The first coastal areas of Halkidiki that experienced tourism were those located near Thessaloniki. However, he met tourists at specific times and under specific conditions. From Nea Kallikrateia to Nea Moudania.

The villages in the foothills and the mountainous Halkidiki followed along with the economic development that made vacations a necessity and a trend.

After all, water entered the houses of the Prefecture only at the beginning of the 1960s, while electricity in most cases arrived at the end of the same decade (1967-1973), along with the opening of the roads by the government of General Georgios Papadopoulos. The first publications that talk about the beauties of mountainous Halkidiki appear in Thessaloniki newspapers around 1888 and later in 1911, with references to Arnaia and Vavdos and urging the residents of Thessaloniki to vacation in places of incredible beauty. Vavdos already in the 1930s became a destination, something unprecedented for the time, and the people of the village, about 130 families, rent rooms to Thessalonians in the summer, while similar visits exist in Megali Panagia, Vrastama and Livadi. The history of the old village of Nikiti goes back to the 14th century. Herodotus, in his history of the Persian wars, mentions the city of Galipsos which was most likely near the Kastri cape, 2.5 km from Nikiti. The reasons for the decline of Galipsos are not exactly known. It was probably destroyed in one of the many wars of the classical and Roman period.

However, archaeological evidence shows that during the Roman and early Byzantine periods, there were at least three coastal cities near the present site of Nikiti. In Byzantine times, the story of Nikiti begins around the 14th century. The archives of the Xenophon Monastery on Mount Athos, mention two continental settlements in the area at that time. In these records, the area of ​​the old village of Nikiti is referred to as the “land of Neakitos”.

According to the most popular opinion, the name “Nikiti” came from “Neakitou”. As for the origin of the word “Neakitou” it is unknown to us, although it is possible that there was a monastery on Mount Athos with this name around the 10th to 11th century.

Sometime in the 14th century, the inhabitants of the coastal settlements must have begun to migrate inland to avoid pirate raids. The most notorious pirates of the time are the Catalans, who, at the beginning of the 14th century, had settled in Potidea on the opposite peninsula of Kassandra, only a few kilometers away from Nikiti. These were former mercenaries of the Byzantine emperor who, taking advantage of the weakness of the late Byzantine state, plundered large areas of the Greek peninsula from Macedonia to Athens.

Considering the proximity of the Catalan base and the ferocity of their raids, it is reasonable to assume that these were the main reason that drove the inhabitants of the coastal settlements to leave their ancestral land and move inland. Thus they founded the village of Nikiti in the “Land of Neakitos”, a location well hidden from pirates and perhaps even fortified by the monks of Mount Athos. It is very likely that people from the two existing mainland settlements near Nikiti also moved to the “Land of Neakitos” as these settlements gradually declined. Thus there is only one main settlement in the area, the current Upper/Old Town of Nikiti, the strength of which is hidden in its old part, namely the centuries-old settlement dating back to the 14th century. This is confirmed by an Ottoman census document[4] which mentions a village in the area named “Nikito” in the middle of the 15th century, a few years after the conquest of Halkidiki by the Ottomans. It is interesting to note that the name “Nikito” most likely comes from “Neakitou”, which confirms the theory about the evolution of the name of the Town. During the Ottoman rule, Nikiti was a small active village.

The inhabitants were mainly farmers and fishermen. At the time of the 1821 revolution, around 700 people lived in Nikiti. Halkidiki was one of the few regions in Macedonia and Northern Greece that tried to rise up against the Ottomans and Nikiti took an active part in the revolution. But the uprising in Halkidiki was not as successful as in Southern Greece and the Ottomans burned the village in retaliation. Then, many residents were forced to leave in search of safer places to stay. They settled in the islands of the North Aegean and in Evia where their descendants still live. However, most chose to stay and rebuilt the village during the 19th century. Nikiti’s most important buildings, the church of Agios Nikitas and the primary school, date from 1870, which means that by then Nikiti had fully recovered from the devastation of the failed revolution. It seems that the policy of relative autonomy in the management of local affairs adopted by the late Ottoman state helped the small village to develop both economically and populationally.

