Words & Pictures by Shaun Troke
Keep in mind, this is only a short account of the brief time spent in the Municipality of Aristotelis.
Less than 24hrs, in fact!
When most think of Halkidiki, only three areas seemingly come to mind: The first finger (Kassandra), the second finger (Sithonia), and, Mount Athos (Ouranoupoli)…
Most forget – or not even realise – that just an hour up the road from Ouranoupoli is the birthplace of a crucial figure in Greek history: Aristotle.
OLYMPIADA
Olympiada is the perfect base if you’re looking to explore this part of the Halkidiki peninsula.
Connected to Aristotle’s birthplace (the city of ancient Stageira) is the Hotel Akroyiali, where the hotel’s owner volunteers his own time, to share knowledge about this archaeological site.
Stageira is only a few minutes walk from Hotel Akroyiali…
But, in the summer, take plenty of water, as there’s much uphill hiking involved.
The Olympiada area is a lovely area:
It’s peaceful…
The residents are nice…
And, it certainly offers relaxation, with breathtaking views everywhere you look!
Also, I noticed that Bulgarians are quite attracted to this area, most likely because their homeland is only a 2hr drive away!
ARISTOTLE PARK
There’s a theme park now dedicated to Greece’s famous philosopher, called simply Aristotle’s Park.
Here, you have access to many of the instruments Aristotle referred to in his textbooks…
And, it can be a lot of fun playing with these, if you’ve an hour to spare!
The instruments include a prism, optical disks, and, parabolic reflectors.
UNDERLOOKED
This east side of Halkidiki most definitely seems to be the most forgotten part of the peninsula…
Which, to be honest, is a shame.
Halkidiki really does have so much to offer…
And, while most people are drawn to the more touristy spots, it’s worth bearing in mind that there’s a charming little town called Olympiada located between the two main airports:
Olympiada is the same distance from Thessaloniki Airport as it is from Kavala Airport (if you were concerned about distance)…
And, this town will give you just as much scenery & viewpoints as Kassandra, Sithonia, & Ouranoupoli would!
You can find out more about Olympiada & Halkidiki in our series GOING SOLO, available to watch here on YouTube!