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Greece: Northern Greece

Overview

Nearest Airports – Kavala, Preveza and Thessaloniki (international), Alexandroupolis (domestic).

Northern Greece comprises two regions, Macedonia and Thrace, and is the least visited part of the country. The region’s climate is quite different from the rest of Greece: the short summers are hot and humid, the winters very cold, and there’s less rainfall than in most other areas. Communications between Macedonia and the rest of mainland Greece are excellent, with well-maintained, fast roads and frequent bus and coach services linking the major towns. Thessaloniki has an international airport and there are smaller airports at Kavala and Preveza with limited international services. There’s also a regular train service between most towns, although journeys are slower than by bus. In the more remote areas, private transport is essential.

Macedonia is the largest prefecture in Greece and its capital is Thessaloniki (pop. 796,175), a lively, sophisticated Byzantine city set on the edge of the Thermaic Gulf, whose port is the natural gateway to the Balkans. The area’s three highlights are Pella, the birthplace of Alexander the Great, Vergina, site of the royal tombs of several Macedonian monarchs, and Dion, Macedonia’s sacred city. In the north-west are the attractive Prespa lakes and in the south Mount Olympus (see Thessaly above), surrounded by a large national park with excellent hiking.

To the south of Thessaloniki and separated by two large lakes lies the region of Halkidiki, whose south coast consists of three peninsulas: Cassandra, Sithonia and Athos. The peninsulas have a coastline of over 500km (312mi) and superb sandy beaches, making them a popular resort area, but note that the area all but shuts down outside July and August. Cassandra is the favourite among package tourists and includes Greece’s largest resort, Sani Beach. Sithonia is greener and less developed, although it has an abundance of villas and its resorts of Neos Marmatas and Porto Karrás are two of Greece’s largest holiday complexes. The third peninsula, Athos, is where the Virgin Mary is said to have landed and declared it her garden, and Mount Athos is the holiest of places for the Orthodox religion. Nowadays it’s a semi-autonomous, ‘theocratic republic’ run by Orthodox monks, who live in some 20 monasteries with access strictly controlled and restricted to men.

The property market on Halkidiki is growing fast and foreign buyers are on the increase. Infrastructure in the area is improving and property prices are expected to rise significantly in the near future. Prices start at €75,000 for an apartment or small house. Land is available from €15 per m2 in a rural location to €300 per m2 in a front line beach position.

Thrace is Greece’s most recent acquisition (1923) and is something of a backwater, being tucked away in the north-east corner of the country. The architecture and culture of the region are largely Turkish. The area’s main towns are Kavala, the principal port for northern Greece and one of the most attractive Greek cities; Komotini, where the population is half Greek and half Turkish; and Alexandroupolis, an important military garrison. The country’s vast tobacco industry is centred in Thrace, where sunflower oil and cotton are also produced. Close to the border with Turkey, the Evros Delta is one of Europe’s most important wetlands, and Dhadhiá Forest is an important nature reserve.

© Survival Books Limited 2005

“Buying a Home in Greece” 3rd Edition, Joanna Styles.

Reproduced with the permission of Survival Books Limited.

Further information on buying a home in Greece can be found in “Buying a Home in Greece” 3rd edition, by Joanna Styles.

For extensive information about buying a property in Greece, you can purchase this book at www.survivalbooks.net

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