✈️ Scandinavian Tourists Discover Halkidiki – The Diamond of Northern Greece 💎

Looking for a place that blends turquoise beaches, rich history, luxury villas, and authentic Greek hospitality — all just a few hours from home?

Scandinavian travelers, meet Halkidiki, the undiscovered gem of Northern Greece. With direct flights from Oslo, Stockholm, and Helsinki, your summer escape is closer than you think.

🛫 Easy Access: Direct Flights from Scandinavia to Thessaloniki

Halkidiki’s beauty is now more accessible than ever thanks to direct seasonal flights to Thessaloniki International Airport (SKG) — just a short drive from the peninsula.

• From Oslo (OSL) – Norwegian & SAS offer direct flights during summer months.
• From Stockholm (ARN) – Multiple weekly flights from SAS, Ryanair, and Norwegian.
• From Helsinki (HEL) – Finnair and Ryanair connect you directly to Thessaloniki in under 3 hours.

Once you land, Halkidiki’s paradise is just a scenic 45–90 minute drive away.

🏖️ The Best Beaches in Halkidiki

Halkidiki is shaped like a trident, with three "legs" — Kassandra, Sithonia, and Mount Athos — each offering their own coastal charm.

🌅 Sithonia – Natural Beauty & Hidden Coves

• Kavourotrypes – Crystal-clear waters, smooth rocks, and pine trees right on the sand.
• Karidi Beach – A dreamlike bay with shallow turquoise waters.
• Trani Ammouda – Spacious and perfect for families.

🌊 Kassandra – Lively & Luxurious

• Sani Beach – White sands, stylish beach bars, and top-tier resorts.
• Hanioti and Pefkohori - family vacation in the typical village
• Afitos - Authentic Greek atmosphere with beautiful aesthetics – perfect for couples
• Possidi – Untouched nature and a serene atmosphere.

🍷 A Taste of Halkidiki: Gastronomy That Delights

Scandinavians will fall in love with the fresh, local cuisine of Northern Greece — simple, seasonal, and full of flavor.

Try this: Grilled sea bass with olive oil and lemon, creamy Tzatziki, local feta cheese, and homemade bougatsa (custard pastry).

Wine Lovers: Visit local vineyards producing award-winning Greek varietals like Assyrtiko and Xinomavro.

Olives & Honey: Halkidiki is famous for its plump green olives and aromatic pine honey.

🏛️ History & Heritage: Walk in the Footsteps of Legends

🧠 Aristotle’s Legacy

Visit Stagira, the birthplace of Aristotle, the ancient philosopher who taught Alexander the Great. Explore the Aristotle Park, featuring interactive exhibits based on his scientific discoveries.

⚔️ Alexander the Great

Take a day trip to Vergina to see the royal tombs of King Philip II, father of Alexander the Great — an essential stop for history lovers.

⛰️ Mount Athos & Spiritual Wonders

Though access to Mount Athos is restricted (males only, with a special permit), you can still admire the Byzantine monasteries by boat from Ouranoupoli — a moving experience of Greece’s spiritual soul.

🏰 Meteora (Optional Overnight Trip)

A bit further inland (about 3.5 hours), the cliff-top monasteries of Meteora are a UNESCO World Heritage site and offer jaw-dropping views and spiritual serenity.

🛌 Stay in Style: Luxury Beach Villa for Ultimate Relaxation

Forget the crowds. Our handpicked luxury beach villa in Sithonia offers you privacy, peace, and breathtaking sea views.

• Private pool & garden
• Direct beach access
• Chef services & concierge
• Ideal for families or couples

Scandinavian-friendly amenities like strong Wi-Fi, eco-conscious design, and minimalistic elegance

Recharge with morning swims, sunset wine by the pool, and nights under the stars. Your own slice of paradise awaits — no crowds, no stress.

🌟 Why Halkidiki is Perfect for Scandinavian Travelers

✔️ Short & direct flights

✔️ Nature-focused, sustainable tourism

✔️ Fresh Mediterranean food

✔️ Warm but not scorching summer weather

✔️ A balance of adventure, culture, and relaxation

Ready to Experience Halkidiki?

Whether you're planning a family vacation, romantic getaway, or friends' retreat — Halkidiki is Northern Greece’s best-kept secret. And now, it’s yours to explore.

Book by us: www.halkidikivilla.com

Thessaloniki in autumn: the perfect break!

Thessaloniki – high blue skies, warm sunshine, a place where the locals will meet, enjoy their coffee or food across the sea. It’s one of the liveliest cities in Europe, crowded with coffee shops and restaurants but also the favorite place for shopping and city tours in the Balkans. 

