressive attractions in the area, tells a very old story: here, hidden among the stalagmites, the skull of an Archanthrapus (700,000 years old) was discovered. Aged 30-35 years, he was considered elderly for that era.

Ancient Olynthos
A lesson in architectural planning: at this archaeological site, you’ll see how the famous Hippodamian grid plan, the foundation for the science of town planning, was organised. Excavated houses, avenues, communal spaces, all from a place with panoramic views.

Drop anchor in Porto Koufos
What lies behind the cliffs to the south of Sithonia? A secret harbour through an opening just 300m wide. This is the ancient Toronaios port, mentioned by Thucydides as the largest and most secure port in Ancient Greece. It was nicknamed the “deaf port” because you cannot hear the sea if you stand inside the gulf.

Aristotle’s home
You are in Macedonia, the birthplace of one of the great Greek philosophers. Walk in his footsteps. Near the village of Olympiada, visit Ancient Stagira, Aristotle’s birthplace. In the village, you’ll find the Alsos of Aristotle, with a compass, pendulum, prism – all the instruments referred to in his Physics are here.

Hidden gems of Halkidiki

Arnaia and Afitos
Two very different villages, two gems, each with its own traditions. Cobblestones, traditional Macedonian architecture, restoration projects, museums. Their charm will take you back to village life, as it was years ago.

The Potidaia Canal
A narrow isthmus joins the peninsula of Kassandra to the mainland. The canal marks the start of a great story: it was begun by King Kassander of Macedonia to facilitate navigation and protect Thessaloniki.

Taxiarchis fir trees
The joy of Christmas is cultivated here in the Halkidiki mountains. In the village of Taxiarchis in central Halkidiki, families are engaged in the cultivation of fir trees in the beautiful mountain of Holomonta.