The east Villages of Kassandra Pensiola Chalkidiki

As we told you in the article dedicated to the villages of the west coast, the Kassandra peninsula is a constant surprise. Large beaches with soft sand with a clean blue sea, forests and pine forests that reach the shore, events to learn more about the lifestyle of its inhabitants, food and wine tours that will satisfy even the most demanding palates and a lot of history. The peninsula of Kassandra offers everything and for all budgets, there are many extra luxury hotels for those who want an unforgettable holiday with all the possible comforts as there are many accommodations at lower prices that still offer moments that will remain indelible in your memory.

Even its villages are different and with different attractions and it is worth putting them on the list of things to do in Kassandra, passing from enchanting landscapes to almost Caribbean coasts where you can spread your towel and enjoy so much generosity from nature.

Let's start with the Nea Fokea village which is located at the very beginning of the finger. A classic fishing village that in recent years is undergoing constant development where finding excellent fish taverns is not absolutely difficult and where you can buy it directly from the boats. A village that lacks nothing, from bars to small shops to accommodation facilities such as hotels or apartments, to a decent nightlife that is not too noisy, luckily we add, a small beach and a couple of historical sites of all importance. The area was part of the Holy Mountain, but at the beginning of the twentieth century it was donated to Greek refugees who fled from Turkey who, having no houses, dismantled the medieval buildings to be able to build them. In reality, the village of Nea Fokea has much more distant origins, urban agglomerations already existed in the Middle Ages. To date it has one thousand seven hundred permanent inhabitants who are mainly dedicated to fishing and tourism. The symbol of the village is the Byzantine tower dating back to the fifteenth century that watches over the village from the hill on the right. Built in stone, it is seventeen meters high and the story tells that the revolutionary Emmanuel Pappas had established his headquarters inside the tower in 1821. On the opposite side of the tower, a chapel in a rock where there is a source considered sacred dedicated to apostolo Paolo the protector of the town who, according to legend, took refuge in the cave when he arrived in the area. To reach the tower and the cave you can take a beautiful walk even in the evening as the path is well lit, where the view of the sea and the port is a precious reward. If you are in these parts on 29 and 30 June, do not miss the annual fair dedicated to the apostles Paul and Peter called the Kassandra Festival where musical, theatrical, cinema and dance events are organized with the presence of Greek and foreign artists. At the entrance of Nea Fokea, the monastery of St. Paul. The city beach is small but soft sand and with a very clean sea that slowly descends, perfect for families with children. Nea Fokea is much loved by the Thessalonians who come to her over the weekend to take a break from their busy life.

We pass to the picturesque Afytos village considered the most beautiful of the Kassandra peninsula, just above a hill with a magnificent view of the Toroneos gulf, Afitos is the classic village with an ancient flavor with its stone houses embellished with bright colored flowers, cobbled streets and small squares that create a background in perfect harmony with the surrounding nature. A long history accompanies the village with finds of settlements from 3000 BC when it became part of the Athenian Alliance. In 348 BC Philip I destroyed everything and then rebuilt it again. Under the Roman domination it developed mainly thanks to the monument of Ammon Zeus. A romantic town with pedestrian access only, where the lights of the night give a magical atmosphere almost like a time gate. Lots of places to drink something especially above the cliff with a crazy view of the sea, taverns and starred restaurants where you can try traditional dishes and many events especially during the summer for the joy of young and old. If you are in Afytos for your holidays in Greece on August 15th, do not miss the Santa Maria festival full of music, typical dances and food at will. To visit the church of San Demetrio with its particular architecture built in 1859 right in the central square, the ancient residences and the sculptures of Vassilis Pavlis that give that artistic touch to Afytos. Also in the center is the interesting Folklore Museum housed in the Casa Aletras which always offers art exhibitions relating to the tools used by the locals that will make you appreciate and better understand how life once was. Also worthy of a visit are the Chapel of Saint George and the Chapel of the Assumption. Another attraction are the beaches and how they can be missed. Varkes beach on the left is small but with a sandy coast and a turquoise sea with always very calm waters. One part is completely free, while the other is equipped with sun beds and umbrellas right on the rock. The city beach in the center is very long but not very popular because it is full of rocks. On the right of the village we find the Liosi beach, narrow and never crowded with rocks on the bottom and a gradual seabed. In conclusion you will find everything you need for a perfect holiday and Afytos will surely leave you speechless.