After all, the Ottomans cared more about collecting taxes from their subjects. After the liberation of 1912, there was a period of expansion of the village, although quite slow due to the two world wars, the Asia Minor disaster that brought many refugees to Halkidiki, the economic crisis of the 1930s and the civil war of 1946-1949. However, the inhabitants of Nikiti survived through all these difficulties that the first half of the 20th century had. During the second half of the century, the village developed rapidly. There was an expansion towards the sea, for the first time since the abandonment of the coastal settlements in the 14th century, while the arable land grew.

A deal of blue and green! This is Sithonia!

The pine trees touch the sea on the second “leg” of Halkidiki, which impresses with its rugged landscape, delighting nature lovers and those looking for a peaceful vacation.
From traditional, preserved villages, coves and huge beaches bathed in pine trees, to picturesque fishing villages, the changes on the second “leg” cannot leave you indifferent! Nikiti in the mountain or Nikiti in the sea? “Dilemma”.

The middle peninsula of Halkidiki with its exotic beaches, traditional villages and famous campsites impresses thanks to its unique diversity. Today, Sithonia, Halkidiki is the obvious vacation spot for millions of Greeks and foreign citizens. This blessed place has excellent nature and unique seas. There is an element of the exotic about the shores of Sithonia, which always fascinates. It is probably the white sand, the crystal and blue-green waters, centuries-old pines and olives, the vegetation that reaches the seashore, that create this sense of the exotic.

In Nikiti, the coastline of Sithonia stretches for about 25 km including many unique beaches. A journey through time, divided by region. The traditional practice of beekeeping was not only preserved, but the beekeepers of Nikiti engaged in beekeeping en masse and professionally. With the famous Sith honey from Susoura and the unique Olive Oil and Olives.

Tourism became an important source of income and many hotels were built in the area while today, the room rental businesses have over a thousand beds in total. Ano/Palia Nikiti, is the evolution of the historical Nikita community, today it is an example of a preserved settlement that has been uniquely revived thanks to the restoration of excellent houses and the creation of new neat entertainment centers. A town-scene that culminates with the ascent to the historic church of Agios Nikitas. With gentle development and permanent interventions on its paved streets, it will be the most desirable spot in Sithonia in the near future.

“There is nothing like Halkidiki!” An almost straight coastline, something unusual for Sithonia, with unique colors and pine trees that literally fall into the water. The well-known beaches of Nikiti are:

Nikiti beach
A large open beach, easily accessible, with shallow warm waters and many facilities for the visitor. The beach stretches over two kilometers in length. But you can walk it comfortably since there is a coastal road along almost its entire length.

Akti Sparthles
It is located right after the beach of Kalogria. It is characterized by its rocky coastline with coves and caves that invite exploration.

Paralia Lagomandra
Large wooded beach with amazing sea, many accommodation options and sea sports activities.

Ai-Yiannis beach
A beach just outside of Nikiti, in Sithonia, Halkidiki. Long coastline, easy access and crystal clear waters are its main features.

Akti Kastri
A not well known beach very close to Nikiti, in an area of ​​special historical importance.

Koviou beach
Relaxing turquoise waters, in a unique setting of sea, rocks and pine trees.

Kalogria beach
Another wonderful beach of Halkidiki, five kilometers from Nikiti. It has a long stretch of coast famous for its velvety white sand. The visitors of Nikiti can enjoy an unforgettable experience with their family or friends, with semi-submersible Nemo to experience the magic of the bottom of Nikiti, as well as enjoy diving from an organized Diving Center. Nikiti also provides a Municipal Marina, with three hundred berths, water sports, boat rentals and organized cruises. In Sithonia, an 18-hole golf course is available among all that it has to offer.

Indoor Basketball Court,
Football fields, tennis courts can be found everywhere while horse riding through the fir forests is an experience that you cannot find in the rest of Greece. Boasting a variety of quality restaurants, shops, Super Markets, as well as nightlife and the rest of the entertainment one would expect from holiday resorts, Nikiti manages to combine traditional beauty and hospitality with modern pleasures. In Nikiti on September 15, it is the day of the Saint’s feast, a feast is organized and the icon of the Saint wanders through the streets of the village in a sacred ceremony. Today, Nikiti is the capital of Sithonia. It is the Seat of the Municipality of Sithonia and one of the fastest growing cities in Halkidiki. Nikiti is one of the oldest villages of Halkidiki and later became a small town.
Today, Nikiti has approximately five thousand permanent residents on the western side of the peninsula, with 10% of the population being from co-religionist Balkan countries.

