Chalkidiki – Spa’s, Marina’s, Food And Sports

There is a spa at Loutra Aghias Paraskevis in Cassandra, 85 km., south of Polygyros. Water temp.: 39° C. The installations consist of a hydrotherapy center with two common baths for the treatment of skin diseases, gynecological diseases, rheumatic ailments, arthropathy.

Information from tel/fax no. 23740/61439.
Information from the marina: 2310/444598, 444594-5, and the Port Authority: 2310/444541.
Medical care: “Panaghia” Hospital, tel. 2310/451241-9.

In Chalkidiki, there is a marina at Porto Carras.
Address: Neos Marmaras, GR-630 81, Sithonia.
This marina’s coordinates are N 40 06’ E 23 48’. It can accommodate 170 craft and its depth is 5 meters.
Information from the marina: tel. 23750/71221,  71381 ( ext.6130 ); the Port Authority: tel. 23750/71933;
Customs: tel. 23750/71413.
Medical care: medical center of the Porto Carras complex, tel.23750/71221, 71381 ( ext.1851 )

FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT

There is something for every taste in Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki – traditional tavernas, restaurants of every kind, ouzeries, pizza places, etc., while for an evening’s entertainment there are bars, discos, pubs, etc. You can relax over a cup of coffee or a cool drink and taste one of Thessaloniki’s famous sweets at any one of the hundreds of cafes and pastry shops around.

Very much worth a try, while in Thessaloniki, are the savory local specialties, such as the “peinirli” ( a kind of bread boat filled with melted cheese ), mussels – steamed or fried – shrimp baked in a clay pot, meatballs in red sauce, and pittas, while among the sweets one may choose to sample the “car-iokes”, “ravani” and “phoenikia”. Chalkidiki, on the other hand, is famed for its dish of chicken in red sauce cooked in the Petralona manner, for the honey of Arnaea and Nikiti, for its delicious fish, and the wine from the vineyards of Porto Carras and Aghios Nikolaos. Also, if you stop for a meal in Polygyros, ask for the succulent pork stuffed with feta cheese and herbs.

SPORTS

There are opportunities in Chalkidiki to indulge in all kinds of water sports. One can rent canoes, paddleboats, windsurfers, etc. Those interested in sailing can contact the Yacht Club of Nea Moudania, while those interested in deep-sea diving should contact the Deep Sea Diving Centre at Armenistis. At the Porto Carras hotel complex, there is a yacht club that organizes various sailing contests, a golf club where international tournaments are held and lessons are given, and a riding club with riding classes for enthusiasts of all ages.

Many hotels in the area offer their guests the opportunity to indulge in their favorite sport – tennis, table tennis, water skiing, windsurfing, etc.
The magnificent scenery of Mt.Hollomon will attract those interested in mountaineering ( at Arnaea the altitude is 1,165 m ).

If your interest lies in fishing, you must beware of the possible sudden changes in the weather. A storm that can sometimes whip up and endanger small craft sailing far from shore is a relatively rare, but not unusual, phenomenon.

CASINO

There is a casino outside of Thessaloniki, near the airport ( Information: tel.2310/476243 ) and in the Poro Carras hotel complex in Sithonia.

TOURIST AGENCIES

At Polygyros and in places popular with tourists there are tourist agencies that organize various excursions ( visits to the cave of Petralona, a tour of Cassandra, of Sithonia, etc. ).