A postcard-worthy scene of white sand beaches, azure waters and lush pine forests, Kassandra is one of the three so-called “legs” that branch off the Halkidiki peninsula in Greece. The other two are Sithonia, which is more mountainous and less developed, also blessed with forests and secluded beaches; and Athos, a male-only autonomous monastic state (although largely closed to visitors, you can view the splendour of its Byzantine monasteries from excursion boats that skirt its rocky shores).
Arriving on Kassandra is an impressive experience. Effectively an island, it’s connected to Halkidiki by a bridge, which traverses the Potidea Canal, delivering you to a land of natural beauty. As you drive south, cultivated fields give way to verdant forests of towering Aleppo pines, which fill the air with the delightfully pungent aroma of pine resin when it rains. Amid Mediterranean maquis shrubland grow fragrant herbs such as mint, oregano and thyme. And then there’s the magnificent coast, where soft white sands fringe the turquoise sea, and rocky shores are speckled with samphire, rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Here, the Sani wetlands host more than 225 bird species, many rare and protected, so be on the lookout for purple herons, black storks and greater spotted eagles.