Sithonia, Halkidiki is the setting where many ancient myths unfold. Its history is visible and recorded in settlements that have been inhabited since 4000 BC, ruins of cities from the 5th century BC, in the museums and artefact collections, in the Byzantine monuments and preserved settlements. With important archaeological sites and the UNESCO world cultural heritage monuments, the great museums, the cave of Petraloni, the Byzantine Towers and the beautiful traditional settlements of Halkidiki. Nikiti and Sithonia, has a lively folk culture, the picturesque villages and traditional settlements of the peninsula, its paleontological, classical and Byzantine sites and monuments, its historic old churches and the chapels scattered around the villages, the imposing mountain volume of Dragoudeli, the emerald sea with its lacy shores, but above all the special way in which the inhabitants of Sithonia live and revive their old customs. Key areas of archaeological interest, among which are:

The ancient Stageira, birthplace (385 BC) of the greatest Greek philosopher Aristotle, which was rebuilt by Philip II in his honor, because he taught his son, Alexander the Great, King of the one and only Macedonia.

The statue of Aristotle as well as other ancient monuments are located in the western part of the village.

The archaeological site of Olynthos with its Archaeological Museum, an important cultural center of Halkidiki during the period of classical antiquity. Also some fortified elements of Ancient Toroni in Sithonia, the archaeological site of Kallithea, ancient Skioni and ancient Mendi on the Kassandra peninsula.

The unique Petralona Cave with numerous stalactites and stalagmites where a 700,000-year-old fossilized human skull was discovered, something indicates that possibly the first man who lived in Greece but also in Europe, lived in Halkidiki.

The canal of Nea Potidea divides the peninsula in two, joins the two gulfs, Thermaikos and Toroneos, and is mentioned by the ancient geographer Strabo.

The Archaeological Museum of Polygyros (capital of Halkidiki) includes exhibits from the entire Halkidiki peninsula, covering the prehistoric years as well as the geometric, archaic, classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods. Initially, archaeological findings from the excavations in Olynthos, the ancient Akantho in Ierissos, the sanctuary of Ammon Zeus in Kallithea and other important archaeological sites of Halkidiki were exhibited. The findings from the excavations at the site of ancient Olynthos are also exhibited there.

The increase and the importance of the archaeological finds forced the expansion of the Museum’s exhibition in areas of another function and now includes exhibition areas of 582 sq.m., a room for periodical exhibitions, a room for educational programs, areas for maintenance workshops and offices, an increase in storage areas and refreshment stand.

In the city there is also a Folklore Museum, which is housed in the Karagani house and includes, among other things, traditional costumes, agricultural tools and the representation of the urban house of the early twentieth century (on the first floor of the museum). Holomontas with an altitude of 1165 m impresses for its unique natural beauty and is covered by one of the most beautiful beauty forests, it is also precious from an ecological point of view. The forest of Holomont includes mainly beech, oak, chestnut, pine and fir trees. There are also rare habitats and individual species, such as lindens, hedges, maples that give variety to the landscape. It stands out for its rich fauna and birdlife, for which it has been included as a protected area in Natura. Deer, wild boars, hares, foxes, jackals, wolves live in its forests, as well as many species of rare birds. The most characteristic are the black stork, the serpent eagle, the golden eagle and the hornbill. Due to the special characteristics of flora, fauna and landscape, as we mentioned above, a large part of Holomontas (300,000 sq.) was evaluated as a valuable habitat for the protection of birdlife and habitats and was included together with six other regions of Greece in the category of specially protected natural areas (Special Protected Areas Spa’s). It is worthwhile to walk its paths (all seasons) or enjoy 4X4 or mountain bike rides on the country roads and dirt roads that cross it. In Nikiti, a modern multi-purpose space for spiritual and artistic development, “Apothika”, has been created and it signals, with its brilliant presence, the steadfast will of the Municipal Authority to present events of a high spiritual and artistic level to residents and visitors.