Chalkidiki

Chalkidiki (kælˈkɪdᵻki; Chalkidikḗ xalciðiˈci, alternatively Halkidiki), also known as Chalcidice, is a peninsula and regional unit of Greece, part of the region of Central Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia in Northern Greece. The autonomous Mount Athos region constitutes the easternmost part of the peninsula, but not of the regional unit. The capital of Chalkidiki is the town of Polygyros, located in the centre of the peninsula, while the largest town is Nea Moudania. Chalkidiki is a popular summer tourist destination. Chalkidiki also spelled Halkidiki (kælˈkɪdᵻki) or Chalcidice (kælˈsɪdᵻsi) was the name given to this peninsula after Chalkida. In ancient times, the area was a colony (apoikia) of the ancient Ionian Greek city-state of Chalcis. The Cholomontas mountains lie in the north-central part of Chalkidiki, with the highest peak reaching 1,165 metres above sea level. Chalkidiki consists of a large peninsula in the northwestern Aegean Sea, resembling a hand with three 'fingers' (though in Greek these peninsulas are often referred to as 'legs'). From west to east, these are Kassandra (highest peak 345 m), Sithonia (highest peak Mt Itamos 817 m), and Mount Athos, a special polity within Greece known for its monasteries and its highest peak reaching 2,033 metres above sea level. These 'fingers' are separated by two gulfs, the Toronean Gulf and the Singitic Gulf. Chalkidiki borders on the regional unit of Thessaloniki to the north, and is bounded by the Thermaic Gulf on the west, and the Strymonian Gulf and Ierissos Gulf on the east (which are separated by the Brostomnitsa peninsula). Chalkidiki also has a few islands including the inhabited Ammouliani and Diaporos both in the Singitic Gulf. Its largest towns are Nea Moudania (Νέα Μουδανιά), Nea Kallikrateia (Νέα Καλλικράτεια) and the capital town of Polygyros (Πολύγυρος). There are several summer resorts on the beaches of all three fingers where other minor towns and villages are located, such as at Yerakini (Gerakina Beach) and Psakoudia in central Chalkidiki, Kallithea, Chanioti and Pefkochori in the Kassandra peninsula, Nikiti and Neos Marmaras (Porto Carras) in the Sithonia peninsula, and Ouranoupolis at Mount Athos.