This city is ideal for putting on comfortable shoes and simply sightseeing. There is so much to look at, an ancient place  bearing the marks of its history and its cosmopolitan character, which give it a special beauty and charm.

Spend the morning…

Start with Aristotelous Square, the city’s most central square boasting monumental mansions. It is one of the biggest and most impressive squares in Greece offering a view of Thermaikos Gulf. Under clear skies, you can see the Olympus massif in the far distance from the Square.

Stroll down Nikis Avenue across the seafront, extending from the city’s Port (to the W) up to the Statue of Alexander the Great (in the E), lined with many cafés, bars and stores. It is one of the most popular promenade areas for locals and visitors alike.

The White Tower (Lefkos Pyrgos) is the city's landmark.The 33.9 m. high fortified cylinder tower measuring 22.7 m. in diameter was built under Suleiman I the Magnificent in the 16th century. It was part of the city’s fortification and was later used by the Turks as a place of execution (it was called Kanli Kasteli which means "tower of blood"). It goes by its current name since the 19th century. Inside the Tower, there is an exhibition on Thessaloniki' s history, from its establishment until 1922. 

Have lunch…

Ladadika is one of the most popular areas in the city of Thessaloniki. In fact the locals call it "the heart of entertainment" . The area is next to the port of the city, in the historic center. Its name was taken from the Greek word oil because in the past there were many shops trading olive oil here.

Why you should visit it?

Today in this area there are many restaurants, cafés and bars, open till dawn.

Ladadika is one of the liveliest areas of Thessaloniki with visitors of all ages. A stroll through its small narrow streets is highly recommended!

Spend the afternoon…

Agias Sofias st. (vertical to Tsimiski st.) has been recently pedestrianized experimentally, thus creating one more beautiful shopping area where you can find some local brands with a very good value for money concept. Don’t forget to take your time and have a coffee in one of the plenty cafes around, where you can relax in a quite environment in Thessaloniki city center shopping area.

Have dinner at…

The Old City (Ano Polis), in which many notable examples of Ottoman and traditional Macedonian architecture still stand, alongside humble dwellings put up by the refugees who reached Thessaloniki in droves, after the Greek defeat in Asia Minor, in 1922.

Spend an evening by the fire with a glass of retsina (traditional Greek wine). Tsinari neighbourhood is one of the most prominent and charming parts of Ano Poli and is full of traditional buildings and nice taverns. The feeling that you get when you walk through the alleys of Tsinari is that you’re wandering around another city at another time!

Spend the next day…

Visit Thessaloniki's Byzantine monuments

Thessaloniki, with its host of Byzantine monuments (due to it’s significance during the Byzantine period), justifiably is considered an open-air museum of Byzantine art. Wandering through the city, it is worthwhile to see:    

• The churches of Acheiropoietos (5th century) a three-aisled, timber-roofed basilica, the Holy Wisdom of God (Hagia Sophia) (7th century), the Panaghia (Virgin) Chalkeon (1028), Hosios David (12th century), St Panteleemon (late 13th or the early 14th century), is of four-columned cross-in-square type, Ayioi Apostoloi (1310-1314),Taxiarches (14th century), Panagouda a three-aisled basilica with significant icons, Agios  Ioannis Prodromos (Nymphaion),Vlatadon monastery a 14th century foundation of which only the katholikon and two cisterns within the precinct survive, Ayios Demetrios a splendid basilica dedicated to the patron saint and protector of the city, etc. 
• The byzantine walls of the city.
• The archaeological site in 3 Septemvriou St., with remnants of a cemetery basilica, a martyrion and Early Christian graves.
• The byzantine bathhouse (late thirteenth century).
• The Heptapyrgion castle was raised in stages, from the early years of the Byzantine Age into the Ottoman period.

Amazing Ottoman monuments

• The White Tower (15th century), the hallmark of the city.
• The Mosques of the Hamza Bey Cami (15th century), the Aladja Imaret Cami (1484) and the Yeni Cami  (1902).
• Hamams (turkish bathhouses): The Pazar Hamam (15th century), the Pasha Hamam (15th century), Bey Hamam (16th century), Yeni Hamam and the Yahudi Hamam.
• Bezesteni, a rectangular building with lead-covered domes and four entraces was built in the late fifteenth century and operated as a cloth market. 

Discover neighborhoods and focal points in the city

The traditional markets: the Modiano, which is housed in a rectangular building of 1922, with pedimented facade and glass roof; the Kapani or Vlalis market; Athonos Square and etc. 

