Road Trip to Halkidiki: Driving by Some of the Best Beaches in Greece

To Nikiti

We chose for our stay the Nikiti. A large coastal village with lots of infrastructure, which is the ideal base for excursions in the wider region. Of course, the first experience we would have in Halkidiki would be in the water. Following the advice of those most experienced in the beauties of Halkidiki, within minutes we found ourselves at Kastri. It is a wonderful beach between the main beach and the popular beach Saint Jean.

The kids had room to play on the wide sandy beach while we “laid around” in the shade of the trees. If you are traveling with family, this particular beach is a great choice. If you are looking for something more “challenging” or if you like water sports, Ai-Giannis is probably the beach for you. The day ended with an excellent dinner at one of Nikita’s many fine tavernas.

The imposing forest of Holomont

The beaches of Halkidiki are delicious and the food just as delicious, but what will be truly unforgettable from this road trip has nothing to do with the sea.

We got up early because we wanted to have the day ahead of us. In less than an hour of comfortable yet economical driving, we found ourselves in the village brigadier general. It is located in the greenery and imposing Holomont Forest. A magnificent forest with fir trees, pines, chestnut trees, beeches but also running water and clearings with wild flowers. At the same time, many species of wild animals and birds live there, such as wild boars, roe deer, foxes and ferrets.

The village of Christmas trees

THE brigadier general it is not particularly different from other mountain and semi-mountain villages in the region. It also has a picturesque stone square, chapels and beautiful houses. However, what makes the village special is not a creation of man, but of nature.

Around the village, there is a tree farm whose product does not end up on our plate. In winter, temperatures are particularly low and most cultivated plants barely survive. Thus, in the absence of alternatives, the cultivation of fir trees began about 50 years ago, which are found in homes all over Greece during the Christmas season. “All of Greece” is no exaggeration, as it is estimated that more than 2/3 of our country’s Christmas trees are produced here. Trees that are not cut from the forest but planted in fields and in 5-10 years have grown to the right size to be sold and decorated as Christmas trees.

The wider area is ideal for car enthusiasts. With the car of our choice of Notice, the exploration experience has become even more enjoyable. We have wandered long enough in the university forest of Taxiarchi. On beautiful paths, clearings with incredible views and places where we were dazzled by the “paintings” that nature has made. Those who love bicycles, know that here you can rent and enjoy the forest on two wheels.

In picturesque Arnea

Next stop on our journey, the Negative in the northern foothills of the Holomonts and at a distance of about 20 kilometers from Taxiarchis. This town is probably the most beautiful settlement in the mountainous Halkidiki because here many houses are built in the traditional Macedonian way. With bright colors and bassinets, beautiful wooden extensions. We didn’t leave Arnaia without stocking up on local produce, namely honey and mundovina, as the local tsipouro is called, which is also made from honey.

Although our visit to the forest protected us from exposure to extreme heat, it is not meant to be a summer day in Halkidiki which does not include a visit to the sea.

So in the afternoon he found us at one of the beaches in his area Saint Nicolas, about 40 kilometers from Arnaia. More precisely its beach Tranis Ammoudas, which is aptly named. We thought it was wonderful but again on the advice of the locals we took a second dip in the area and the next day in its clear blue waters coast of Pyrgos.

The long way back

The fourth day of the road trip would also have the “melancholy” of the return trip. It is for this reason that the choice to have one’s own vehicle – thanks to Notice– turned out to be completely correct. Thanks to this, we managed to make several stops until we arrived in Athens. The first was at New Flames with the long but also organized sandy beach with crystal clear waters. The second in its archaeological site Vergine.

Spring and early summer are probably the best times to visit. The midday sun cast wonderful colors on the mound. But most impressive of all are the archaeological finds from the royal tombs themselves.

The rest of the trip to Athens was devoted to the question of whether the phrase “There is nothing like Halkidiki” really applies. If someone is looking for both the mountain and the sea, he will hardly disagree.

All good things last a while, but thanks to Avis’ money-saving deals, we’ll soon be on the road again.