Halkidiki Roadtripping: Unveiling a Fabulous Alternative to Greece’s Famous Islands
By Michael Cullen
“You see this soil? This is where the magic happens,” Yiannis declared, gesturing to the rows of vines stretching under the sun. “We’ve been growing grapes organically for generations. No need for fancy labels or stamps to tell us we’re doing it right.” Yiannis, the no-nonsense patriarch and chief winemaker at the Tzikas Family Winery in Halkidiki’s Kassandra region proudly declared.
We were in the northern Greek region of Halkidiki, just 40 miles east of Thessaloniki and its international airport. My wife Vivien and I were on a seven-day road trip exploring this less-known alternative to the country’s famous islands. It was our first time here.
Jutting into the northern Aegean, Halkidiki resembles a downward-extended hand with three fingers. Kassandra, Sithonia, and Athos. They extend from Halkidiki’s mainland section, anchored by the fir, oak, and beech-covered Holomondos mountains. From those mountains to 340 miles of pristine coastline, this region boasts nearly a hundred internationally certified clean and safe Blue Flag beaches…
