Kriopigi (Halkidiki) is a cozy village on the stretch between Kalithea and Polychrono, 85 km from Thessaloniki Airport. Its main resort street runs parallel to the sea, but runs 100 meters above its level along a high hilly shore, and the distance from the center to the beach line is about 1 km.
There are beautiful sunrises, and in clear weather, as from everywhere on the eastern shore of Kassandra, you can see the outlines of the low mountains and hills of neighboring Sithonia.
The resort of Kriopigi (κρυοπηγή) is climatic, the air everywhere is filled with the aroma of Mediterranean pine needles, saturated with phytoncides and mixed with the smells of the sea. It is easy to breathe and “delicious”, and you will feel the thick smell of pine trees even a kilometer from the shore, swimming in the sea.
There is a popular expression here: “the air of Cryopiga can be drunk.” This is the main thing that tourists and Greeks from other regions who come here during their vacation time note.
What to see and do
Kriopigi resort in Greece is a peaceful and peaceful place for a family holiday. There is no large amusement park or significant ancient architectural landmarks in the village. And noisy Kalithea with night discos and youth clubs from here, by local standards, is far away, five kilometers away.
Due to its geographical location, Kriopigi began to develop in the 19th century with trade crafts, as in ancient times the settlement was surrounded by the Greek cities of Naples and Phlegra. This place used to be called Pazarakya (ΠαζΑράκια), which means bazaars.
The modern village itself is higher than the main resort highway on the other side of the highway, opposite the descent to the sea. It is unique, the narrow streets of Kriopiga are interesting to walk in the morning or in the afternoon, for example, on the way to the spring at the amphitheater, which is located in the forest above the village.
Here, locals and vacationers collect and drink cold water from the spring. It is noticeably tastier than bottled store-bought. Behind the amphitheater, the “jungle” of the forest, entwined with vines, immediately begins. A hiking trail passes through them, the ascents and descents are difficult in some places, but the views of Cryopiga and the photos from there are wonderful. For a walk, you need to wear suitable shoes.
In some places, it seems that the streets of Verkhny Kriopigi are an open-air ethnographic museum.
But here live people, ordinary Greeks, who love their homes and decorate their life with all available means. They are given by the fertile local nature, and only their own imagination limits them.
The church of Kriopigi and its bell tower are of recent construction, and along with the old houses of the 19th century in the upper village above the highway, there are also renovated and restored buildings, and completely new ones.
Places to eat in Kriopigi
And in the evening it’s good to sit in a real Greek restaurant in the middle of the village square. Since spring, every Saturday here is full of Greeks and foreigners. The family-run restaurant “Antoulas” (ανθούλας) is known among gourmets and has been awarded as one of the top 12 Greek restaurants among similar establishments in the capital Athens, Thessaloniki and Halkidiki.
The restaurant kitchen is located in an old mansion, away from the noisy road, and the tables are located directly on the square. There are especially many visitors here in August, so you need to book seats in advance.
But even on warm September evenings, the soft light, excellent food, wine and welcoming couple George and Ansula create a special aura in this place. According to the stories and reviews of visitors on tourist portals and forums, after the first visit to “Anthoulas”, many tourists often come to Kriopigi to the tavern in the village square for a special dinner, even if they stayed in other places in Halkidiki. After all, the distances here are small.
Popular establishments are also found on the main resort street along the highway. Good reviews of Adonis Tavern (αντώνης). It is famous for excellent meat dishes and delicious salads. The owners do not buy vegetables for salads, but grow them on their own farms.
Enjoy a pleasant evening with a glass of wine on the sea-view terrace at the Bistro restaurant. The service is excellent, Greek dishes are prepared here: octopus in wine sauce, grilled squid, pasta with seafood. The menu includes risotto with pork and pumpkin and a traditional Greek crepe dessert with baked apples and ice cream.
Prices in good and popular restaurants in Halkidiki are moderate: lunch for two will cost 22-37€ depending on the chosen dish, in other establishments it is cheaper: 11-16€.
Traditionally in Greece, fruits and sweets are offered almost everywhere in addition to the main menu as a gift from the institution.
In addition to cafes, restaurants and taverns, there are many shops on the long resort street of Kriopigi: grocery stores, industrial goods, souvenir shops and pharmacies. There are tourist kiosks, rental housing offices, car rentals and beach accessories, a gas station and several stops on both sides of the highway for intercity buses going south of Kassandra and in the opposite direction.
Excursions from Kriopiga or 5 ideas for a “non-beach” holiday
- If you are a desperate beachgoer and decide to devote all your vacation days to this activity, in the middle of your vacation, make a small variety and go, at least for 1 day, to the nearest resort towns to choose from: Kalithea, Polychrono or Afitos.
- If you have rented a car, you should go around not only both banks of Kassandra, but also neighboring Sithonia: impressions and excellent photos and videos are guaranteed.
- For lovers of the ancient history of Greece: the sacred Olympus is very close, take a guided tour there.
- Take a cruise on a “pirate” ship on the Bay of Toroneos, its program will not leave anyone indifferent.
- And those who go to Meteora for the whole day, in addition to an interesting and informative excursion to the active monasteries of Greece, clinging to hard-to-reach rocks, will receive 5 in 1 bottle.
Those who go to Meteora for the whole day will get 5 in 1:
- You will see Olympus in all its glory on the way from the bus window, and the guide will not be silent in this place either.
- On the way back and forth, you will pass through the bustling and diverse Thessaloniki and see its character both in the morning and in the evening.
- Just before the Meteors, you will be taken to a famous icon painting workshop, see how the masters work, and there you can buy wonderful quality souvenirs and icons for yourself and as a gift.
