A turquoise bay with pine trees
Greece · Northern mainland

Halkidiki

Three fingers of land reaching into the Aegean below Thessaloniki, with pine forest running down to sand that beats most of the islands. Underrated by British visitors and adored by Greeks.

Flight3h 30m · SKG
Stay7–14 nights
Best monthsMay–Sep
Guide pricefrom £399pp

Kassandra is developed, Sithonia is not

The first two fingers are very different holidays, and the third you can't visit at all.

Kassandra, the western peninsula, has the hotels, the resorts and the nightlife — it's the easy choice and the busier one. Sithonia, the middle finger, is greener, quieter and mostly small bays with pine trees behind them, and it needs a car. The third, Athos, is a self-governing monastic republic where women have not been permitted for over a thousand years; you can only see it from a boat. Almost all British bookings are on Kassandra, and Sithonia is the better beach.

What to do

Beaches, boats, and a monastic republic offshore.

A turquoise bay with pines

Sithonia's bays

Kavourotrypes, Karydi and Armenistis — pine-backed coves with white sand and clear shallow water. The best beaches in northern Greece.

A green coastline

Mount Athos cruise

A boat along the monastic peninsula, the only way most people can see it. Twenty monasteries on cliffs above the sea.

Calm sea and coast

Kassandra's beaches

Sani, Kallithea and Pefkochori — long, sandy and well-served, with the biggest resorts behind them.

A historic town

Thessaloniki

An hour away and Greece's second city. Byzantine walls, the White Tower, and the best food in the country.

A Mediterranean bay

Petralona cave

A cave system with one of the oldest human skulls found in Europe. Inland, cool, and a good hot-afternoon option.

A rocky headland

Ancient Olynthos & Stagira

A classical grid-planned town, and the birthplace of Aristotle above the sea. Both quiet and free of coaches.

Where to stay

Two visitable peninsulas, and they suit different people.

Kassandra

Resorts & convenience

The first finger. Most hotels, sandy beaches and nightlife. Closest to the airport at 60–90 minutes.

Sithonia

Quiet & scenic

The middle finger. Pine-backed coves, small villages, and you'll want a car. The better beaches.

Sani & Kallithea

Smart

Kassandra's upmarket end. Big resort complexes, marina, and good with families.

Ouranoupoli

Athos gateway

On the third finger's edge. Where the Athos cruises leave from, and quiet.

Five things worth knowing

When to go

May to September. The season is shorter than the southern islands.

July and August are hot at 32°C and busy with Greek and Balkan holidaymakers. June and September are ideal — warm sea, comfortable days and much lower prices. It's further north than Crete or Rhodes, so the season is shorter: May can be cool and October is unreliable. Most resorts close from mid-October.

Practical

Flights

3h 30m to Thessaloniki (SKG), seasonal from UK airports and year-round from London.

Transfers

60–120 minutes depending on the peninsula. Sithonia is the longer run.

Currency

Euro. Cards accepted in resorts; village tavernas prefer cash.

Car hire

Essential for Sithonia, optional on Kassandra. Roads are good and traffic is light.

Tell us your dates

We'll pick the peninsula that suits you and flag the transfer time. Payment plan written out in full.

Questions people ask

Kassandra or Sithonia?

Kassandra for convenience, resorts and nightlife. Sithonia for the best beaches and quiet. Sithonia needs a car.

How long is the transfer?

An hour to ninety minutes for Kassandra, up to two for southern Sithonia. Longer than most Greek islands.

Can we visit Mount Athos?

Only men, with a permit arranged months ahead. Everyone can take a boat cruise along the coast, which is how most visitors see it.

Why is it less known to British visitors?

Fewer charter flights and no historic package presence. That's exactly why the beaches are less crowded.

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Halkidiki packages

Flights, accommodation and transfers as one package. Every one can be reshaped — different dates, different board, a different airport, or a stopover on the way.

7 nights in Halkidiki

All inclusive · May–Oct
  • Return flights and private transfers
  • All inclusive throughout
  • Financial protection confirmed in writing before you pay
from £479per person

10 nights in Halkidiki

All inclusive · May–Oct
  • Return flights and private transfers
  • All inclusive throughout
  • The extra nights cost proportionally less — fixed costs don't change
from £609per person

14 nights in Halkidiki

Half board · May–Oct
  • Return flights and private transfers
  • Half board throughout
  • Best value per night, and worth it on a longer flight
from £729per person

Guide prices, per person, based on two sharing, including return flights, accommodation and transfers. They indicate what a holiday of this type has typically cost and are not an offer or a quotation. Your price depends on dates, party, board basis, departure airport and availability, and is confirmed in writing before any payment is taken.

Packages that include Halkidiki

Ready-built itineraries with flights, transfers and internal hops booked as one package, ATOL protected. Every one can be reshaped around your dates.

See all 39 multi-centre itineraries →