| Weather information |
| Month |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
| Average temperature Celsius) |
20c |
27c |
27c |
30c |
30c |
27c |
22c |
| Average Sunshine (Hours) |
10 |
11 |
12 |
15 |
13 |
11 |
10 |
| Wind Direction & Force N E & W |
3-4 |
3-4 |
3-4 |
3-5 |
3-5 |
3-5 |
3-4 |
The geomorphology of Halkidiki is
interesting. It is a sloping geological
table, rising from the west to the east.
Thus in Kalamaria (west coast) and
Kassandra we find most of the plains
which are also the most fertile areas,
in the center Mt. Chortiatis (1201 m.),
Mt. Cholomon (1165 m.) and Itamos (in
Sithonia, 811 m.) and at the eastern end
the magnificent massif of Mt. Athos
(2033 m.).
The three peninsulas which jut into the
Aegean Sea make Halkidiki the prefecture
with the longest stretch of coastline in
mainland Greece. The coastline of
halkidiki is estimated to be more than
500 km., comprising every type of
landscape. One finds long sandy beaches
in Kalamaria, Nikiti, Toroni and
Ierissos; alternating rocks and trees in
Sithonia; picturesque small bays in
Vourvourou; and impressive rocks at the
Capes of Kassandra, Sithonia and Athos.
Halkidiki does not have any rivers, and
this is one of the reasons why the sea
surrounding it, is one of the clearest
in greece. The prefecture of
Halkidiki occupies the greatest part of
the peninsula, the northwest section is
part of the prefecture of Thessaloniki,
and the peninsula of Mount Athos is an
indepedent administrative district. The
prefecture of Halkidiki covers an area
of 2,886 sq.km. and has a population of
about 80,000 which is divided among 5
towns and 69 villages. The capital of
the prefecture is Polygyros, with a
population of 4,000.Many
of its distinctive features were known
in ancient timew and many tried to find
explanations for them. The ancient name
of kassandra was Phlegra, that is, Place
of Fire. It was believed to be the land
of the Giants and the battle ground for
the fight between the gods and the
Giants, when the latter tried to drive
the Gods from Mount Olympos. According
to one legend, Enceladus, one of the
Giants, was crushed by a rock which the
Gods threw at him. Thus the "earthquake"
Giant is today buried in Kassandra , but,
not having been killed, from time to
time tries to free himself from th
weight that is crushing him and his
struggles result in earthquakes. All
these myths are, of course, not
unconnected with the geological
phenomena which are evident in Kassandra:
subsidence in the center of the
peninsula, and steam from the hot sulfur
springs af aghia Paraskevi.
At the other end of halkidiki, Mt
athos was named after the giant athos
who, during the famous battlea, threw
the mountain at the Gods, as if it were
a small stone. Sithonia received its
name from Sithon, son of Poseidon. His
wife was Mendeis and his daughter was
Pallini.
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