The Wine Route of Halkidiki starts at Agios Pavlos, moves on to the Kassandra, Sithonia and Mount Athos peninsulas and crosses the mountainous areas of Halkidiki, stoping at Arnea, before reaching the sea at the resort of Olimpiada in the east.
The peninsula of Halkidiki lies ahead with its three branches that sink into the Aegean sea, the peninsulas Cassandra, Sithonia and Athos. The vines are cultivated in the central Halkidiki area (Agios Pavlos – Nea Kallikratia), at the middle branch, Sithonia and at the eastern one, Mount Athos. At Agios Pavlos the vineyards are spread in low hills. They abut on the sea which counterpoises with its aura the extreme summer temperatures. The varieties cultivated are Roditis, Sauvignon blanc, Xinomavro and Cabernet Sauvignon which produce the Vins de Pays de Halkidiki: a bright, fruity, vivid white wine and a deep colored, rich and round red.Continuing along their way, visitors should not neglect to visit the Petralona cave, where the skeleton of the most ancient man in Europe was found, the Archantrope, who lived there 700.000 years ago. Visitors will enjoy fresh fish and delicious sea food at the taverns in the nearby sea resorts.
Sithonia, the middle peninsula of Halkidiki, is filled with picturesque small ports, sand beaches, verdurous landscapes and offshore settlements. The vineyards are located at Porto Carras, on the sunny slopes of Mount Meliton. The region’s dry climate and the beneficial moisture of the sea are in favor of producing selected wines. The red, deep colored, velvety tasted wine SLOPES OF MELITON (Appellation of Origin) which is produced through the combination of the Limnio, a variety known at least since the times of Aristotle and the French varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet franc. A white wine of a pleasant freshness SLOPES OF MELITON (Appellation of Origin) is produced by combining three Greek grape varieties: Roditis, Assyrtiko and Athiri.
Visitors will encounter crystal waters, golf and tennis courts, horses for horse riding, mountain bikes, yatchs for sailing and water sports facilities. Worth visiting is Parthenonas, a beautiful mountainous village which was abandoned from its inhabitants during the seventies but is reborn nowadays from the pioneers who have bought and restored its stone houses showing preference to the mountain’s healthy climate, quietness and magnificent view. Then again, at Neos Marmaras, visitors will come across many fish taverns that lie down their carreaux tablecloths on the sand almost reaching the waves, serving deliciously grilled fish and refreshing wine.
At the eastern peninsula of Halkidiki lies Mount Athos. There is a long lasting wine making tradition in almost all the monasteries of Mount Athos. Today, there is a wide variety of grapes cultivated at the vineyard: Roditis, Athiri, Assyrtiko, Limnio, Xinomavro, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache rouge. In this blessed land with the mild climate, the efficient sunlight, the mountainous freshness and sea moisture are produced two Vin de Pays Agioritikos, a pleasant fresh white and a fruity rose. The Chromitsa Vineyard by Tsantalis Winery and the Mylopotamos Winery are the wineries – members of the Wine Producers Association.
Further north, in the picturesque town of Arnea, the brand new winery of Claudia Papagianni awaits wine lovers for a tour of the wine making facilities. The route then passes through traditional mountainous villages, makes a stop at ancient Stagira, birthplace of Aristotle and ends at Olimpiada, a beautiful seaside resort.
Along the route, there are countless inns, restaurants, tavernas, local produce and outdoor activities businesses providing top-quality options for demanding travelers. Finally, the tour of Halkidiki is not complete without a visit to the following places of archeological and tourist interest:
– Archeological Museum of Poligiros
– Ancient Stagira
– Toroni Castle
– Arnea
– Rentina Castle
– Ierissos
– Kalithea
– Ouranoupoli
– Visit to the Mount Athos monasteries
– Tour of Mount Athos by boat
Source: www.wineroads.gr
: Visitable Wineries: Remarkable visited sites
The Wine Route of the Olympian Gods
The Tempi valley forms the southern natural border for the Wine Roads of Northern Greece. The Wine Route of the Olympian Gods starts here, stopping at the villages of Rapsani and Krania (at the Tempi area). Following the road to the archeological site of Dion and the settlements of Elatohori and Milia, we find Platamonas, Palaios and Neos Panteleimonas, Leptokaria and Litohoro, starting point for a climb... read more
The Wine Route of Epirus
Epirus, found in the north-west corner of Greece, is known mainly for its mountainous areas, picturesque lakes and peaceful gulfs. The largest part of its land is mountainous with wild mountains that seem to touch the sky. Geographically speaking, the Epirus route belongs to the Ioannina prefecture and includes the wine producing regions of Zitsa and Metsovo. The wineries of the Wine Route of Epirus... read more
The Wine Route of Naoussa
The vinicultural route of Naousa is geographically the most central route among the Wine Roads of Northern Greece, because in Naousa there is a significant amount of wineries open to visitors, since from a wine- making point of view - at least as far as the quantity is concerned - it is the most important enological area in Macedonia. Travellers to the Wine Route of Naoussa have a choice among 5 wineries,... read more
The Wine Route of Pella – Goumenissa
The Wine Route of Goumenissa - Pella, geographically belongs to the Prefectures of Kilkis and Pella and involves the vinicultural regions of Goumenissa and Giannitsa.The wineries of this area are the following: The winery of Tatsis Family, Vaggelis Chatzivaritis and the Boutari Winery in Goumenissa. Goumenissa is a small picturesque town situated at the foot of mount Paiko (1650m.) and was formerly... read more
The Wine Route of Thessaloniki
From the shorefront of the Thermaikos bay to high up on the mountains of the region and back down to the plains, the area of Thessaloniki is home of many famous wines. In the mountainous parts of the region, on the southeast slope of Vertiskos, just before the traditional settlement of Ossa, the vineyards are stretched amidst clumps of oak, beech and chestnut trees. Alongside the vineyards, sites of archeological... read more
The Wine Route of the Lakes
The wineries at the Wine Route of the Lakes are:Alfa Estate in Amynteon and Vogiatzi Estate in Velvento Kozani. In Siatista Kozani one can visit the winery The Two Friends, whereas in the area of Kastoria participating wineries are: Domaine Stergiou. Lakes Vegoritida and Petres are the landmarks of the region. At the banks of Vegoritida lake, visitors can have a meal at the local taverns of Agios... read more
