Sithonia is the middle of three peninsulas on Halkidiki and is a popular Greek tourist destination with a good motorway south from Thessaloniki to Neos Moudania. Camping Iza is one of the larger sites on Sithonia and therefore has more facilities than many smaller sites. Behind a good sandy beach and amongst mainly olive and willow trees, the 215 pitches are clearly marked, and some have high screens to offer some shade. Only the two front rows have sea views.

If you imagine a typical Greek campsite as being set immediately behind a small sandy beach in a quiet cove with pitches amongst pine and olive trees that stretch a long way back to the small coast road, then you have found your ideal site. Camping Areti is beautifully located just off the beaten track on the peninsula of Sithonia. It has 130 pitches for touring units. The olive groves at the rear provide hidden parking spaces for caravans and boats, and small boats can be launched from the beach. The Charalambidi family maintain their site to very high standards and visitors will not be disappointed.

This back to basics campsite has two springs and a stream flowing into a small marsh and 10 km. of forest roads in private woodland, an idyllic location, but with a risk of mosquitos following a period of rain. On the east coast of the Sithonia peninsula, the setting is stunning.

Just 27 km south of the birthplace of Aristotle is the small town of Lerissos, on the peninsula of Agio Oros, famous for Mount Athos and several Byzantine monasteries. Mount Athos has been revered as a mystical and religious centre since 800 AD, prompting the creation of the places of worship. Simonos Petras monastery, founded in the 13th century, is notable for its clifftop setting with dramatic sea views and a famed chanting choir. Lerissos offers all the usual useful shops, restaurants, amenities, and a long sandy beach.

Mount Olympus towers are an iconic backdrop to this region, and its slopes run down to the shores of the Aegean, where Camping Poseidon Beach is to be found. This rural area is just off the E75 motorway, which follows the coast from Thessalonica to Athens. The area is known for its sandy beaches, and this campsite enjoys direct access to the sea with windsurfing, snorkelling and waterskiing all available. Head inland to Mount Olympus National Park and take to the hiking and biking trails to explore the rugged majesty of these wooded slopes.

Camping Ouzouni Beach is a family-run site proudly owned by Dimitris Ouzounis, and you can expect a warm and friendly greeting when you arrive. This is a simple site with 93 touring pitches available, which are grassy and individually divided by hedges and shrubs; large trees or canopies shade them, and each pitch ranges from 65 sq.m. up to 80 sq.m. The campsite has a small shop where you can get your essentials and some traditional Greek dishes and pizza made by Andrea, one of the family members.

The busy motorway south of Thessaloniki clearly shows the popularity of Halkidiki and this coastal area. Camping Kouyoni provides a site that is popular with local Greeks, who have had static caravans here for many years, and also has flats that are available to rent. With a total of 86 pitches, only 40 are available for touring units and only a few of these are suitable for motorhomes and larger caravans. There is limited space for car parking and this further restricts access. The pitches are more earth than grass and they could become muddy if it rains.

This site is ideally suited, both for those travelling to and from the Turkish border at Ipsala/Kipi and also for those wishing to explore the north of Greece. It provides 125 small pitches with electricity, well shaded by tall trees and offers good low season camping opportunities. It is likely to be very busy with families in the high season using the attached recreation/conference/wedding centre. Istanbul is an easy day’s drive away, even allowing for the border formalities. Visas for entry into Turkey are swiftly obtained (payment in euros, they will not accept Turkish Lira or Sterling).