Out of the blue - The Jewish Chronicle

They say there are 36 shades of blue in the Aegean sea. Looking across the stripe of sea connecting the first two peninsulas of Halkidiki, I could easily make out a dozen — vibrant turquoise close to shore, shading to the translucent aqua of the shallows, so clear, you could see every pebble.

Further out, a deeper ultramarine in the channel separating Kassandra, the first finger of Halkidiki where we were staying, from Sithonia, the second prong of this trident. The third, Athos is home to a string of monasteries and closed to all women as a result.

Halkidiki Credit: Paul Pastourmatzis[Missing Credit]

With the scent of the pines heavy in the air, trees swaying gently under the cloudless sky of a Greek summer, it feels like a scene that hasn't changed for centuries, since Greek philosopher Aristotle was born on Halkidiki’s eastern coast at Stagira. Only the style of boat skimming across the waves might make him look twice.
If you’re a fan of ancient Greek philosophy, Halkidiki even has a park dedicated to Aristotle including various scientific devices dotted around, but for a rather more luxurious option, check in to Cora Hotel & Spa, which has drawn inspiration for its own philosophy from his tenets.
While he was preoccupied with working out the basic principles which could reveal the underlying patterns of the world, the hotel’s take is looking at the core of what really matters. For guests, that means all the essentials you might want from an indulgent, relaxing break in the Greek sunshine.

Cora Hotel[Missing Credit]

Food? Absolutely — with three restaurants (and four bars), including Apiro (whose name means ‘endless’) with modern Greek food at lunchtime, Peruvian-Japanese fusion in the evenings, and Ertha, with its lavish breakfast spread and ever-changing evening buffet, quite apart from the pool-side menu, a planned Italian restaurant and proposals for a food truck down on the private beach.

Which also neatly ticks off beach from the wishlist. There’s even a lift to take you down, after you cross the walkway from the hotel so you needn’t battle back up half a dozen flights of stairs after your time lounging on the sand. Add in water so clear that you can see the fish darting around without a snorkel, and the only effort you need to make is to bring some water shoes to avoid the rocks.

Cora Hotel[Missing Credit]

But what if you’re a fan of pools rather than the beach? Not to worry, there are several, including an infinity pool with a fabulous sunset view across the sea, a larger main pool, spa pool and smaller private pools in some of the suites. There’s even an instgrammable set of shallow stepped pools dotted with loungers and surrounded by yet more places to relax shaded by parasols and floaty white netting.
All in all, it’s definitely a few more mod cons than the ancient Greeks would have expected. Our own sea view pool suite came complete with huge bed, separate living area, storage galore, and delicious marine-inspired Phytomer toiletries in the bathroom. Add in a double lounger and seats by the little pool and it was easy to get into a routine of wandering from one shady spot to another, cooling off in the water between meals.
Aristotle may have been more focused on the mind than the body, but I'm sure he would have approved of taking care of both. ‘Mens sana in corpore sano’ as the poet Juvenal would go on to say a few centuries later. So I headed to the hotel's little gym for one of their morning stretch sessions. Billed as taking place with a view of the sea, mine swapped scenery for the distinctly welcome air con inside the gym. Emerging feeling relaxed and energised after 45 minutes, I followed it up with some rather more indulgent self care, a cocktail and selection of cake with a view of the waves; the pistachio olive oil dessert was a standout.

There was more illumination about the essentials of life to be found in the spa over a candle massage, with jasmine-scented hot oil dissolving the stresses of daily life — whether you’ve been wrestling with philosophy or just trying to juggle all the demands of the 21st century, it worked a treat.

However long you spend pondering the meaning of life and soaking up the sunshine in the hotel, there’s plenty more to Halkidiki, just waiting to be discovered. The pretty village of Afytos, with its stone-built houses, shady squares and enticing souvenir shops is only a five-minute drive from the hotel.