We continue with the  Kallithea village the most dynamic of the Kassandra peninsula in the central part facing east. Kallithea in Greek means beautiful view and the reason for this appellation is given by the fact that thanks to its elevated position on a hill, it offers a fantastic view over the Gulf of Toroneos with its turquoise sea and its unforgettable sunsets. Surrounded by a thriving pine forest, the old town is actually very quiet and offers taverns where you can taste traditional dishes, bars and shops as well as accommodation for those who decide to stay in this area. It is very populated in summer, sometimes too much in our opinion, but it is still a beautiful seaside resort where nothing is missing. A very popular destination for young people from Thessaloniki who can travel for the weekend by bus for the modest sum of € 10 each way and in less than two hours. Here, in fact, less than two kilometers away, a great choice of night clubs with theme nights and DJ sets from all over Europe, a real amusement playground for adults. But Kallithea is not just nightlife and nightlife, it is also good for families who certainly crave quieter days and who better than the splendid beach can offer them what they are looking for? A coast of soft white sand bathed by a calm, clear and turquoise sea that slowly descends where children can have fun in safety. They are very well equipped and have all the comforts for a relaxing day at the beach. From the historical point of view, Kallithea offers its guests the Cave of Dionysus and the water lilies, the temple of Ammon Zeus and the Monastery of San Panteleimon, sites that absolutely must not be missed.

We go down to Kriopigi village just after the village of Kallithea about six kilometers away. It is perched on a hill surrounded by maritime pines with a spectacular view over the Gulf of Toroneos which gives the second finger to the Sithonia peninsula. A town with traditional and ancient houses in the center that mix with large hotels and accommodation facilities without bothering each other. Suitable for families as it is quiet, it is built as an amphitheater at the foot of the hill and you can find traditional taverns around the main square that offer local cuisine and taste the typical Greek liqueur Ouzo, souvenir and folk art shops and also as an alternative to pubs with international snacks. Kriopigi which means cold spring in Greek for the natural source of cold water, has about five hundred permanent inhabitants and is famous for the production of olives, oil, honey and fruit. About two kilometers to visit the remains of an ancient Roman villa known as Old Castle (in Greek Paliokastro). The area has very ancient origins and is located right between the historic cities of Neapoli and Flegra. Until the twentieth century, it was called Pasaria which in Greek means "small bazaar" and unfortunately the origin of the name derives from the fact that women and children during the Ottoman rule were sold as objects. Kriopigi also hosted a hero of the Greek war of independence of 1821, Captain Stamtios Kapsas who led the insurrection by winning over the Turks east of Thessaloniki. Kriopigi is an excellent starting point for visiting Petralona Caves and Stagiria the city where Aristotele was born. To reach the beach from the village you can take a walk downhill on the way out and obviously uphill on the way back for about ten minutes in the midst of cool pine forests. A long beach of light sand awarded with the Blue Flag with rocks in some points, a brilliant green-blue sea with crystal clear waters and rich vegetation behind it. It is equipped with sunbeds, umbrellas, beach bars and taverns where you can eat something. Here too the offer for accommodation is not lacking, you can find from cheap accommodation to extra luxury structures, to apartments, guest houses and hotels. For nature lovers a large campsite in the trees.

Let's move now to Polichrono village towards the southern part of Kassandra about a hundred kilometers from Thessaloniki. Polichrono has a long history behind it, at the time its name was Neapoli and it was founded in the seventh century BC as a colony of Eretria. During the Roman domination it was moved to a more sheltered area to avoid the attacks of the enemy tribes. In the 11th century it was mainly inhabited by shepherds and farmers who gave life to the village called Polychoro which in Greek means “colored” due to the multitude of wild flowers. However, during the Turkish domination, it was destroyed and later rebuilt by the surviving inhabitants who returned to their lands, changing the name to Polychrono for a verbal error which instead means "a long time". Polichrono offers its visitors all the comforts, such as a wide choice of hotels, landlords or apartments, restaurants and taverns, bars, shops and beach bars. It has a classic aspect with its houses and small squares in the shade of ancient trees where the elderly gather to play and discuss the thousand themes of life. A curious Popular Museum organizes interesting exhibitions throughout the year that tell the habits and way of life of the area from ancient times to 1800. From the historical point of view, this village also has something to offer such as the ancient Acropolis on top of a hill full of pines that houses an ancient cemetery and an early Christian church with marble columns, do not miss the church of Agios Athanasios from 1912, the square of the Birth of Christ with its church from 1863. About three kilometers from Polichrono a nature reserve with the small freshwater lake Mavrobara, the only one in the entire Kassandra peninsula where a particular species of tortoise of the Maruremys Caspica species lives only here. Being at a certain height, the lake enjoys a wonderful panoramic view of the sea and the surrounding countryside. The seven-kilometer long promenade has a beautiful promenade with many cafes and small shops. The coast is of fine clear sand with a clear, transparent, warm and always calm aquamarine sea with a gently sloping seabed. On the beach there are various activities in which to try your hand at beach volley, pedal boats and water sports. It is mostly equipped but with a completely free portion. Polichrono is very suitable for families because it is quiet and with everything at hand. Obviously in the summer it gets busy but there is always a price to pay for the convenience. A very positive note is the fact that during the summer the road is closed to traffic from 19.00 to 24.00 becoming all a pedestrian zone. The sunrise is a fantastic sight, the sun rises on the small Kelyfos island and on Mount Athos right in front of the pine forest and the springs not to be missed.

