Hello!

I'm looking for some advice from Halkidiki residents/frequent visitors.

We are a young couple, 23 and 25, and about to book our summer 2009 holiday. We are looking for a peaceful location, beautiful scenery, minimal amounts of children, no commercialism and plenty to do eg. sites to see, activities to do, good location for exploring the area.

We like to eat out in traditional restaurants and maybe the odd drink after dinner, but nothing wild.

Can anyone suggest our ideal destination?!

Vourvourou in Sithonia

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Nikos
Forum Admin
nikos at halkidiki.com

Nikos Wrote:
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> Vourvourou in Sithonia

I have Thomas Cook vouchers to use, and they don't appear to go there :-(

Options are : Afitos, Halkidiki, Hanioti, Kalithea, Kriopigi, Nea Moudania, Pefkochori, Polychrono and Sani :-)

Suggest Afitos, its a small traditional village situated at the top of a very steep hill and has great views from several of the restaurants.

I went there around 10 years ago and loved it, it was quite quiet although does liven up in august.

there is a lovely walk along to Kalithea for shopping.

Highly recommended.

Hanioti is another fantastic resort much more lively than Afitos and my personal favourite. it comes highly recommended on this site and others, have a read through some of the links on here!

Wherever you end up I know that you will have a fantastic holiday in Halkidiki, its a very special place.

Is Hanioti commercialised? Or is it still quite traditional? How lively is it?

Hanioti is fairly lively, lots of bars and restaurants but no nightclubs. Most of the "action" is situated around the square, an ideal place to sit and people watch whilst enjoying a few drinks on an evening.

There is also a beach bar down on the beach which is open 24/7 in high season, they have floodlights over the water.

I would not say it is really commercialised, obviously there are tourist shops selling souvenirs etc and a few clothes shops etc but no perfume shops and the like. There are a couple of little jewellery shops. Most of the streets lead off from or to the square and you can have a nice wander around, there is no pressure to enter any of the shops or bars.

There are no big groups of lads or girls and no lager louts. Its a fairly chilled out place to visit.

I hope this helps.

I usually stay at the Tropical Hotel which is only a couple of mins walk from the square and somewhere you will be welcomed with open arms.

Sounds lovely! Thanks for that.

We've found a place now near Afitos and Kalithea, the Country Inn Hotel. Hoping to book soon for next year.

Does anyone know much about thi place? I.E distance to restaraunts, shops etc? We've also heard that it's a wlk from the coach drop off point - an hour and a half I've read! Is this exaggerated?

I think the country inn hotel is on the main road i am not too sure i will check when i am over next week, if i have time i will have a nose around. Thomas cook vouchers! do they go to the nostos nearer to kalathea than afitos but a lovely hotel. Surely if you book thomas cook they won't drop you 90 minutes from the hotel!

Phil

Hi

Another recommendation for Afitos. We have just spent two weeks there and loved it. Sorry can't help with any hotels in the area as we rented a private apartment in the centre of the village. Visited several other villages/beaches in the area and although they were nice they didn't compare to Afitos. If you want any recommendations for restaurants etc let me know but there are loads to choose from.

If you were thinking of renting a car for a couple of days I cannot recommend Kriopigi Cars highly enough. They were a lot cheaper than the others and their service was suberb.

Angie

I think that Sithonia has much more peaceful locatons than Kassandra. As Nikos suggested, Vourvouru is one of 'em. I see, you've already choose a place between Afirhos and Kalithea. Not a bad choice, but if you're still not sure about it, take a look at some places in Sithonia such as Kalamitsi, Sarti, Vourvouru, Agios Ioannis or Toroni. I can tell you something more about the last one.
I spent 10 days in early July last year in Toroni. There's not much to do in the village itself, but enjoying in excellent beach (2km long), breathing the fresh air with pine scent, coming from nearby hills, swimming in crystalclear water, so peaceful, that you can see litlle fish swimms around your legs early in the morning. And in the morning, birds will wake you up. You can watch a bunch of small turtles and frogs with metallic blue/green skin swimming around in local creek. By the way, don't be afraid if some of small orange lizzards come into your room - it is a peaceful, almost domestic, animal. Complete psychedelic sight.
There are several good reastaurants with fresh fish (one of 'em has, as a specialty, octopuss limbs dryied in the sun), and also, several nice bars on the beachfront. In a fact, it's all going on on the beachfront, 'cos the village is streched down by the coastline.
Local pine honey is very good, in my opinion, better than the Kassandra's (but, to be honest, not that strong as the honey from Thassos).
You can visit ruins of old byzantine fortress and afterwards take a walk uphill to the magnificant Koufos Bay. The sight is great, all the way.
Car hire is possible, if i remember well, it starts from 17Eur/day for small Daewoo Matiz.
And not to forget, sunsets are great!

