Halkidiki is a large peninsula located in the northern parts of Greece. It has a form of trident. It is famous as one of the most beautiful places on the European Mediterranean. Here you can find some of the most beautiful Greek beaches. There are many small and nice coves with crystal clear waters. Many of the local beaches have “blue flag”, which is a guarantee of purity and ecology. The relief is mountainous and the slopes of the peninsula are covered with dense Mediterranean vegetation. Halkidiki is a center of the area of Macedonia. This is one of the most beloved places of the foreigners in Greece, not only for its natural beauty, but also because of its unique culture. The large peninsula is consists of three smaller.
The most popular is known as Athos peninsula or Holy Mountain. It is an autonomous region in Greece, which has a religious character. Here you will find about 20 Orthodox monasteries, which are under the Patriarchate in Istanbul, Turkey.
The peninsula of Athos is among the most important religious centers in the world. The atmosphere is truly magical. These old and massive buildings are nestled among the dense vegetation of the peninsula and give a sense of harmony.
Perhaps the most popular are Hilandar and Zograph monastery. The other two peninsulas – Kassandra and Sithonia are occupied mainly with tourism.
This is the main source of incomes in the economy of Halkidiki. The warm subtropical climate makes the tourist season very long and profitable. The summer is a long and hot.
Lasts about six months – May, June, July, August, September and October. The daytime temperatures range from about 22 – 23°C in October to 32°C in July and August.
The winter season lasts from November to about March – April. Daytime temperatures falling to around 10 degrees in January. In April, has already felt the whiff of the summer.
The thermometers show about 18 – 20°C. Rainfall is fairly evenly throughout the year and as a quantity are moderate. Ranged from 20 to 50 – 60 millimeters. The driest months is still August, but most rainy – December.
At the northern-most part of the Halkidiki peninsula is located the second largest and important city in Greece – Thessaloniki. The population is over 800 000 people (urban areas), and soon the population will probably reach one million.