We continue with Hanioti village further and further south of the Kassandra Peninsula. Directly on the coast just below the hills full of conifers, it offers everything you need for a comfortable holiday and the inhabitants are very hospitable and friendly. Its name derives from the first resident who in all probability came from Chania the city of Crete (chanioti those who live in chania) and then transformed into Hanioti. The surrounding flora is very dense so that there are numerous parks where you can take the children to play or where to relax in the shade of very old trees. The hinterland of Hanioti is rich in springs. The original village is actually located about two kilometers from today's settlement as in 1930 a violent earthquake razed everything to the ground. The new agglomeration then moved to the coast, has a beautiful pedestrian area that includes the central square with a small fountain, cafes, taverns typical of northern Greek cuisine and shops of all kinds up to the promenade where the hub of life is located. Hotels of all prices, apartments, small supermarkets, restaurants and many, many centuries-old trees where you can stop and take some shade. Immediately after the seafront, the beach, awarded with the Blue Flag of sand and gravel with extremely clear waters and gently sloping seabeds, perfect for children and the elderly. At times it is fully equipped with sun beds and umbrellas, while other parts are completely free. The coastline widens towards the outskirts of Hanioti towards Pefkohori with a sandy beach, while towards Polichrono it is pebbly. A bus service can take you everywhere if you decide not to rent your own vehicle for your holidays in Greece. In the evening Hanioti comes alive with stalls on the promenade and with events that are organized for the entertainment of guests. If you want a crazy night instead, you have to move to Kallithea.

And here we are at Pekochori village lower and lower than Kassandra about one hundred kilometers from Thessaloniki. Its name takes it from the pines (in Greek pefka) that dominate the slope on the bay of Toroneaos and previously it was Kapsohora (in Greek scorched earth) for a fire in the year 1805 that burned the whole area and for the continuous assaults of the pirates used to burn everything. Its center is in neoclassical style with its brick-paved streets, a central square with its fresh water fountain, alleys and gardens colored by flowers with many shades and lemon trees, cafes, taverns and shops of all kinds. Its waterfront, rich in vegetation and with scenographic lighting, offers a wide choice of restaurants offering fresh fish dishes, places to have a drink after dinner and some clubs to stay up late. A small stone pier stretches out into the water where at the end there is a small three meter high do, alas, not working but very characteristic and decorated with graffiti by local artists. Like all the villages of the peninsula, it is booming and here too there is no shortage of accommodation facilities for all needs. Pefkohori also hosts the famous ITENBA regatta in the summer. The local beach is very long and of sand mixed with small pebbles washed by a crystalline and blue sea with a sloping seabed perfect for the elderly and young guests. It is well equipped and there will be plenty of choice for where to stop. About three kilometers away is the natural port of Glarokavos, a beautiful lagoon fed by sea water surrounded by dunes and pine forests. And again the Chrousso beach and Xenia beach in the nearby village of Paliouri. The only preserved historic building is an old mill.

We end up with Paliouri village, the last important village on the east coast of Kassandra. With its eight hundred inhabitants at an altitude of one hundred and fifty meters above sea level, it is the area where mainly the best honey and superior quality oil are produced. Its name derives from a kind of thorny shrub that used to enclose the houses. The classic mountain village, surrounded by pine forests and paths to discover for trekking lovers. Narrow alleys and old houses and the classic square where residents love to meet. Even in Paliouri despite not being a coastal town, there is everything you need such as spa hotels, guest houses, taverns with local and traditional proposals, and a large campsite for nature lovers surrounded by trees. Paliouri includes small surrounding towns of hills, pine forests and beautiful lagoons such as the Chrousso beach also called Kanavitsa a fantastic bay with a dense forest behind it and a coastline of soft white sand with a turquoise sea and clean, shallow waters. Equipped for most of its length, it offers water sports, sun beds, umbrellas and the three most famous bars on the peninsula with memorable parties and DJ sets from all over the world. About two kilometers from Paliouri Agios Nikolaos village which houses two pretty bays, a natural harbor and the historic church of the same name built with the stones of a temple dedicated to the God Apollo. The story goes that in the past Paliouri was the ancient city of Theramvos mentioned by Herodotus which was besieged by Serge's army in 400 BC