Afitos is about 100 km away from Thessaloniki and is located on the first finger of Chalkidiki, on the western peninsula of Kassandra. It is located between Nea Fokea and Kallithea and belongs to the municipality of Kassandra. It is a charming little village and captivates with its charming colorful little houses and the beautiful backyards.
The location directly on the sea, above a rocky cliff, offers an incomparable view of the bay of Toroneos. If you look closely you will find all kinds of fruit in the gardens from limes, figs to pomegranates. It is not for nothing that Afitos is often called the most beautiful village among the sights on the Halkidiki peninsula, due to its original charm.
The charming place on Kassandra
The pretty little cafés and taverns invite you to linger. The small, charming stores also make the small village with its many buildings made of natural stone an attractive and tranquil little village that has been able to retain its original charm.
The handful of stores are sufficient for basic needs; larger errands can be done 3 KM away in Kallithea. The beautiful plants and flowers give the small town a special flair. Also the construction on the cliffs gives Afitos that special something.
The locals are very friendly and approachable. Also, worth seeing is the church Agios Dimitrios from the 19th century with the typical domed roof and wooden vault.
Afitos beach
You have a beautiful view and only a few minutes walk from the village center you come to a long sandy beach, which is fortunately not overcrowded even in the summer months and especially during the week. On weekends, it gets a bit crowded here, so that the free parking spaces at the beach of Afitos are quickly occupied. The approach by car or rental car is comparatively steep.
When the weather is good, bathing and relaxing at Afitos Beach almost feels like being in the Caribbean. One is lured by the turquoise water to swim and bathe in the waves. With a clear view over the gulf of Toroneos you can also see the middle “finger” of Chalkidiki and look as far as Nikiti.
The beach consists mostly of sand, occasionally gravel and stones. There are certainly more beautiful and lonely beaches on Chalkidiki, but especially in combination with a visit to the village and the sights there, a visit becomes an experience. There are several accesses, which are either longer (by road) or more direct but steeper.
Particularly in the middle of the bay, it is possible to walk well, but still best with bathing shoes to a depth of water for swimming. In other places there are rock slabs on the bottom, which makes it difficult to wade in without shoes, which would also be advisable due to the isolated sea urchins.
But once you have passed the first 20 meters of shallow water, you will be rewarded by the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Since there are no sudden shallows lurking on the beach, Afitos beach is also a very popular destination for families with small children to enjoy swimming.
Fortunately, the water quality there is relatively good; the place was therefore awarded in 2019 for its beach with the so-called “blue flag” the quality mark for sustainability from the Foundation for Environmental Education.
Sun-seeking vacationers can rent sunbeds on the beach, also taverns and kiosks offer refreshments for a nice beach vacation.
Review: Time travel to Ancient Greece
Today, small, romantic alleys, a marketplace as the center, pleasant stores and of course many taverns characterize the cute little town on the east coast of Cassandra.
In ancient times, Afitos was an established and prosperous town with its own mint and status of a city-state. Especially in times of the occupation of Greece by the Romans, the city was considered one of the central resistances against the unwanted occupation.
The ruins of ancient Afitos are located not far from the present settlement and can of course be visited, as well as the specially built Folklore Museum.