Where to stay in Halkidiki: the best areas and resorts

Kassandra is the most developed of Halkidiki's three peninsulas and the quickest to reach from Thessaloniki. Its east coast is a string of sandy beaches backed by pine forest, and Kallithea, about halfway down, is the busiest resort, packed with bars, clubs and restaurants in high summer. On the west coast, Sani is home to one of the most celebrated luxury resorts in Greece, spread across a wooded headland and wetlands.

The peninsula has Halkidiki's best collection of five-stars. Pick a beach resort at Sani with a sophisticated, grown-up feel, a renovated beachfront hotel in Kallithea with a spa and children's pool, a thalasso spa hotel on the beach 3 km from the centre, or a family resort where every room is within 100 metres of the sea.

Kriopigi is a pretty, traditional village on the hillside just south of Kallithea, with a little square of tavernas and lovely views across the Toroneos Gulf to Sithonia. Down by the sea, the coast is lined with pine forest and sandy beaches, and it's one of the best places in Halkidiki for a family resort holiday.

Hotels are big, green and well equipped. Choose a family-friendly five-star on a private Blue Flag beach with three pools and a kids' club, a hotel 120 metres up the hill with views over the gulf and a mini train down to the beach, a resort on a long sandy beach 2.5 km from Kallithea, or a smaller, elegant hotel in leafy gardens overlooking the sea.

Pefkohori, near the southern tip of Kassandra, grew from a fishing village into one of the peninsula's liveliest resorts. A long strip of sandy beach runs below a busy main street of bars, tavernas and shops that stays open late, and a small harbour adds a dash of local colour.

It's a great base for couples and groups who want a bit of life after dark. Stay in a modern five-star at the top of the village with panoramic views over the gulf, a bungalow hotel set around a pool with a glass-bottomed platform and waterfalls, a hotel among olive and pine trees with a free shuttle into the village, or a resort close to the beach and centre.

Hanioti, next door to Pefkohori, is a touch calmer and more family-oriented. Its long, sandy beach shelves gently into clear water, and the village centre has a leafy square, tavernas and bars that keep things lively without getting rowdy. Pefkohori's busier nightlife is just a short hop away.

Hotels include an elegant five-star right on the water a short walk from the village, a seaside hotel with a pool a few minutes' walk from the beach, a hotel 300 metres from the sand with a poolside snack bar, and a resort with its own private beach area.

Sithonia is Halkidiki's green heart. The road loops around a coast of pine-covered hills, granite headlands and dozens of small coves with sand so white and water so clear they look like the Caribbean. Neos Marmaras and Nikiti are the main resorts, Vourvourou is a beautiful scatter of islets, and the southern tip around Sarti and Porto Koufo looks across to the brooding peak of Mount Athos.

It's quieter and less developed than Kassandra, which is precisely why people love it. Stay in a rustic-style resort with spa and pools on a private beach, a luxury spa resort with tennis and an indoor pool, a resort right on the beach near the fishing harbour of Ormos Panagias, or an elegant hotel on the bay between Sithonia and Athos. Hire a car: the best beaches are the ones you find yourself.

At the base of the Athos peninsula, Ouranoupoli is the last village before the monastic republic of Mount Athos, where only male pilgrims with permits may go. Everyone else can admire it from the water on boat trips that cruise past cliff-hung monasteries, and the little island of Ammouliani, with its excellent beaches, is a short ferry ride away.

It's a calm, scenic corner, far from the resort crowds. Choose a five-star resort with a private beach and tennis, a beach hotel a short walk from the Ammouliani ferry, a hotel with a spa tub nearby, or a simple seaside hotel close to Ouranoupoli's medieval tower. Thessaloniki is a long drive, roughly two hours, so this suits a longer stay.