Worth visiting

Festival Kassandra

The festival of Cassandra is the principal cultural event in Cassandra and Chalkidiki. Over the last 13 years, the amphitheatre of Siviri and the municipal districts surrounding it play host to the festival.

The festival of Cassandra is distinguished for its quality events. Each year it draws many well-known artists from both within Greece and abroad (among others B.B. King, Ray Charles, Nana Mouschouri, Marinella, Marios Frangoulis, K. Kazakos, N. Tsakiroglou, and many more have honoured it with their presence).

The events run from early July to late August. During the festival season, you can attend concerts, recitals, theatre and dance performances, exhibitions (painting, sculpture, photography) and more.

Tickets for the events are available from the offices of the Cassandra Municipal Enterprise (for information call 23740-23997 and 23740-24851).

For additional information, please visit: http://www.festivalkasandras.gr/

Festival of the Sea

Each summer the "Festival of the Sea", an institution running its fourth year, is held at the Nea Moudania amphitheatre.

Quickly but steadily, it became famous beyond the narrow boundaries of our Prefecture and now travels throughout Greece. Moreover, is it by nature migratory. The sea joins summer travelers and the "Festival of the Sea" joins summer visitors.

The "Festival of the Sea" is a top cultural event organised by the Municipality of Moudania. In fact, it monopolises the nights of the locals and the visitors, offering them the opportunity to attend theatrical performances of high standards and enjoy the musical nights that fill a place seating 2,000 people, just a stone's throw away from the sea.

The amphitheatre is surrounded to the east by the peninsula of Cassandra and the unfolding vastness of the Aegean Sea in front of it. To the west, you can enjoy an exceptional sunset with Olympus in the background. A place which on the whole justifies absolutely the title of "Festival of the Sea".

There is nothing left but to come and see for yourself the open-air theatre of Nea Moudania. But also those of you who have already done so must be well aware that the atmosphere and the hospitality of the organisers of the Festival will offer you lovely, unforgettable moments.

Contact Tel. No.: 23730-26189 and 23730-21210
Fax: 23730-26523 and 23730-23414
E-Mail:

Athytos

Athytos is certainly one of the most beautiful villages in Chalkidiki. The village's beautiful stone houses with the distinctive architecture and the inscriptions and reliefs, are very interesting. We suggest that you visit the Rock - the "Village Balcony" - and Koutsomylos - the "Village Acropolis" - to admire the fascinating view of the bay of Toroni, Sithonia and Cassandra.

Athytos is known for its rich cultural tradition. During the summer, you can attend numerous events such as music and dance performances, visual arts events, painting exhibitions and folkloric events.

For additional information, please visit: http://www.aphytos.net/

Stagira, the birthplace of Aristoteles

Ancient Stagira is situated to the northeast of the Prefecture, near the settlement of Olympiada atop the beautiful peninsula of Liotopi on the Gulf of Strymonikos. It is the birthplace of the famous classic philosopher Aristotle (384 BC).

Excavations in the ancient city founded by settlers from the island of Andros in the middle of the 7th century BC unearthed numerous - early and late - archaeological findings, such as parts of the fortifications and the aqueduct, public buildings and houses (from the Classic and Hellenistic periods).

A large statue of Aristotle stands 14 kilometres to the southwest, in a park with a wonderful view, outside the modern-day mountain village of Stagira.

For additional information, please visit: http://www.stagira.gr/

Feast of Agios Mamas

The most well-known feast in Chalkidiki is undoubtedly the feast of Agios Mamas. Every first week of September legions flock to the village of Agios Mamas to participate in the event, which is of commercial and folkloric interest. It is estimated that over 1,000 exhibitors and 200,000 visitors come to Agios Mamas every September.

Sardine Festival

During the first fortnight of July, the Municipality of Moudania hosts the Sardine Festival. The festival is accompanied by folklore and cultural events. The visitors can entertain themselves and enjoy loads of fresh fish and good wine.

Museum of piscatorial crafts & tools of Nea Moudania

The age-long affiliation of man for the sea and fishing unfolds in this very interesting museum: ancient anchors, spears, nets and longlines, representations of fishing techniques - these are just some of the items on display.

A tour of the exhibits, however, does not end here: The visitor's path continues through the magical world of the sea and underwater communities. Photographs, films, animations, sea organisms and the imposing presence of a diver's suit from the past, set off the wealth of the sea. Furthermore, you can see the exceptional collection of shells, which belongs to the Nautical Club of Moudania.

Apart from the exhibition area, there is also a multifunctional hall for educational activities, meetings etc., as well as a library-reading room.

