Finding peace in Greece: Halkidiki is known for its lively bars and sprawling resorts. But head to a nearby peninsula for unspoiled villages, cobalt seas - and King Charles's spiritual retreat Angela Epstein explores Athos, the so-called 'third finger' of Halkidiki It is crowned by Mount Athos and a community of about 24 monasteries READ MORE: Europe's hostile holiday hotspots, from Barcelona to Lanzarote By Angela Epstein for The Mail on Sunday Published: 12:59 EDT, 15 July 2024 | Updated: 13:18 EDT, 15 July 2024 e-mail 33 shares 2 View comments It takes three loops down the same winding lane, as well as some choice words with the satnav, before we finally spot the discreet sign for our hotel. Easing the hire car down another twisting path, it suddenly – thrillingly – reveals itself in a scattering of boxy timber buildings which seem to cleave into the grassy hillside and down to the sea.
Save the slight detour, it has taken only 90 minutes to reach this part of Halkidiki after flying into Thessaloniki, Greece ’s second-largest city. Yet in that time we have driven through a vast landscape of silvery olive groves and huge open spaces which, were it not for the soaring temperature, could fool the eye into thinking we’re actually in the Lake District. Strange, really, since Halkidiki, a large peninsula in northern Greece, is a name often associated with lively nightlife, bustling taverns and busy beaches.
Yet it is actually divided into three smaller peninsulas which j.