Greece at its best with lastminute.com

In northern Greece the three green and luscious long, sandy fingers of Halkidiki stretch out into the Aegean and the Mediterranean and offer some of the quietest beaches, the best walking, and the most atmospheric ancient sites in the country. Sithonia is the central prong and is a fertile, pine-covered peninsula with outstanding beaches at its southern reaches and has breath taking views of the Mount Athos, known as the holy mountain rising out of the sea. Sinthonia, has lots of hidden bays, monasteries and temples and is much more rugged than Kassandra, the first finger. In less than four hours of flying time and transfers, you can be sipping cocktails from the comfort of your sun lounger on a coastline covered in pine forests and olive groves. Get away for a relaxing holiday to Greece for bargain prices with lastminute.com.

Mountains and monasteries in Greece

Whilst on holiday in Gerakini Psakoudia you are conveniently located to explore all three peninsulas of Halkidiki as it is on the crux of good road connections in all directions. Gerakini is dotted with shops, restaurants, several tavernas and bars and souvenir shops to browse around, and a nearby water park, but on the whole nightlife is fairly low key. The main beach is a long white sandy strand with forested sloped hills at both ends.

If you are really into walking or climbing, the village of Parthenon is 1,000 feet up in the hills of Sithonia, This place is good for the soul with its granite boulders which overlook narrow threads of water trickling through a rock gorge.

Halkidiki is probably most famous for its third peninsula of Athos. You could hop aboard a boat and cruise along the shores of Mount Athos or Agionoros as it is known in Greece which literally means holy mountain. The Greek Orthodox monks live there on the slopes of Mount Athos, which rises 6,000ft straight out of the sea. Women are strictly prohibited so it may be that a trip along the shores of Athos is far as you'll get. But the sight of crumbling monasteries and hermits caves is stunning.

You can lounge on the beach to bronze or be out and about seeing the sights. Vourvourou lagoon sits on the east coast of the Sithonia peninsula and is well worth a visit. It has a long curve of golden sand with a shallow bay sheltered by a little uninhabited island. The headland is rocky and covered with juniper and wild thyme and has an amazing zesty aroma. It's a great place to discover a chain of sandy coves. You could also hire a boat to visit the desert islands just offshore. But further down the coast you'll find secret coves beneath steep pine-covered slopes, accessible only from the sea.

Book your holiday to Gerakini with lastminute.com

Northern Greece is the land of mythical centaurs, flanked by forests and olive groves, with sandy beaches and mountain villages. The narrow border of silvery sand, the green, white and blue surroundings is typically Aegean and beautiful. Book a flexible money-saving holiday to Gerakini with lastminute.com and get away for less.