All sounds fantastic, Halikidiki sounds like a wonderful place, can't wait!

All booked in now at the Country Inn hotel near Kalithea for 2 weeks on the 2nd July. Excited! x

I agree with Bonanca and I know Halkidiki very, very well. Sithonia is different.For this reason.From thessaloniki they started to built second houses more possible near the town and every year they had gone always more south east. So more far from thessaloniki, better of course.And another important question. If you go in halkidiki not in very high season- few days- don't make any reservation!!!!! I read that you, but not only you, are with touristic organisations. Mistake!!! Book early in winter for fly, in thessaloniki airport book a car,and go!!! You only necessity is a map. you in Greece will find to eat and to sleep always and in every hour.If you don'like the place, change. Go free! Go where the tourist don't go. You will know the true Greece! No problem of security, never! Beppe

Thanks for the Beppe, but as I explained earlier, I had been given Thomas Cook vouchers through work. Otherwise, I would have travelled independently as I always do.

lisa Wrote:
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> Hanioti

> I would not say it is really commercialised,
> obviously there are tourist shops selling
> souvenirs etc and a few clothes shops etc but no
> perfume shops and the like. There are a couple of
> little jewellery shops.

Are you talking about the Hanioti on Kassandra? I would say it is ONE of the three MOST commercialised towns on the peninsula.

>Most of the streets lead
> off from or to the square and you can have a nice
> wander around, there is no pressure to enter any
> of the shops or bars.

Bars tend to be more expensive (especially for beer) than the Tavernas so drink there, they won't mind if you don't eat

> There are no big groups of lads or girls and no
> lager louts. Its a fairly chilled out place to
> visit.

True

The Masked Avenger Wrote:
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> Are you talking about the Hanioti on Kassandra? I
> would say it is ONE of the three MOST
> commercialised towns on the peninsula.

Yes, it is one of 3 most commercialised towns in Kassandra (supposing that Kalithea and Pefkohori are the other 2). It all goes on somehow slow, a bit sleepy, you know. Comparing to that, Kali and Pef looks like a fairground, with all the lights flashing at you and music coming from every corner.

Hi

You could try Hanioti Village, as your base, its in the Thomas Cook brochure, quiet and peaceful, far enough away from the central square but near enough to get to when you get fed up with doing nothing...... within easy reach of the beach a 45 minute walk from Pefkohori on the beach road

everywhere in halkidiki is fine and by renting a bike u can visit many places
sithonia is more quiet kassandra more alive.
good luck guys
yiannis



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2008 03:07PM by Nikos.

go to hanioti vicky hotel it is in a great place it is not right in the middle of town but not far away from every thing the hotel has really good hosts i have just come back for the 8th year

Hi Michael,

I go to the Vicky in less than four weeks and have never stayed there before, i usually stay across the road in the tropical.

Can you tell me what sort of equipment the Vicky has in their rooms?

Do they have a hairdryer by any chance? or an iron? Am just trying to lighten the load in my case!

also, what kitchen equipment do they have? I have no intentions of preparing 5 course meals but knowing that a kettle is there and i dont have to boil water in a pan - although I am sure this wont be the case!

Also, do they provide towels for use in the shower etc?

As you have been quite a few times you seem a good person to ask!

Hi Laura...

There are so many places to stay in Kassandria, but if you want someting totally different in Halkidiki, don`t forget the north of the area around Poligyros the capitol of the area, where you can explore the forests of the Holomondas hills where there are wild tortoises, wild boar, very few tourists, apart from the coach tours who visit Sogambros restaurant, as far as I know there are non of the major tour companies currently advertising the hinterland in their brochures, but, I`m sure you could find your way there from Macadonia airport.......just turn left towards Sithonia at Nea Moudania then follow the signs to Poligros, you might want to visit Olinthos (the archeological site of a 5000BC city) when you get here!