Ouranoupoli Village Chalkidiki Peninsula
Ouranoupoli village which in Greek means "the city of paradise", is considered the gateway to Mount Athos. About 120 km from Thessaloniki it is located on the third phalanx of the Chalkidiki Peninsula which is home to the Holy Mountain.
A real celestial landscape made of mountains and sea where you can spend your holidays in Greece in the name of relaxation and a starting point for the spiritual journey of pilgrims.
A village that is home to a thousand stable inhabitants but which has had a strong expansion for visits to Mount Athos, thus boasting large hotel complexes suitable for all budgets, taverns with very fresh fish since it is located exactly in the gulf rich in food, cafes where you can relax while admiring the view, various activities to do such as beautiful walks in the mountains or in the wonderful forest that surrounds it, or stay on the beach until an enchanting and mystical sunset, go diving, try water sports and still explore the islands of Ammouliani and Drenia nearby.
If you are a gentleman, you can be content to admire the sacred mountain from the boat with one of the many excursions that are proposed, while if you are male gentlemen, you can go directly to the mountain but always with the permission that you will have to request before going and picking up your Diamonitirio written authorization to access it.
Founded in 315 a. C from Alexarchus, brother of Kassandro, king of the Macedonians, it was an important commercial center due to its position. An Andrian colony was built on the ruins of the city of Sanis which Philip II completely destroyed. Numerous archaeological finds are found with the excavations of 1959 such as the remains of a building from the Hellenistic period, coins with figures of Ouranio Aphrodite sitting on a ball and with an eight-rayed sun. About a kilometer from the village a bridge over the water and an aqueduct dating back to the post Byzantine was found and to the east a Roman tomb from the 3rd century AD. After the destruction of Asia Minor, refugees from Marmara and Propontida took refuge in the area, starting to build houses and give life to the village. In 1954 an underwater archaeological expedition found the remains of ancient walls, a bridge and houses that bear witness to the ancient Ouranoupolis.
Tourism began to develop in the 1960s and from there began the expansion of Ouranoupoli with roads and services increasingly aimed at comfort. From here the ferry leaves every day to Daphne the port of Mount Athos and to visit the Drenia island or Ammouliani island.
To visit the Tower of Pitosforo (it was the first name given to the village) near the port at the end of the city beach, an imposing Byzantine construction of 1344 the best preserved of all the Chalkidiki Peninsula with a fortified courtyard called Barbakas. Owned by the Vatopediou Monastery during the earthquake of 1585 it was seriously damaged and definitively abandoned. Later it was rebuilt with three other floors that can still be seen today. In 1862 an internal wooden paneling and roof were integrated. The oblique retaining wall on the outside (skarpa) was built in the Ottoman period when the three floors were erected. In 1928 the Lock spouses from Australia, part of the Kouakers religious group, settled in the tower to support the refugees with their humanitarian aid and helped to preserve the traditional patterns of hand-made fabrics, activities for which the area was and still is note.
About one kilometer from the tower is the Monastery of Zygou or also called Frangocastro or Castle of the Franks dating back to the 10th century and outside the borders of Mount Athos, therefore it can also be visited by the fair sex. Between 1202 and 1204 the Franks ruled and the monastery was converted into a castle. With its five sides and eleven towers, already in 992 it was an important monastic center of the Atonite state. Abandoned at the end of the 12th century, today it is possible to admire the remains of the main church the Catholicon. Excavations and restoration operations are still underway.
Ouranoupoli village is certainly a place of great historical beauty and where it is possible to spend holidays in the name of peace and rest. Its long sandy beach with transparent turquoise-emerald waters is ideal for a day at the beach, it is equipped and surrounded by a great choice of hotels and restaurants. It will be a pleasant moment to stroll through the alleys of the village where there are local craft shops and where you can find the perfect souvenir as well as relax in one of the charming retro-looking cafes
.From Ouranoupoli you can see all the monasteries of Mount Athos on the western side and explore the beautiful beaches in the surroundings.
Make it on your list of things to do at Mount Athos this beautiful country where the border between.