Kassandra

Kassandra (ancient name: Pallini) is a peninsula located in the southwestern part of Chalkidiki prefecture in Central Macedonia, Greece. The peninsula is the westernmost of the three peninsulas of the prefecture. It is located southeast of Thessaloniki. Its southernmost point is near Paliouri which is also the prefecture's southernmost point, the promontories includes the Kassandreia to the west and the Kanastraio to the east, except for Kanastraio, none of these capes marks the extremities of the peninsula except for the eastern part.

Settlements

• Agia Paraskevi
• Afythos
• Hanioti
• Fourka
• Kalandra
• Kallithea
• Kaloutsikos
• Kassandreia
• Kassandrino
• Kriopigi
• Loutra
• Moles Kalyves
• Nea Potidaia
• Nea Fokaia
• Nea Skioni
• Paliouri
• Pefkochori
• Polihrono
• Sani
• Skala Fourkas
• Skioni
• Siviri
• Xina

History

The peninsula was lined with paved road in the mid-20th century, after the road. Tourism also arrived beginning after the war period of World War II and the Greek Civil War. More paved roads were added in the 1970s and the 1980s and tourism popped out. Agriculture shifted to tourism and other businesses as its primary industry in the 1980s.

On August 22, 2006, the peninsula was struck by a major forest fire that affected the central and the northern parts of the peninsula, the day of the heatwave when temperatures soared nearly 40°C. Several houses were destroyed including villas, hotels and one campground disappeared as the natural beauty was to be erased. It burnt about 1,000 to 2,000 ha of forests including some farmlands. Aerial pictures were reported near Sani Beach inland to a point where pastures and mountain roads are located and saw smoke throughout the peninsula. It can be seen across the gulf. The cause of this tremendous fire was dry lightning occured througout the evening. It affected places including Sani, Skioni and more places. Power were cut to several villages. The forest fire lasted nearly two days and devastated the economy and the peninsula. All roads were closed. Villages that were affected were Sani, Nea Skioni, parts of Kalandra and Fourka and near the coastline.

References

• F. Papazoglou, Les villes de Macédoine à l'époque romaine , Supplément du BCH 16, Athens, 1988.
• D. Samsaris, La colonie romaine de Cassandréa en Macédoine. Colonia Iulia Augusta Cassandrensis (The Roman Colony of Cassandra in Macedonia. Colonia Iulia Augusta Cassandrensis). Dodona 16(1), 1987, 353-437.

External links

• Greek Coinage of Cassandreia, by Moushmov number
• Pictures of Hanioti
• Forest fire rampaged Chalkidiki on August 22, 2006 from the Athens News Agency

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