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particularly idyllic. Sheltered by
the surrounding islands, the
water is shallow and calm, so
kids can walk a little way out into
the sea, and treat the bay like a
giant natural paddling pool.
Many visitors choose to stay
in one of Halkidiki ’s many
attractive campsites. But if you
fancy something a bit more
luxurious, book yourself into
the Ekies Resort for a few days.
Athos for centuries, presumably
to allow themonks to worship
God, undistracted by the
temptations of the flesh. Even
ships carrying female passengers
aren’t allowed to pass too close to
the holymountain. The ban on all
creatures withXX chromosomes
even extends to domestic
animals – the only female locals
are the cats.
Around 2,000 monks live on
the mountain in 20 monasteries.
They follow the Julian calendar,
which is 13 days behind the
Gregorian. Officially only
Orthodox pilgrims are allowed
to visit the island, although it’s
not impossible for male non-
believers to gain an entry visa.
For visitors after a beach
break, Sithonia offers golden
stretches of sandy coast, not
unlike the kind you might see in
the pages of a Caribbean holiday
brochure. Vourvourou Bay is
It’s the best place to watch the
fiery red sunset each evening.
As cheesy as it sounds, when
the sun meets Diaporos Island
across the water, the sky turns
such an incredible colour you
won’t forget it for a long time.
If you want to do some
exploring, take a boat trip from
Vourvourou to Diaporos, where
you can have the white beaches
all to yourself. The Ekies can lay
on a picnic and organise the boat
trip too. It’s also worth visiting
Armenistis, one of Greece’s
most beautiful beaches, which
has earned blue flag status. Then
there’s Tristinika, a near-
deserted beach, located north of
the small village of Toroni,
which offers a beach bar, small
campsite and not much else. The
ruins of Fort Lekythos in Toroni
are also worth checking out.
Halkidiki is a paradise for
families, a place where kids can
play all day in the sea and build
sand castles. If only life was
always this simple.
Die Hängematte am Strand des Ekies
Hotels so wie die stylischen Zimmer bieten
Entspannung pur
Relax at the Ekies Resort, in the beach
hammock or in one of the gorgeous rooms
G R E E K B E A C H E S
The hotel boasts its own beach,
and the surrounding sea is
shallow and safe for children to
paddle about in. The hotel
complex –which consists of
three houses, surrounded by a
pine forest – is equally child-
friendly. The hotel ’s owner of
five years renovated several
rooms in the main building this
year. Each of the 64 rooms has
been designed differently and
the hotel ’s interior has been
arranged according to the
principles of Feng Shui, the
Chinese practice of creating
harmony between people and
their living spaces.
The entire resort is geared
towards relaxation. Guests can
book private or group yoga
sessions whenever they like, and
the spa offers a special
physiotherapy programme. The
treatment tables are located in
private, shaded spots outdoors.
But the hotel ’s best feature is
undoubtedly the beach bar,
which offers glorious sea views.