Holidays in Greece always remain in my fond memory, but traveling to Sarti is, at least for now, the most wonderful trip of my life. Primarily because of it’s beauty, but also the energy and the positive that this place and these people carry with them.
Sarti is a wonderful resort on the east side of Sithonia, the second finger of Halkidiki. This magical place is located about 140 km from Thessaloniki.
First of all you need to know that there are two parts of Sarti – Old and New Sarti. The old part is definitely better for you to stay in because all you need is there. In the old part of town are shops, the main beach, there are most restaurants and cafes. New Sarti is called that because it has just begun to build, and it is a part that is about to flourish. Of course, in the new part you also have shops, some restaurants and the beach, but all this is much better in the old part, at least it was in 2015. You have a beach in the old part as well as in the new part. In the old part, the beaches are more beautiful, but the waves are bigger. In the new part the sea is calmer but also a little dirtier and the beach is almost deserted.
What makes Sarti a wonderful place for your ideal holiday is a magical, long sandy beach, tailored to everyone’s taste. On this beautiful beach you can freely spread your towel and enjoy your own peace of mind, and you can also sit in one of the many cafes or restaurants. They all have sun loungers on the beach, and drinks are free of charge for the ordered drink. At least that’s how it was when we were vacationing here.
The beauty of this beach cannot be described in words. The beach is so long that the end cannot be seen. It is also wide and spacious, which will make you feel as if it is never crowded. And believe me, Sarti is surrounded by tourists all summer long, as it is considered one of the most beautiful resorts in Greece. However, all these beach features will make you have peace and space at all times. The sand is beautiful, soft and clean, both on the beach and in the sea.
Waves – a very common occurrence in Sarti. On the first day of our vacation, they were so big that I couldn’t swim. But it’s not always that way. Sometimes they are gentle and sometimes they are gone.
Cafes and restaurants are large in number, both during the day and in the evening. During the day there is a siesta, as everywhere in Greece, and during this period some quarrels do not work, e.g. individual cafes, shops, supermarkets and the like. You have to inquire about it in the place itself, as it depends on the premises.
In most cafes and restaurants there is excellent wifi signal, as in most hotels. Telephone cards can also be purchased, if someone needs them.
There are many ways to visit Sithonia and the nearby beaches. Mostly via local buses, but they rarely go and even some beaches do not even exist. So this option is not exactly recommended. The second option is to go on trips through local agencies, but this option is more expensive than the third one, which we have opted for. The third and best option is to rent a car or scooter.
We rented a scooter that took us everywhere with no problems. We paid for the scooter rental € 10 per day (it was in 2015). It was a discounted price considering we took the scooter for 8 days. If you take on fewer days, the price per day is higher. Plus the fuel you pour yourself. We rented a scooter with a nice Mr. Angelo, whose ren-a-car agency is right next to the “Sarti Inn” hotel. You also get helmets for that money. We didn’t pay any insurance, but again I say, that was then. For fresh information you need to check personally.
Through a local agency we went on an excursion to Holy Mountain. More specifically, on a cruise around Holy Mountain, since you are well aware that women are not allowed to go there. Men, if they wish, can also arrange a trip to the Holy Mountain themselves, but for this they must obtain a visa in advance and prepare their departure well. However, women can only observe it from the ship. The cruise lasts all day and costs 25 € per person. On this trip you can hear a lot of useful and beautiful information about the Holy Mountain, as well as serbian history and serbian monasteries located in this holy place. A truly wonderful experience. A variety of interesting activities have been organized aboard the ship, since the cruise lasts all day. It also stops at Amuliani Island, where you can swim, dine, and buy souvenirs. The guide will show you an shop where you can buy souvenirs from Hilandar Monastery maded by serbian monks. After staying at Amuliani, a return trip to Sarti follows. If you’re lucky, you can also see dolphins, which happened to us.
You can also arrange a visit to Thessaloniki.
We also visited Orange beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in all Greece. The water on this beach is turquoise, clear, clear. The beach is almost non-existent, but there are rocks everywhere, where you can put your things down. My recommendation is to visit this beach in the early morning as it is very difficult to find a place later. There are not many cafes here, I think there is only one, and in the form of some trailers, where you can buy only coffee, water or juice, some of the most basic. That cafe doesn’t even have chairs you can sit on. Take-away drinks are taken here. There is no restaurant. There are no sun beds. So get ready to go to this beach.
In addition, we visited four other beaches: Klimataria beach, Platanitsi beach, Goa beach and Banana beach. These beaches have cafes and restaurants. We visited these beaches by scooter, although there are buses and some organized excursions to some.
You can also visit some of the following beaches: Karidi, Talgo, Kalamitsi, Fava beach, Hawaii, Bahia, Armenistis, Manassu, Ark beach, and many others.
These are just some of the ideas you can visit, and rest assured that there are many more options because Sithonia is beautiful and offers many opportunities for a colorful and memorable vacation! Write to me if you have ever visited Sithonia, and what are your experiences! 📩
Here are some more pictures from our vacation… Enjoy!
jj_travel_adventures 