Life is a beach – get away with lastminute.com
Halkidiki in northern Greece is a lush forested three-fingered prong jutting into the Aegean Sea with miles of largely unspoilt coastline. Possidi sits on the west coast of Kasandra, which is the first finger, and is flanked by pine forests that are separated from the sea. Get away from the hustle and bustle and relax with a holiday to Greece with lastminute.com.
The village of Possidi has its own ancient castle which is well worth a visit. If it's peace and tranquillity you want, Possidi is the place for you. Lounging on the beach and sipping cocktails is what it is all about. This is very much a sand and sun destination for the family. Nightlife is very low key, and the major source of entertainment is provided by the hotels.
There are a few shops in the hotel complexes. But if you want to mooch around boutiques or buy souvenirs, your best bet would be a scenic trip to Pefkhori or further along the coastline at Sani's swanky marina.
Find authentic Greece
If you would like a taste of authentic Greece you could travel into the mainland of Halkidiki, which is mostly forests and mountains. Here it is less explored, and is fascinating, because it feels more like Balkan, as it is much closer to Bulgaria than to say, Corfu.
There are many quaint villages nearby. Take Siviri, which you can get to by driving down the coast. This is a place where you can watch fishermen carry their catch to the restaurant and experience the succulence of just caught scampi or calamari. If you are willing to travel further inland the village of Arnea catches the eye. It is a traditional Macedonian market town with timber and stone houses with tiled roofs line the cobbled lanes. Here the house speciality is wild boar.
For a real piece of ancient Greek archaeology, you could visit the 700,000 year old limestone stalagmites which over time have become amazingly odd shapes in the caves at Petralona which is around 20 miles from Possidi.
From the harbour, you might like to hop on a boat which will cruise you around Mount Athos, Halkidiki's famous third peninsula which rises 6,000 feet straight out of the sea. The entire peninsula is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is inhabited by Greek Orthodox monks. The Byzantine emperor Monomachos decreed that no other woman should ever get to enjoy the natural beauty of this place. Consequently women are barred from the peninsula so a boat trip with the family around Athos may be as far as you get. But the sight of these 20 crumbling monasteries is breath taking.
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Whether you enjoy one of the craggy hill-top villages or sailing near to the dusty monasteries of Athos, or simply bronzing on the beach at Possidi, lastminute.com offers you a flexible money-saving holiday. Get away for less with lastminute.com