Halkidiki

Halkidiki extends from mainland northern Greece into the Aegean as three distinctive peninsulas, each offering a different experience. Kassandra, the westernmost and most developed finger, draws families and nightlife seekers to long sandy beaches backed by modern resorts and the traditional clifftop village of Afytos. Sithonia, the middle peninsula, is wilder and quieter — over 100 beaches are scattered along its indented coastline, from the famous Kavourotripes (Orange Beach) with its white rock formations to the crystal-clear lagoon around Diaporos Island near Vourvourou. Porto Koufo, at Sithonia southern tip, is the deepest natural harbour in Greece, surrounded by cliffs and seafood tavernas. The easternmost peninsula is Mount Athos, a UNESCO-listed autonomous monastic state home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries dating as far back as the 10th century. Access requires a special permit and is restricted to men; everyone else can admire the monasteries from sea-level boat cruises departing Ouranoupoli. Beyond the beaches, Halkidiki interior holds Petralona Cave, where a 700,000-year-old human skull was unearthed, and Ancient Stagira, the birthplace of Aristotle, now an interactive open-air science park.