Words & Pictures by Shaun Troke
Why is it that so many houses in Greece are painted WHITE?
This is a question that was answered while visiting the First Finger (or First Peninsula) in Halkidiki: Kassandra.
But first, as it’s the First Finger (which, ironically, is the finger I’ve always visited LAST during my Greece trips), let’s give you a little recap about what else I’ve learned about this popular peninsula…
IT’S ENERGETIC!
On my first ever visit to Halkidiki, I learned that Kassandra is where you should go if you’re single (read more about why this is, in this article: http://thetraveltab.co.uk/halkidiki-three-fingers/).
And yes, all the little towns that run down the finger – from Nea Fokia to Kriopigi, and Polychrono to Pefkochori – each of these confirm the same story: Kassandra really is the liveliest of the Peninsulas.
Hell, there’s even an off-road plot of land where THREE NIGHTCLUBS stand together in this ONE AREA!
My personal favourite town is Nea Fokia, and is the town where I’ve spent the longest time.
Occupying only a small area, this is the first town you can reach when driving down this first finger.
You’ll spot the Byzantine Tower on the ocean side of your drive, after passing by the food & drink and retail establishments of Nea Fokia.
It’s really beautiful here.
And, so peaceful, too!
Not quite what I was expecting from the liveliest of the peninsulas!
I will confess that I haven’t (as yet) visited Kassandra in the high season, when it would be at its most busiest…
I’ve only been to Kassandra during the low seasons, when you only get a slight glimpse of how popular this peninsula is.
And sure, Kassandra is certainly the finger to go to if you’re single…
But, that’s not to say a vibrant night-life is all that Kassandra has to offer:
IT’S NATURALISTIC!
The overall ‘theme’ of Halkidiki appears to be that everything is ‘fresh’…
And, although this First Finger may attract a younger crowd with its ‘fresh meat’, Kassandra doesn’t hesitate when it comes to pleasing everyone else, whether its with its ‘fresh’ air or its ‘fresh’ food!
Now, when I say ‘fresh air’, I’m going to have to contradict myself a little, when I tell you about one of this fingers most naturalistic venues: the Thermal Spa.
A popular place with both tourists & locals, the Thermal Spa truly offers a relaxing visit.
There’s indoor & outdoor pools filled with natural spring water flowing from a dormant underground volcano…
And, there’s a large high-ceilinged cafe adding an openness effect that only nature can offer…
Being a big fan of nature, this is somewhere I’d have loved to spent a day or two with my laptop:
Working away in cafe area, or even outside, weather depending; Taking little breaks by dipping into the pools to refresh…
Already, this Thermal Spa is on my To Do list, should I ever return to Halkidiki.
NOTE: If you dislike the strong smell of sulphur, then this may not be the place to get your ‘fresh’ fix…
BUT, there’s plenty of fresh FOOD places to get your ‘fresh’ fix otherwise!
One of these is Bistro Kryopigi, located in….well, Kryopigi.
Laying on a banquet of dishes, the variety of food was incredible!
Salad dishes, pizza dishes, meat dishes, pasta dishes…the flavours produced by all of these foods were extremely individual. I wish I could recall the names of these dishes, but at the time of eating them, my desire of the food itself were overriding my thoughts!
The general verdict is that I was blown away by the presentation, but more overwhelmed by the tastes! Even if you’re just passing through Kryopigi, the Bistro Kryopigi is worth making a pit-stop for, if you can…
And, it would be the perfect place to take a romantic date, too.
IT’S ROMANTIC!
One thing I noticed during the low-season is the amount of couples on Kassandra…
Given its reputation for luring-in singletons, I was quite surprised when seeing hotels & restaurants mostly entertaining non-single people.
Thus proving that Kassandra DOES attract EVERYONE!
It’s obvious that bars & nightclubs are aplenty on Kassandra, but don’t let that put you off if you’re in a relationship…
Because people can even come to GET MARRIED on Kassandra!
At one of the furthest points at the far end of Kassandra is the Orthodox Church of St Nicholas…
And, built beside this church is an outdoor ‘alter’ where people get hitched.
As you can see, the 360 views from this ceremonial platform would provide the most amazing backdrop for your wedding…
Particularity if you met your partner ON Kassandra when you were both single!
At his bottom end of this finger, it’s much quieter & peaceful, and when driving through this area, it can feel like you’re miles away from the vibrancy this finger is reputed to have.
In amongst all of the olive trees, new pine trees spread across the land for miles; The roads provide views of the countryside, from above and below; And, it’s rarely no more than 10 kilometres between you & the Aegean Sea….
Sometimes, even farmyard animals will pop up & say hello!
IT’S WHY HOUSES ARE PAINTED WHITE!
Oh, of course…and, here’s the answer to that very first question at the top of this page:
In the old days, it was traditional for old ladies to protect a house by painting it with asbestos, and then smothering it with white paint, to eradicate the fumes from the asbestos…
THAT’S why so many houses in Greece are white.
I don’t know about you, but I’m quite pleased I now know this little fact!
Read our review about Kassandra’s Flegra Palace Hotel here:
http://thetraveltab.co.uk/flegra-palace-hotel/
You can find out more about Halkidiki in our series GOING SOLO, available to watch here on YouTube!