KALITHEA
Area: Halkidiki
Country: Greece


Location:
Midway along the E coast of the Kassandra peninsula. 54 miles SE of Thessaloniki, 49 miles SE its airport by good, fast road.

Telephone code from UK:
30 23740

Position:
Straddles main road, on coastal strip with low hills inland, approached by winding road through pine woods. NE-facing shore.

Description:
Straggling, modern village with disadvantage of fast through traffic. Low-rise, modern buildings with hotels and tourist shops, restaurants, easily outnumbering houses. A mile S is another, more glitzy array of restaurants and bars servicing the Athos Palace/Pallini Beach complex.

Suitability:
Broad appeal; for beach lovers.

Accommodation:
Private villas, apartments; a few small guesthouses in village; two upmarket hotels outside.

Shopping:
Basics; clothes; tourist trinkets. No local specialities except honey.

Beach:
Steeply downhill from main road. A wide bay with light but coarse sand, rimmed with tavernas.

Entertainments:
Daytime: ruin of Temple of Zeus on shore. Nightlife: music bars, hotels.

Eating:
Plenty of choice among tavernas and fast food outlets, but almost exclusively for the tourists.

Public-transport:
6 buses daily, Paliouri to Thessaloniki and back.

Local-excursions:
Mount Athos boat trip from Ouranopolis; sightseeing/shopping to Thessaloniki; Classical Tour to Pella and Veria (full day); exploring some of the inland and fishing villages; caves of Petralona.