Halkidiki is an area of Greece in the north of the country located less than 50km south of Thessaloniki. It is comprised of three peninsulas called Kassandra, Sithonia and Athos, which poke out like fingers into the Aegean Sea and so it is easily distinguishableon the map! The capital of the region is Poligyros, a quaint historical town situated up in the mountains with a spectacular view overlooking the three peninsulas.

Halkidiki is a stunning, diverse holiday destination offering a wide variety of settings to suit all preferences from quiet, traditional seaside and mountain top villages to numerous lively tourist resorts with nightlife. There are also many places to choose from suitable for permanent living or visiting out of season where they have small residential communities with schools, shops and services open all year.

The coastline of Halkidiki is in excess of 500km and for many years there are more blue flags awarded for cleanliness to beaches around Halkidiki than in any other part of Greece! There is so much beach in fact, that it seems to stretch on forever!! They range from the trendy organised beach bars, to totally secluded little bays often where pine trees grow right next to the shore providing natural shade and you can enjoy in complete solitude. The majority of beach is incredibly soft and sandy but others, just as captivating, are covered in beautiful multicoloured pebbles.

Another attribute Halkidiki is famous for is its olive production, which is due to the fortuitous climate in this northern region. One of the most impressive sights besides the amazing turquoise blue hues of the sea are the endless olive groves that carpet most of the area creating a gorgeous, very green contrast. The area in general is also quite hilly and has parts that are clad in pine trees especially the mountains, which are protected. This natural, climbing terrain throughout the region means that you don’t need to be restricted to the first line or travel too far from the coast to find the highly sought after panoramic sea views.

The relatively close proximity to Greece’s second biggest city also really sets Halkidiki apart from the islands. Not only does it have an international airport on the doorstep with many low cost airlines flying all year round, making it easier to travel from further afield, but also there is access to a full complement of well known stores with reasonable delivery costs as well as availability of specialist services such as city hospitals both of which are important factors to consider when looking at locations for a second home. Moreover, Thessaloniki is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city and fascinating place to visit for a day trip or 10 if visitors ever tire of the beach!

Apart from all these features, Halkidiki also has an interesting past from ancient times, which is mentioned in several of the Greek myths so there are also many archaeological sites and museums to visit in the area and learn all about the local history.