The Halkidiki peninsula is considered the best resort in the northern part of Greece. This peninsula is very popular among Russian tourists. Let's see why this place attracts tourists so much.
How to get to Halkidiki
The Halkidiki peninsula is picturesquely located on the northern coast of the Aegean Sea, in the northeast of modern Greece. The most convenient way to get to the peninsula is through the city of Thessaloniki. There is the airport closest to Halkidiki. You can fly here not only from Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also from other large cities of Russia. However, there are non-stop flights only from Moscow, the rest of the flights will be connecting flights.
Airplanes of several companies fly from the airports of the capital, but only Aegean Airlines, Aeroflot, S7 Airlines offer a direct flight, which will take about three hours. From Thessaloniki airport to the nearest settlement of the peninsula, about an hour's drive. It should be borne in mind that Halkidiki is a large peninsula, and the distance from the airport to cities and towns is on average about one hundred kilometers.
A brief history of the peninsula
The Halkidiki peninsula, like many other places in Greece, is steeped in legends and traditions. If you look at the map, the peninsula looks like a trident, and its three parts are like fingers. Ancient myths tell that giants lived in Halkidiki who fought with the gods of Olympus. The warring parties were thrown with stones. One of the stones thrown by the giant Athos became the Athos peninsula, the second, Sithonia, was named after the son of Poseidon, and the third - Kassandra, after the king who formed Thessaloniki.
Like the rest of Greece, Halkidiki has an ancient history. The first settlements appeared here around 4000 BC. At that time, immigrants from the cities of Eretria and Chalkis established their settlements here. The colonists from Chalcis constituted the majority. They named their settlement "Halkidika in Thrace". Later, the transformed name of Halkidiki was transferred to the entire peninsula.
Several times the Persians tried to conquer this area during the Greco-Persian wars, and in 168 BC Chalkidiki, along with the whole of Macedonia, was captured by the Romans and the region was in crisis. In 269, the cities of Halkidiki were destroyed by the Goths and other barbarian tribes. In 395, when the Roman Empire split into Eastern and Western, Greece became part of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire.
In the 6th century Halkidiki was ravaged by the Huns. In the next century, one of the peninsulas of Chalkidiki, the Athos peninsula, becomes a meeting place for monks, and in 885 a monastic republic was formed here, and the laity had to leave this place.
In 1430 the Halkidiki peninsula was conquered by the Ottoman Empire. Turkish rule lasted until 1821, when Greece began its struggle for independence. But, only in 1913, after the Second Balkan War, the territory of Halkidiki was liberated.
In 1919, in order to restore their lands within the borders of the Byzantine Empire, Greece began a war against Turkey, but was defeated. This was the cause of the so-called "Asia Minor catastrophe", which resulted in the resettlement of a huge number of people. More than two million Greeks were expelled from the territory of Asia Minor, and Muslims were forcibly evicted from Greece.
Many settlers ended up in Halkidiki. They brought a new life to the previously deserted Halkidiki: their traditions, crafts and cuisine. In the second half of the 20th century, tourism began to develop in Halkidiki. Today local residents of Thessaloniki, as well as tourists from different countries of the world, including Russians, like to relax here.
Halkidiki peninsula today
Today Halkidiki is about 500 kilometers of sandy beaches, bays and bays. There is a wonderful ecology - 71 beaches with the "Blue Flag" - an international environmental quality mark, as well as a well-developed infrastructure with a rich range of services. Among them are surfing, casinos, discos, golf clubs. Tourists can choose a vacation spot according to their taste and wallet. Lovers of a quiet holiday can retire, rent a car and relax on wild beaches far from settlements.
Reviews of tourists about holidays in Halkidiki
Tourists who have visited Halkidiki are very positive about their vacation on this peninsula. Why do they recommend visiting Halkidiki?
Nature and climate
The peninsula has clean beaches with clear sea water and beautiful nature. You can find beaches with few or no tourists. Each of the three parts of the peninsula is a paradise with cozy bays and healthy air.
In addition to the sea and endless sandy beaches, pine forests have been preserved in Halkidiki, unlike the rest of Greece. The climate of Halkidiki allows you to enjoy your vacation all year round, combining swimming on the azure beaches with sightseeing.
sights
The main attractions of Halkidiki are natural. Architectural landmarks in the form of ancient buildings can be seen in and around Thessaloniki.
One of the attractions is the White Tower in Thessaloniki, built by the Turks in the 16th century. It was used as a fort, a garrison, and a prison. Today, the tower houses a museum of the history of Thessaloniki.
This ancient fortress is located in Thessaloniki. Today you can see parts of the fortress from ancient times and the period of Turkish rule. Until 1989, there was a prison here. Now the fortress is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture of Greece; research and excavations are constantly carried out here.
The waterfalls are located in the ancient city of Edessa, not far from Thessaloniki. This is a unique beauty corner of nature with a complex of beautiful waterfalls. It is pleasant to relax here at any time of the year.
This is one of the most revered Orthodox places in the world. Formally, this is the territory of Greece, but in reality Athos is the only independent monastic republic in the world.
Now there are 20 monasteries on Athos, in which about 2000 monks live. You need to know that in order to visit this holy place, the laity need a special document, the number of pilgrims is limited, and women are not allowed at all. There is also a Russian monastery on Mount Athos - St. Panteleimon, which was built in 1016. There are also Serbian and Bulgarian monasteries.
Peninsula kitchen
Halkidiki restaurants offer tourists a huge selection of Greek cuisine. These are salads, snacks, fish, meat, and even sea urchins. It may seem that most of the restaurants have the same menu, but vacationers note that they cook delicious food everywhere. According to tourists, fish and fish dishes on the peninsula are more expensive than meat, despite the proximity of the sea.
Transport
Now it is quite easy to get to Halkidiki. Airplanes from Moscow to Thessaloniki fly regularly, sometimes you can buy tickets at very low prices, with a special offer.
Purchases
The shopping list on the peninsula is diverse, it is better to familiarize yourself with it before the trip in order to immediately apply this knowledge on vacation and save time. On the Halkidiki peninsula, there are a large number of shops with very affordable prices, offering clothes and shoes of good quality. Of the edible gifts, most tourists bring olives and olive oil, alcohol, honey and ceramics from the peninsula.
Accommodation
In addition to hotels with different price ranges, in Halkidiki you can live in a bungalow right by the sea, or rent a room or apartment in some quiet village. In many hotels and guest houses, there will be no problems with communication, as the staff speaks Russian.