Open:
Daily, except Monday, October - April 09:00 - 16:00, March - September 09:00 - 13:00 and 17:00 - 20:00 Tel. / Fax: 23730-26166

For additional information, please visit:
http://www.moudania.gr/greek/museum.php

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The cave of Petralona

The cave and the anthropological museum of Petralona in Chalkidiki are a major tourist destination in Chalkidiki. The cave was discovered in the late 50s by locals. Some time later, the famous almost 700,000 years old, skull of the Archanthropus, a ancestral form of modern-day man, was discovered. It and was a scientific sensation and made the cave famous throughout the world.

In the museum, which is very near to the cave, visitors can admire a collection of everyday tools of the Palaeolithic Age, and bones of lions, hyenas, deer and other animals.

The central exhibit is the reconstruction of the area where the skull and bones of the Archantropus were discovered.

Open: daily 09:00 to dusk.

For further information, please visit:
http://www.aee.gr/hellenic/6petrlona/petralona.html

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Thessaloniki Science Centre & Technology Museum

The Science Centre & Technology Museum is a particularly interesting destination in Thessaloniki. The centre consists of:

- A reception area, the main centre to every activity

- A Technology Museum, where exhibits from the History of Technology and Sciences are displayed with the appropriate informational material and relevant multimedia applications

- A "World Theatre" - a wide-screen, amphitheatric cinema with a capacity of 300 and the capability to project on a flat giant screen (17m x 23m). Various events are hosted here, such as the projection of large format, two or three-dimensional, scientific and environmental films

- A conference centre, with a capacity of 200 for lectures, seminars and conferences

- A planetarium, with a dome and a hemispherical screen measuring 25m and 18m in diameter respectively and 150 reclining seats, where astrological and natural phenomena are reconstructed using special, digital projection, technical equipment (lasers, all-dome video, etc.)

- A virtual reality simulator, with a seating capacity of 18, where you can experience a dynamic simulation of various situations, such as for example a space voyage or a voyage to the bottom of the Ocean

- A Science Park: an area for participatory exhibits relating to "Scientific Laws and Human Physiology". Here, visitors are encouraged to participate actively in happenings in an entertaining and creative, but at the same time informational and educational way

- An area for periodic exhibitions, of special or current interest.

- An e-library with thousands of titles and direct Internet access stations

- A park for large exhibits and gardens

- A demonstration and experiments hall, an area for informal innovative and educational activities for student groups and groups of visitors

- Dining and recreation areas (restaurant, cafeteria)

- Scienceware, science books and souvenir shops

For reservations and opening hours: Tel.: 2310-483000, Fax: 2310-483020

For further information, please visit: http://www.tmth.edu.gr/

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Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki

This museum can be considered as the National Archaeological Museum of Northern Greece. It is the first museum built after the Greek Revolution, ca. 1900 AD. The majority of the exhibits from the areas of Macedonia and Thrace have been on display in this particular museum for many years.

The exhibitions "Treasures of Ancient Macedonia" and "Alexander the Great", with valuable findings among which the precious discoveries at Vergina, are of particular interest and attract most of the guided tours.

Tel./Fax:2310-830538, 2310-861036

For further information, please visit:
http://alexander.macedonia.culture.gr/2/21/211/21116/g211pm01.html

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Agion Oros - "The garden of the Holy Virgin Mary"

The Agion Oros (Holy Mountain) is a self-governed part of the Greek state, politically subject to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople as regards its religious aspect. The mountain is dedicated to the Holy Mother of God, and by an emperial document (typicon) the "avaton" was established and no female may set foot on the peninsula. Most of its inhabitants are orthodox monks living in monasteries, sketae (cloisters), cells and hermitages, and those who are not members of the clergy, such as employees, workers, but also the numerous visitors to the Agion Oros, who come for the purposes of meditation, prayer and study.

Of the 20 monasteries, one is Russian, one is Bulgarian, one is Serbian and the rest are Greek. There is also a Romanian sketae. The foreign monasteries are supported by their respective countries.

These monasteries posses Holy Relics, icons, frescoes and mosaics of great value. Liturgical vestments, historical text, rare documents and manuscripts - all historical heirlooms - are kept in their libraries. Many of course have been lost and others were stolen during various raids.

The first to settle here were icon-worshippers members of the clergy fleeing from the persecution of the iconoclasts. They came and lived as anchorites, unknown, and literally alone inside the caves. Later, monasteries were built and then, they were organised in a monastic state. The Agion Oros became a refuge for those seeking to save their soul through fasting and praying. Even, Byzantine emperors came and lived as monks here.

The right of autonomy of the Agion Orhos was granted gradually, initially by the Byzantine emperors Nikiforos Fokas and Ioannis Tsimiskis and persisted throughout the Turkish Occupation up to this day.

During the years of enslavement it was a centre of the National Movement, and many who were wanted by the Turks took refuge there.

The common visitor can stay for free at each monastery for two days. Those who want to carry out studies, can stay for as long as they want.

An entire civilisation, different from modern civilisation, is preserved not only in the libraries, but throughout this special state and is people, in peace and quiet.

For further information, please visit: http://www.inathos.gr/

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