Or to get a glimpse of the second peninsula, head down to Paliouri, near the southern tip of Kassandra for a boat tour across to Sithonia, stopping at some of the little golden coves to snorkel and swim. Our trip, booked by Cora Hotel, included a stand-up paddleboard to borrow (although it’s best to bring your own snorkel if you can, and snacks, as there’s no food included).

Another core tenet of exploring Kassandra is to leave plenty of time to navigate the single-lane highway stretching from north to south, especially at weekends when many of the inhabitants of Thessaloniki flock to the seaside to escape the city’s summer temperatures.

Thessaloniki seen from the sea[Missing Credit]

You’ll need at least to pass through Thessaloniki on arrival and departure yourself, as the nearest international airport to Halkidiki. But it would be a travesty not to spend longer in Greece’s fascinating second city while you’re there.

Statue of Aristotle in Thessaloniki[Missing Credit]

You’ll find Aristotle here too, or his statue at least, in the central square which bears his name. The toe is rubbed golden by students at the university — also named for the philosopher — as it’s supposed to bring luck to touch it just before exams.

Just a short stroll away was our base, the five-star MonAsty Hotel, part of the Autograph Collection and as stylish as you’d expect from one of their hand-picked properties. Look out for the artworks inspired by silk scarves once traded in the city; an important stops on the Silk Road, you’ll find another nod to this history in the hotel restaurant’s name, Samite, for the opulent silk fabrics threaded with gold and silver which passed along the route.

MonAsty Hotel[Missing Credit]

A room at MonAsty Hotel[Missing Credit]

Rooftop bar Ennea, next to the hotel’s small rooftop pool, is the perfect place for a sunset drink — try one of the hotel’s signature cocktails. The rooms have their own small balconies too, more Phytomer toiletries, Nespresso machine, and deliciously squashy pillows on the spacious bed.

But one of the key temptations is the hotel’s location. As well as Aristotle a few blocks away, it’s also a short stroll to the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki — tickets give entry to the city’s two synagogues too, one just minutes from the hotel, another within a 10-minute walk. The tragic fate of the city’s Jewish community is well-known, with around 40,000 people murdered in the concentration camps before the Nazi occupation ended in 1944, almost all of the city’s pre-war Jewish inhabitants.

The Jewish Museum in Thessaloniki[Missing Credit]

The museum’s memorial to those killed is a stark reminder of everyone who was lost, but it also celebrates Thessaloniki’s long Jewish heritage as well as its enduring community. With Jews living here for over 2,000 years, seeing empires rise and fall — Roman, Venetian and Ottoman to name just a few — the city’s Jewish inhabitants once made up around 50 per cent of the population, with more than 30 synagogues, and were so renowned for their learning and scholarship that Thessaloniki was called the ‘Mother of Israel’.

Displays show everything from the clothing traditionally worn to displays celebrating various festivals, and other everyday items including local Hebrew newspapers. A recent project aiming to preserve the area’s Jewish songs and music, much of which was lost after the Second World War, now showcases lyrics and melodies collected and conserved over the past few years.

The museum also highlights Thessaloniki’s mix of influences. As well as the original Romaniote community, large numbers of Sephardi Jews made a new home here after the expulsion from Spain and Portugal, while later Ashkenazi Jews fled to the city from Hungary and Germany in particular.

There’s more history to be found in the city’s White Tower too; both prison and fort during its lifetime, the waterfront spot is now a museum with a free audio guide (albeit a rather dry recounting) and great views from the top.

But the final word should go to Aristotle once more. “Happiness depends upon ourselves,” he once said. Perhaps so; it’s certainly easier under the Greek sun.

Getting There

Various airlines fly to Thessaloniki, with direct flights from London priced from £55 return with easyJet.

Rooms at Cora Hotel and Spa cost from around £87 per night B&B. coraresort.com

Rooms at MonAsty Hotel cost from around £125 per person per night. monastyhotel.com

Topics:

Halkidiki