he Chalkidiki peninsula lies around 69km Southeast of the northern port city of Thessaloniki, which is the second biggest city in Greece and an economical and cultural center of the Balkan area. Chalkidiki is divided into three long "fingers" which stretch out into the Aegean Sea - namely the areas of Kassandra, Sithonia and Mt Athos (Holy Mountain). Located within the region of Macedonia, its winding coastline is marked by four sizeable gulfs - the Thermaic Gulf to the west, the Gulf of Orfanou to the east as well as the Gulf of Toroni and the Mt Athos Gulf in the south. The three "prongs" cover a landmass measuring 2,945 square kilometres and are home to a population of around 79,000.

Chalkidiki can be accessed by road, or by air through Thessaloniki's international airport. Several domestic flights connect Thessaloniki with the other major greek cities and the islands, while frequent charter flights arrive from abroad. The state-run KTEL offers a daily coach service from Athens to Thessaloniki and from there to Kassandra and Sithonia, while local buses transport visitors between inland villages and coastal resorts. Trains are also available from Athens to Thessaloniki.		click image to view enlarged map...
Entry to Mt Athos is by boat from Ouranoupoli, which is reached via bus from Thessaloniki. The boat takes visitors to the Mt Athos port of Daphne, from where a bus leaves for the town of Karyes.

Photos and text taken from "Chalkidiki & Mount Athos -   today and yesterday" (Toubis Editions)