Acrotel Athena Pallas Resort: Your Gateway to Sithonia, Halkidiki
By Michael Cullen
Ocean gulls soared beside as our cruise boat departed the charming village of Ouranoupoli, the gateway to the holy peninsula of Mt Athos in Greece. Suddenly, a middle-aged Greek lady on deck grabbed my wife Vivien’s hand, placing a slice of bread inside, gesturing for her to feed the hovering gulls. This was accompanied by instructions in rapid Greek, which we did not understand.
Smiles all around as we were encouraged to follow her lead until a gull nearly took Vivien’s finger.
Thankfully, the first of twenty Mt Athos’s Eastern Orthodox monasteries – some dating back 1,000 years appeared – ended the friendly, chaotic cultural exchange. Impossibly built on densely forested slopes reaching 6,670 feet, these castle-like sanctuaries contrast with the area’s undeveloped nature.
As access is restricted to the location on Halkidiki’s third peninsula, Athos Sea Cruises was the best way to see the UNESCO World Heritage site. It was one of many high points during our visit to Sithonia…
Link: https://bookcottages.com/acrotel-athena-pallas-resort-your-gateway-to-sithonia-halkidiki
