Discover Halkidiki

Whilst many people associate a holiday in Halkidiki with days spent relaxing on glorious beaches, soaking up the sunshine and swimming in clear blue waters, there is also a wealth of lesser-known cultural and gastronomic attractions waiting to be discovered.

To raise awareness of the great variety of cultural activities that are possible in Halkidiki and the surrounding area, Sani Resort has put together a calendar of very special “Discover Halkidiki” weeks in October. Guests staying at Porto Sani Village & Spa and Sani Asterias Suites during this time will have the opportunity to participate in complimentary cultural, food and wine-based excursions during their stay.

Possibilities will include visiting the Sithonia peninsula and the Porto Carras winery for local wine and honey tasting; guided visits to the fish, vegetable and meat market in Thessaloniki with one of Sani’s chefs followed by a market place lunch; and a private cruise to the Mount Athos peninsula, the only monastic republic in Europe. Highlights of October’s events include:

Monday 13th October
An excursion to the beautiful Sithonia peninsula with a visit of Porto Carras winery for wine and honey tasting. Enjoy lunch in the scenic port of Porto Coufo and savour typical Greek seafood meze.

Wednesday 15th October
An excursion to Kavala and Phillipi, one of the first Christian communities in Europe. Go wine tasting at the award wining Biblia Chora winery, followed by lunch in Kavalla – sample the best fresh fish that can be found in Greece!

Friday 17th October
Excursion to Pella and Vergina, the birthplace of Alexander the Great. Explore the Royal tombs of Vergina, then it’s on to the winery of the Dalamaras family, a small but excellent winery, specializing in the full bodied red wines of the Naoussa area.

Saturday 18th October
An early morning tour to the Thessaloniki market. The morning starts with a visit to a traditional bakery in order to taste some of the local specialties such as Bougatsa and Koulouri together with a cup of Greek coffee. Guided by one of Sani Resort’s chefs, you will get to know some of the main ingredients of Greek cuisine before tasting some traditional dishes during a typical Thessaloniki marketplace lunch.

Sunday 19th October
A private cruise to the Mount Athos peninsula, the only monastic republic in Europe. On the way you will see some of the most spectacular monasteries that can be found in Europe. Greek specialties will be served for lunch on-board.

Tuesday 21st October
Visit three of the famous Meteora monasteries in Kalambaka and a local workshop specialising in travelling wood carvings and handcrafted icon paintings, followed by lunch in the area.

Thursday 23rd October
An excursion to Thessaloniki with a guided tour of the Byzantine museum and the National museum as well as a tour of some of the most beautiful Byzantine churches in Thessaloniki.

Friday 24th October
Discover the nearby Petralona cave, where archaeologists have found one of the first signs of civilisation on European soil. Continue to the Tsantali winery, one of Greece's best known wine makers. Return to the Sani Resort in order to enjoy a farewell dinner in the Sani Marina!

Guests will need to book by the evening prior to the excursion at the reception of Porto Sani Village. Participation is free of charge and includes where appropriate coach transfers, tour guides, museum entries, wine/olive/honey tasting, and lunches and accompanying beverages wherever part of the programme.

The tours will be guided in English (and German) and the maximum number of participants on any tour is 25 – places will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. The General Managers for each hotel at Sani will be hosting the tours and on hand to answer any questions guests might have. Book now to discover the best of Halkidiki for free!

Nightly rates for October 2008 at Porto Sani Village (saniresort.gr) start from 156 euros, per room in a Marina Junior Suite, based on two people sharing, B&B.