PREFECTURE OF CHALKIDIKI

The prefecture is bordered to the north by Thessaloniki`s prefecture while at the other three sides there is the Aegean Sea, gulfs of: Thermaicos, Kassandra`s or else Toroneo, Agion Oros or Sigitico, Orphanou or Strymona and Ierrissou or Acanthios.
Chalkidiki is a really blessed area, with natural beauties. Every year, thousands of visitors from Greece and foreign countries come here to find moments of peace and tranquillity under the hot sun of our country. The coastline measures almost 500 km , fact which means that one can choose the place he wants to go for vacations, deserted, cosmopolitan or something between these two ones. In many areas of Chalkidiki there are pine-trees reaching to the sea, golden sandy beaches and idyllic anchorages. All these compose an ideal spot for the summer vacations. The only inhabited islet of Chalkidiki is Ammouliani in Sigitikos Gulf, between Sithonia and Agio Oros.
Cholomontas, the mountain of the prefecture, is rich in ores known since the ancient times. The villages in the area are called Mantemochoria. Chalkidiki is famous for the wines and the excellent honey produced there. In Arnea and Ormylia one can find admirable hand-woven material and in Ouranopoli, beautiful rugs. 

The discovery of the skull of the "Archanthropos" in the cave of Petralona is evidence of the ancient settlement in the area, [at least since BC 600,000]. Chalkidiki is closely connected with the legends and the traditions of the area since the ancient times. First inhabitants of Chalkidiki were the Thraceans while the first who inhabited Athos`s peninsula was the tribe of Pelasges.
During the period of the great colonization activity, the Eretrians and the Chalkidians (inhabitants of Eretreia and Chalkida of Euboea) settled in the area because of the rich ores and the fertile land. Many cities of Chalkidiki flourished but the most significant of them was Olynthos which was successfully seiged in BC 348 by King Philip the second and became city of the Macedonia kingdom. 

Poligiros: Capital of the prefecture with a population of 5,684 inhabitants built on a "balcony" of Cholomontas Mountain and has an excellent view of the peninsulas and the sea. It was inhabited since the Prehistorical Times, whike in the Classic Times the city of Apollonia was flourishing. In the area of Palaiporta, 6km south-west of Polygyros, ancient Apollonia is localized. The name Polygyros is firstly mentioned in the 11th century. The remains of the Byzantine church of Agios Nickolaos at Selio, indicate the area of the ancient city.

Kassandra: There are sailboats sailing all around the peninsula. It is famous for its beaches, the valleys and the plush pine forest situated towards the coasts.

From Nea Kallikrateia the littoral road to Kassandra passes through coastal resorts, littoral villages and sandy beaches. In 1959, a skull of a woman of 25 years old was found in a cave of Petralona village. It is dated in BC 600,000 and gave the scientists new data about "Paleanthropos", which is an evolutional stage between the Homo Erectus and Homo Sapiens. This cave was inhabited 700,000 years ago and there was found animal fossils and traces of fire. Some of the Findings are exposed in the Paleontological Museum, at the entrance of the cave.

Sithonia: The second "foot" of Chalkidiki is the peninsula of Sithonia, lying between the Gulf of Cassandra and the Gulf of Agion Oros. Here, there are enchanting sites, impressive hotel units' proofs of the touristic development as well as beautiful beaches.

Ouranoupolis: The last village before one reaches Agion Oron, famous for its beaches and clean sea. It preserves the name of the ancient city of Ouranoupoli, which was lying near Trypiti and it was built by Alexarchos, brother of Kassandros, in BC 315. Just before the border of Agion Oron lies Frangokastro, reminding the period of the Franks` domination. Boats leave from here to Dafni, the first point where one starts seeing the city of castles of Agion Oros. Worth seeing is the tower of Proforios, built (1344) in an area which belonged to Batopediou Monastery. It is the biggest tower of Chalkidiki. In the middle of the 19th century it suffered damages and it was repaired. The buildings that surround it were built at that time.

Mount Athos covers an area of about 336 sq. kilometres, with 112 kilometres of coastline and 1.550 inhabitants; it is an imposing place in the northern Aegean, surrounded by trees and bluff cliffs. Its mountains are 2.033 meter high, extend to the sky and approach the clouds. When the atmosphere is clean you can see from the little church of Metamorphosis Sotiros (Transfiguration of Christ) nearly half the Aegean; the bays of Troy in the east and the mountain Olympus in the west. Some of the monks claim to be able to see the dome of Agia Sofia springing like a flower from the earth in the East.

The twenty monasteries in hierarchical order are as follows:

• Megisti Lavra
• Vatopediou
• Iviron
• Helandariou
• Dionysiou
• Koutloumousiou
• Pantokrator
• Xiropotamou
• Zographou
• Dohiariou
• Karakalou
• Philotheou
• Simonos Petra
• Agiou Pavlou
• Stavronikita
• Xenophontos
• Gregoriou
• Esphigmenou
• Panteleimon (Russian monastery)
• Konstamonitou