Visiting Chalkidiki, Greece for the first time was an interesting experience, here is why

Summer in Greece – always a good idea

This time in our first summer trip abroad we decided do visit Greece again. But the destination was different from what we have visited so far – Thessaloniki area, Kavala, Katerini (Paralia Katerini and Olympiaki) and Asprovalta. We decided to visit Halkidiki (also known as Chalkidiki) and its middle finger (ha-ha sounds funny, doesn’t it).

And even though it was a bit further away from Thessaloniki, choosing Halkidiki was definitely a good idea.

The Location

Neos Marmaras is one of the very popular resorts or should I call it small town that accommodates thousands of guests each year. It is located some 120 kilometers away from the city of Thessaloniki so you will have another hour and a half drive from the Macedonia international airport in case you are travelling by plane.

Neos Marmaras views

Neos Maramras is a beautiful place with nice views of the Aegean sea. Its population (permanent) is a bit above 3000 people and couple of hundred cats as well. Yes. there are literally hundreds of awesome cats living on the streets of Noes Marmars and they make this small town even more charming (cat haters please go elsewhere, to the moon lets say, thank you).

Neos Marmaras – small cruise boat in Halkidiki

Neos Marmaras port just before sunrise

Neos Marmaras in the evening

The weather

We had a very good warm and sunny weather throughout our short 4-day vacation in Halkidiki. It was the end of June and we didn’t face any bad weather, thankfully.

The beach

The city beach in Neos Marmaras is a nice one but definitely a small one as well. Comparing it to what we’ve seen in the Katerini area the beaches in most Halkidiki spots are much smaller. Of course one has the option to go to any of the amazing picturesque beaches that are in the area, usually a short 10-15 minute drive. You can enjoy the crystal clear waters that people see on postcards most of the time.

Neos Marmaras, Halkidki views – video

Prices

Staying in Neos Marmaras is definitely not expensive. Accommodation in a guest house or in a small hotel will cost you around 35-40 Euros per night for double room. Food prices are not the cheapest in Greece but again definitely quite affordable. We noticed that alcohol is  a bit more expensive there (local beers cost around 4 Euros for a beer).

Bars and Restaurants 

There many restaurants and places to eat typical Greek food in Neos Marmaras. You can also enjoy international food (strangely but we had one of the best pizzas in the last couple of years, including those we tried in Italy). There also couple of bars in the town and many beach bars in the area (you will need a car for these, since they are not on a walking distance).

Kavala and Thassos, Greece – one-day trip

Well, that is a short brief of our first trip to Halkidiki peninsula. We would be happy to hear how did you find Greece during your visit there, any advice or recommendations, anything that you liked or didn’t like?

And in case you are planning to visit France (Tour d’France is taking place this time of the year), here is where you can find cheap transportation and hotels in Paris.