Afitos, where to go for swimming and eating
Afitos (or Athytos as it used to be called) is a traditional settlement on the first leg of Halkidiki. The village stands out for its architecture and aesthetics. But also for its position that offers an endless view of the Toroneos gulf. We present to you what is worth seeing and doing in the picturesque village of Halkidiki.
Afitos (or Athytos)
A few words about the settlement
From the first moment you find yourself in Afitos, you realize how different it is from the rest of the coastal settlements of Halkidiki. The residents resisted the anarchic tourist development, which in recent decades has altered the area. They tried and succeeded in preserving the special character of the village, highlighting its culture.
Thus, the old houses made of porolit dominate to this day. A large number of them have architectural inscriptions and stone carvings, such as:
the intimate Katsani (1860),
the familiar Papavasiliou (1864),
the familiar Galani (1889),
the familiar Aletra (1889) etc.
In the house of Aletras, in the central square, there is now a folklore museum. The cobbled streets are reminiscent of picturesque island cobblestones and almost all of them end at the three-aisled, wooden-roofed basilica with a dome of Agios Dimitrios, built in 1859.
For history buffs
If you are one of those who love history and are looking for museums and archaeological sites to visit, then Afitos has to offer you the Sanctuary of Ammon Zeus, who was the patron of the settlement in the past. The ruins of the temple located within the village have been there since the 4th century BC. and are visitable.
Going down from the central square towards the beaches of Afytos you will come across a statue. There you will be asked to choose whether to turn left for Varkes beach or right for Moudounou and Liosi. Before you do that, take two minutes to read the story behind a local legend. The legend of Babakilet’s fountain.
As we read in Xenophon’s Greek work, in 381 BC. the Spartan king Agesipolis besieged Toroni. However, he fell seriously ill and asked to be brought to Athytos, which was then known for the sanctuary of Dionysus and the Oracle of Ammon Zeus. Without delay the king was taken to Afitos, specifically to the area where the Babakilet fountain is located today, in order to see his doctor. Despite the efforts, the king was unsuccessful and his body was taken back to Sparta to be buried with honors.
To commemorate the place where the king died, the soldiers dug deep into the Aphytian earth and hid his golden armor in its depths. The armor was protected by a huge snake. According to the legend, if a woman spread her legs while the snake was coming out, it would fill them with gold.
Where to stay in Afitos
If you choose to spend your holidays in Afitos and not to see it in a hurry, then we recommend the Mageiras Boutique Hotel or Afitos Beach Apartments.
Providing inner courtyard views and a garden, Mageiras Boutique Hotel offers accommodation conveniently set in Afitos, within a short distance of Liosi Beach, Varkes Beach and Afitos. There is a private entrance at the apartment for the convenience of those who stay. The apartment provides garden views, a sun terrace, and free WiFi is available throughout the property.
The units are equipped with air conditioning, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a fridge, a coffee machine, a walk-in shower, a hair dryer and a wardrobe. A balcony with an outdoor dining area and city views is offered in each unit. All units include a private bathroom, free toiletries and bed linen.
For swimming in Afitos
As we already mentioned, Afitos is a settlement built on a hill, which means that in order to bathe in the sea you have to go down. Fortunately, the route is short (around ten minutes with a slow walk). If there is a means of transport, the time is reduced to a few minutes. Going down from the central square and as soon as you meet the statue we showed at the beginning, you have two options: turn right towards Varkes beach or left towards Moudounou and Liosi.
Varkes beach is a relatively small beach with 2 beach bars and a tavern. You will struggle to find parking, especially on weekends, but we have the solution for that too. Since this year, a new private parking has been opened, where you can safely and cheaply park your car. You can find it here. The waters are indeed clean, but in a large part of the beach there are large stones that make it difficult for you to enter the water.
On the contrary, if you head to the other side you will come across Moudounou beach with a large part of it having free access and quiet. Our suggestion is to continue your route for a few more meters. This is how you will reach Liosi beach.
Don’t forget souvenirs and traditional Greek products
In every tourist destination there are souvenir shops. These are usually limited to figurines, magnets, soaps and other similar and usually standardized products, but also traditional Greek handmade products.
The ENTEKA homemade products store is a family business engaged in production, packaging and sale of home and traditional products in Afitos, Halkidiki.
Try the homemade traditional products: extra virgin olive oil, olives, pickles, jams, spoon sweets, wines.