Chalkidiki Περιφερειακή ενότητα Χαλκιδικής |
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Regional unit | |
Municipalities of Chalkidiki
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Chalkidiki within Greece |
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Coordinates: 40°20′N 23°30′E / 40.333°N 23.500°ECoordinates: 40°20′N 23°30′E / 40.333°N 23.500°E | |
Country | Greece |
Region | Central Macedonia |
Capital | Polygyros |
Government | |
• Vice Governor | Ioannis Giorgos |
Area | |
• Total | 2,918 km2 (1,127 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 105,908 |
• Density | 36/km2 (94/sq mi) |
Postal codes | 63x xx |
Area codes | 237x0, 239x0 |
ISO 3166 code | GR-64 |
Car plates | ΧΚ |
Website | www |
Chalcidice or Chalkidike or Chalkidiki or Halkidiki (Greek: Χαλκιδική [xalciðiˈci]), is a peninsula and regional unit of Greece, part of the Region of Central Macedonia in Northern Greece. The autonomous Mount Athos region constitutes the easternmost part of the peninsula, but not of the regional unit. The capital of Chalkidiki is the main town of Polygyros, located in the centre of the peninsula.
Chalkidiki today is a popular summer tourist destination.
Aristotle was born here in 384 BC.
The Cholomontas mountains lie in the north-central part of Chalkidiki. Chalkidiki consists of a large peninsula in the northwestern Aegean Sea, resembling a hand with three "fingers" (though in Greek these peninsulas are often referred to as "legs") – Pallene (now Kassandra), Sithonia, and Agion Oros (the ancient Acte), which contains Mount Athos and its monasteries. Chalkidiki borders on the regional unit of Thessaloniki to the north.
Its largest towns are Nea Moudania (Νέα Μουδανιά), Nea Kallikrateia (Νέα Καλλικράτεια) and the capital town of Polygyros (Πολύγυρος).
There are several summer resorts on the beaches of all three fingers where other minor towns and villages are located, such as at Yerakini (Gerakina Beach), Neos Marmaras (Porto Carras), Ouranoupolis, Nikiti, Psakoudia, Kallithea (Pallene/Pallini, Athos), and more.