Visit Halkidiki
Traditional villages surrounded with silver olive groves waving in the gentle breeze and fertile vineyards. Pine forests dotted with lines of blue beehives. Outlined with an endless meandering golden shore and crystal clear blue sea. This is the beauty of Halkidiki.
Halkidiki is considered the jewel of Northern Greece. It is a mountainous promontory with three peninsulas pointing into the Aegean sea. It is the birthplace of the philosopher Aristotle, the teacher of Alexander the Great and the unique monastic community of Mount Athos, a UNESCO heritage site. However, for those in the know it has becoming the ideal holiday destination. Because of it’s shape it combines endless sea coast with ease of accessibility. It has the distinctive feel of an island without the inherent difficulty in getting there. Thankfully it is less busy than the islands and much greener too.
The inland mass of Halkidiki is covered with a green blanket of pine trees, interspersed with paths ideal for hiking. The coast is outlined with sandy beaches and secret coves. Small villages are dotted along the route.
The three peninsulas are Kassandra, Sithonia and Mount Athos. Nea Roda is nestled on the neck of Mount Athos peninsula and benefits from access to both sides of the coast and an infinite choice of sandy blue flag beaches and rocky outcrops.
How to get there
The nearest airport for Nea Roda is that of Makedonia Airport in Thessaloniki. It is an international airport and the second biggest airport in Greece. Nea Roda is 82 kilometres from the airport which is 1.5 hours by car.
The bus is a cheap option. Take bus number 79 to KTEL Halkidikis coach depot. Coaches run approximately every 2-3 hours. Alternatively, you can take a taxi or hire a car. For car hire we recommend Centauro car hire which combines good service with reasonable prices and no hidden extras.
Travelling by car
There are two routes available from Makedonia Airport to Nea Roda if you are travelling by car.
- The mountainous route over the Holomon Mountain. Just follow the signs to Arnaia and then to Ierissos. It is a scenic route through pine forests but much longer. It is suitable for those who would like to explore the Holomon mountain and the villages along the route.
- The faster route through Polygyros, the capital of Halkidiki. Just follow the signs to Polygyros and then to Ierissos. Nea Roda is 6 km from Ierissos. It only takes 1.5 hours and the route takes you through the olive groves of the famous Halkidiki olives.
Mount Athos
Six Kilometres from Nea Roda is the border to the unique monastic community of Mount Athos. It is a semi independent monastic state, protectorate of Greece, which occupies most of the Mount Athos peninsula. It consists of 20 monasteries built in a traditional Byzantine style and many other houses and hermitages. The architecture of the monasteries is stunning. It is as if Byzantium froze in time.
Men can visit the monasteries providing that they obtain a permit. Women can view the monasteries from a distance by taking a boat excursion from Ouranoupolis.
For more information on Mount Athos see our page Mount Athos.
For details how to obtain a permit to visit Mount Athos see the very informative website of The Friends of Mount Athos. Nea Roda is the ideal place to stay the night before your visit.