4. Chalkidiki
• Halkidiki, also Chalkidiki, Chalcidice or Chalkidike , is a
peninsula in northern Greece, and one of the regional units of
Greece. It is part of the region of Central Macedonia. The
autonomous Mount Athos region is part of the peninsula, but
not of the regional unit. The capital of Chalkidiki is the main
town of Polygyros, located in the centre of the peninsula.
5.
6. Geography
• The Cholomontas mountains lie in the north central part of Chalkidiki.
Chalkidiki consists of a large peninsula in the northwestern Aegean Sea,
resembling a hand with three "fingers" (though in Greek these peninsulas
are often referred to as "legs") – Pallene (now Kassandra), Sithonia, and
Agion Oros (the ancient Acte), which contains Mount Athos and its
monasteries. Chalkidiki borders on the regional unit of Thessaloniki to the
north.
• Its largest towns are Nea Moudania (Νέα Μουδανιά), Nea Kallikrateia
(Νέα Καλλικράτεια) and the main town of Polygyros (Πολύγυρος).
• There are several summer resorts on the beaches of all three fingers
where other minor towns and villages are located, such as at Yerakini
(Gerakina Beach), Neos Marmaras (Porto Carras), Ouranoupolis, Nikiti,
Psakoudia, Kallithea (Pallene/Pallini, Athos), Sani Resort and more.
8. History
• The first Greek settlers in this area came from Chalcis and Eretria, cities in
Euboea, around the 8th century BC who founded cities such as Mende,
Toroni and Scione;[citation needed] a second wave came from Andros in
the 6th century BC. The ancient city of Stageira was the birthplace of the
great philosopher Aristotle.
• In June 2003, at the holiday resort Porto Carras located in Neos
Marmaras, Sithonia, European Union leaders presented the first draft of
the European constitution.