Visit Halkidiki

Luxury accommodation in Halkidiki.

Villa Luxury complex Pefkohori is a resort with 4 villas in a row, located close to Pefkohori village just 1.5 Km away. This complex offers high standard of services as founded in a quite place, just 100 meters from the sandy beach. Every property offers unique and modern decoration style, with private pool and exclusive area for the property guests. Maximum hosting is 10 adults plus 2 child's.

The property divided into 3 levels.

• Semi-basement level: 2 double bedrooms, Jacuzzi plus 1 sofa bed ideal for 2 child's, wc/shower
• Ground level: 1 double bedroom, fully equipped kitchen, WC/shower.
• 1st level: 2 double bedrooms plus 2 WC/shower, one of them is en-suite.
• External spaces: Private pool, table/chairs, sunbeds

The complex also offers free sunbeds/Umbrellas on the beach only for our guests as food deliver services at the property or booking beachfront restaurant and beach bar close the propery.

The property is ideal for rental vacation families or friends.

Book your villa in Halkidiki out of season with heated pool. www.halkidikivilla.com

Thessaloniki by night

"People in Thessaloniki rarely stay at home on Saturday nights. The city’s roads become very busy after the sun sets!"

Thessaloniki is a big city with a large student population and people with a work-to-live attitude. Hence, the crowd out at night is surprisingly huge. Furthermore, the fact that Thessaloniki doesn’t live from tourism, gives you the opportunity to avoid Greek-island-like situations and to experience authentic night life. Things are classy, honest and loud.

 

We are also very proud for Thessaloniki being in Lonely Planet’s top 10 Ultimate Party Cities for 2010! Thessaloniki Lonely Planet.

Some general remarks:

• People go out late. Especially during summer. Expect going out for drinks no earlier than 22:00, but expect a bar crawl to start after 23:00.
• Night spots close at 04:00 (or earlier) on weekdays and keep on until morning on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Drinking is not cheap: beers are at 5-7 €, straight drinks are at 6-8 €, cocktails and malt whiskies are at 7-10 €. If you are a large party of people, you might consider buying a bottle of your drink, as a bottle costs about € 80, makes 12 drinks easily and it comes with refreshments and some nibbles.
• If you pay for admission, it includes a straight drink.
• Of course you won’t need to learn Greek to order. Menus are in English as well and the staff knows good English. That’s except bouzoukia, of course.
• Smoking is officially banned indoors in bars and clubs, but policing this is impossible.
• Getting heavily drunk is frowned upon, unless of course you are in a “my girlfriend dumped me” situation. So, you won’t see any people shouting, urinating in public or doing stupid things just because they went out for some drinks.
• Don’t expect any plate smashing anywhere! It has been banned decades ago!
• Police are often doing alcohol-tests and driving with alcohol levels over the limit (0,05 mg/l) might cost you your vehicle and your license for some months.

Places to spend your nights out drinking in Thessaloniki are divided into 3 distinct categories: Bars, clubs and bouzoukia.

Bars

If you are going out for a beer, expect a selection of about 6-10 beers in any high-street bar, of which 1 or 2 might be draught (ask for varéli). Don’t consult the menu; ask the server, they know better. Amstel and Heineken can be found everywhere. Popular Greek brews are Mythos lager and Fix lager. Lager (if not all beer) is served ice-cold.

Cocktails are becoming rather popular during the last years. Expect every respectful bar to have their own decent Mojito and Cuba Libre, but don’t ask for too much on crowded nights. Whisky lovers are highly respected and you will find an impressive collection of malt whiskies in every bar.

Clubs

Clubs have been a popular choice among the younger ages, but their number has been declining rapidly over the last 5 years. The club area during winter is to the west, at the Sfagìa district, while during summer the club scene migrates to the east, close to the airport, next to the casino. Some rock clubs and Greek music clubs exist in the Ladadika district.

Bouzoukia

Bouzoukia are the epitome of Greek night life! They are (in their present form) large clubs with tables and proper seating, but no food, with live Greek pop and folk-pop music. You may either sit at the bar and have a drink or book a table, for which you’ll have to order a bottle of spirit per 4 people. Bouzoukia are a very interesting matter, for which we have a whole article devoted to: Bouzoukia in Thessaloniki.

Villas for rent -  nor very far from Thessaloniki is Halkidiki. You can rent luxury pool villa in Halkidiki and enjoy your stay in Greece. 

info: http://www.thessalonikiinfoguide.com