WELL-Med Conference

Sithonia, Chalkidiki

Sithonia, the central peninsula of Chalkidiki, is a magical place of green forest and blue sea. The region offers the perfect combination of the distinctive Greek light, unspoiled landscapes, colors and fragrances. The glorious natural setting is complemented by sights and monuments of archaeological interest and the living traditions of its people, manifested in a host of feast days and other ceremonies and rituals.

Beaches

Halkidiki can boast an amazing 550km of coastline, featuring a thousand different beaches, some rocky and imposing, others offering an endless expanse of golden sand. Some busy and fashionable, others no more than deserted coves among the rocks, but all of them blessed with crystal clear waters reflecting the deep green of the pine forest. The Blue Flags that Halkidiki awarded each year are richly deserved. Famous beaches that you should visit are: Cohi Beach, Lagomandra Beach, Tristinika Beach, Kalamitsi Beach, and Karidi Beach.

Petralona

The bejeweled with stalagmites and stalactites Petralona Cave has been developed on the western side of the limestone Katsika mountain (~700 m height) and 300 m above sea level. The Cave was spotted in 1959 and it became internationally known when the fossilized skull of Petralona man was found with an age of about 700.000 years ago, which is the oldest known Europeoid man. Among the fossils of the extinct species found in the Cave lions, hyenas, bears, panthers, elephants, rhinos, megacerines, bisons, and various species of dears and equids (horse like) are included, as well as 25 species of birds, 16 species of rodents and 17 species of bats.

Parthenonas Village

Parthenonas is a quaint historical village located at an elevation of 350 m on the side of the mountain about 6 km outside Neos Marmaras, Sithonia, Halkidiki. Some years back a sanctuary – possibly of Zeus – was explored and pottery was discovered from the Archaic period (10 century BC), showing evidence of a settlement in this location. The modern village goes back to the days of Ottoman rule and went through periods of habitation and abandonment.

Mount Athos

The third, easternmost and most magical of the Halkidiki peninsulas is Mt. Athos, home to the unique Orthodox community of monasteries. It is a place dedicated solely to prayer and the worship of God, known informally as the Garden of the Virgin Mary. Mt. Athos enjoys the protection of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage status.