- After the tour, before leaving Meteor, you will have lunch in a Greek restaurant in the town of Kalambaka at the very foot of the cliffs, where you will taste raki: waiters in folk costumes will offer a glass of drink at the entrance to each tourist. And during lunch, watch a small concert of the Greek folk ensemble.
Places to stay in Kriopigi, prices for accommodation
The infrastructure of this relatively young holiday destination in Halkidiki is developing every year, and during the season the population of a small village on the shore of the Bay of Toroneos (Aegean Sea) increases tenfold.
Several hotels are located in the village of Kriopigi itself along the highway, which we have already described. All the others descend in a makeshift amphitheater through the forest to the very shore along the picturesque hills. There are many campsites and guest houses. Only on Booking you can find about 40 hotel options of various levels in Kriopigi (Greece) from *1 to *****5. Prices in high season are kept in the range of 40-250 € per night for a double room. In spring and during the velvet season, hotel tours and rental prices for local operators in Kriopigi are lower: some significantly, others not so much.
Kriopigi has 2 five – star hotels: ALEXANDER THE GREAT BEACH HOTEL is located in the northern part of the coastline, and KASSANDRA PALACE HOTEL & SPA is located in the south. The beach complexes of these hotels have a well-developed infrastructure that meets all the requirements for a quality holiday.
Above, on the main resort street, one of the two ****4 the famous Kriopigi Beach, and the rest of the hotels are located on a winding side highway. There’s a lot here***3, **2, *1 hotels and other quite acceptable and decent options for “starless” housing and apartments.
Weather
The warmest months in Kriopigi are the last two summer months (August is hotter) and September. In August-July, the air temperature on the Halkidiki peninsula is +29-30 ° C, and the water in the bay is warmer than fresh milk: +26-27 ° C. But in the afternoon there is no heat on the beaches: the hills and forest provide a saving shade.
In the velvet season, the air and water temperatures during the day are approximately the same, +24-25 ° C. This is the most comfortable time for the elderly and parents with very young children to relax.
Winds on the beaches of Kriopigi are also weak 4.2-4.7 m / s – they are not allowed here by the same high wooded hills. The rainiest months in this part of Greece are February and March, at which time Kriopigi has “as much as” 4 rainy days!
The coldest months are winter in Halkidiki, 10-15 degrees plus. Because of such a rather mild winter, many hotels are open all year round, and at this time lovers of educational recreation and those who do not tolerate the heat come here. And the Greeks themselves from other regions come here to spend their holidays.
Beaches and nature
One of the most beautiful beaches not only in Kassandra, but also in Halkidiki, the beach in Kriopigi. In Greek, this word means “cold spring” or spring. Indeed, cold springs here hit both in the sea (swimming in warm sea water, sometimes you get into a cold stream), and from underground, on land.
In the afternoon, no umbrellas are needed here: from the hill covered with pine trees, a natural shade lies on the beach. Therefore, even in the hottest months, it is possible for the elderly and small children to visit Pigadakya in the afternoon. The direct rays of the sun will catch up with bathers only in the sea.
The village is located between Kalifea and Polychrono. To get to the beach, you need to go down from the only traffic light on the highway in the center of Kriopigi (from the sign “Camping”).
Tourists vacationing in the upper part of the village often rent a car to go to the beach (8-10 minutes) and make longer excursions.
From the center of Kriopiga to the shore on foot, go down about 15-20 minutes along the asphalt road winding among the pines.
The return trip takes 20-30 minutes. In the spring months, in the velvet season and any other time, such a journey through the forest is invigorating, and in the heat it is a little tiring, especially from the beach up.
But from the Cryopigi Beach Hotel, located at the southern end of central street, this distance can be covered faster, literally in 6-8 minutes. From here, every hour of the season, a painted or silver cheerful auto-moto tram takes passengers to the sea itself for 1€.
Next to the beach on the terrace, which is located on the high bank, there is a bar and tavern. The beach line is not very wide, immediately from the shore comes close to the forest.
On the terrace of the bar, while having lunch or just having a cup of coffee, you can admire the seascapes of this part of the bay and watch the life of the beach, which is located lower to the left along the shore.
Wooden steps lead down to the water from the beach bar. Sun beds and umbrellas for beach visitors are paid, for hotel vacationers****4 Kriopigi Beach has a separate area with a line of free sun loungers. There is a shower, toilet, car rental and a rescue station.
The beach is sandy, there are small pebbles at the very edge of the water, and the tide often throws beautiful colorful pebbles polished by the sea onto the shore.
Children have plenty of space here. The entrance to the water is gentle, but in some places along the edges of the beach near the shore there is a strip of algae and there is a danger of stepping on a sea urchin.
How to get to Kriopigi
From Athens (607 km): by car, train, bus and air (to Thessaloniki Airport) or by a combination of these modes of transport. Depending on the chosen option, the travel time is from 6 to 10 hours, the cost is from 40 to 250 euros.
From the Macedonia airport in Thessaloniki, almost all hotel tours provide a transfer: you will be brought to the hotel, the travel time is 1 hour if the transfer is only to your hotel, and from 1.5 hours to 2 hours combined.
From Thessaloniki (95 km), independent travelers can reach:
- by bus for 2.5 hours and 10-12 euros (tickets and schedule on the website https://ktel-chalkidikis.gr/),
- by taxi (100-130 euros),
- or by car (11-18 euro petrol costs) – for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Kriopigi (Halkidiki) is a place that you do not want to leave, and many who once spent their vacation days here return at least once more. There are also fanatical fans of this place, for whom a small village in Greece has become a permanent holiday destination.
