Ouranoupolis, a destination worth visiting!

by admin | Jul 5, 2023

Where is Ouranoupolis?

Ouranoupolis is a beautiful village of Halkidiki, in North Greece. It is about 100Km away from Thessaloniki. The name of the village means “town of the sky” or “sky town”.

Ouranoupolis is quite picturesque while it gives access to some of the most interesting sightseeing of Halkidiki. If you want to spend some relaxing days, Ouranoupolis is the place for you. From there you can go by car to many interesting destinations or make small boat tours.

Ouranoupolis is located between the second and third peninsula of Halkidiki. This means that it is just a breath away from Athos, the famous monastic community known as Agion Oros.

How can I go to Ouranoupolis?

Ouranoupolis is 117 km away from Thessaloniki Airport. This Airport is the closest one to Halkidiki and Ouranoupolis.

You can take the bus from Thessaloniki to get to Ouranoupolis but this is probably the most time consuming method, as well as the most economical.

To get that bus you must first go to Halkidiki Bus Station (KTEL) in Thessaloniki. There are daily, frequent buses to Halkidiki, especially during summer months.

Another way to get to Ouranoupolis is by car. You can either rent a car or hire a Transfer Service company to get you there.

The last option is actually cheaper than you might think and at the same time the most carefree one.

There are many rental companies in Thessaloniki, as well as reliable Transfer Service providers.

History of Ouranoupolis

Ouranoupolis was founded in 315 B.C. by Alexarchos, brother of the Macedonian king, Kassandros.

During ancient years, it was called Ouranopolis, with the same meaning as today. It used to be an important trade centre.

Manolis Andronicos, the archaeologist who found the Macedonian remains of Vergina, made an excavation in Ouranoupolis.

There he discovered remains of buildings, coins and items of the Hellinistic era.

Furthermore, a Roman tomb from the third century has been excavated, while there are remains of the post Byzantine period.

The Byzantine tower of Prosforio is the symbol of Ouranoupolis. It is mentioned in records that this tower existed in 1344 but suffered damage by the earthquake of 1585.

During the following years the tower was abandoned and burned. Today the tower of Prosforio is repaired and reconstructed. The Christian collection of Halkidiki is exhibited in a building next to the tower of Prosforio.

In 1922 lands of Ouranoupolis were given to 50 refugee families from Asia Minor. The Monastic community of Agion Oros, in addition to the land, provided to each family a small house and sheep to give them the opportunity of a new life there.

However the conditions were hard and Ouranoupolis was very isolated. It was not until 1947 that a dirt-road was constructed and ended the isolation of the place. After that, the first pilgrims and adventurous tourists came to Ouranoupolis.

Where can I stay while I am in Ouranoupolis?

The village has many accomodation facilities that can offer you relaxed and carefree vacation.

If you are searching for a place to stay in Ouranoupolis, you will find out that there are plenty of hotels and apartments that offer such services. You can go to Akrathos Hotel.

It provides quality services to its guests and has an amazing view of Mount Athos. Xenia Ouranoupolis is another option. It is built right on a beach which is awarded with a Blue Flag.

This beach has views to Mount Athos, to the Tower of Prosforio and to Ammouliani island. Xenia Ouranoupolis also has indoor pools and a Spa, as well as a playground for the children.

Hotel Filoxenia is a less luxurious option but it offers great services. It is a family business and they always try for the best.

There are more than plenty accommodation facilities in Ouranoupolis. You will definitely find the one that better meets your needs.

Where can I go swimming?

Ouranoupolis has an organised, sandy beach, awarded with a blue flag, which is only one of the many beaches of the area.

The waters are clear and the natural environment around the beaches is lush. If you want to take a swim in various beaches you can go to Olympiada, Nea Roda or Ierissos. They are not far from Ouranoupolis and they have clear, warm waters.

Another great idea is to go to Ammouliani, a small island with amazing beaches. Alykes beach of Ammouliani, is well known for their turquoise, clear waters.

Where can I eat in Ouranoupolis?

The local cuisine is based on fish and seafood. Restaurants in Ouranoupolis mostly serve such dishes.

You can go to Kokkinos restaurant, to Chriso Agistri, to Athos restaurant or to Kritikos gallery restaurant.

They all have tasty fish plates and various seafood.

For a pizza you can go to Zorbas and for gyros and grilled meat dishes to Original Greek Gyros.

What can I do while I am in Ouranoupolis?

Taking a stroll in Ouranoupolis will lead you to many souvenir shops with traditional and religious products as well as to taverns, cafes and bars.

You can try some of the local wine, produced on Mount Athos. Most places can be reached by foot.

Don’t forget to visit the Byzantine Tower or Tower of Prosforio which was built by monks to protect the area from enemies.

You can walk from there to Zygou Monastery, also known as Fragokastro. The distance between them is about four kilometres.

Above all, Ouranoupolis is the portal to Agion Oros. Some of the visitors combine their holidays with a visit to Agion Oros.

However this option needs prior reservation so that you will be permitted to enter Agion Oros, while only men are allowed to go there.

There are ships that can take you to Dafni, the port of Agion Oros.

A special office is located near the port where you can take the special pilgrim licence for Agion Oros.

However, if you prefer a quick glance to the monastic community, you can choose one of the excursion boats that make a trip around Athos.

Many of the Monasteries are visible from the sea and some of the boats have a glass bottom.

Furthermore, you can go to Stagira, the birthplace of Aristotle. There you can see the archaeological site.

Another interesting idea is to go to Ammouliani. This small island has one village and amazing beaches. If you are a sea lover, you will definitely like this place. A camping spot is located nearby Alykes beach.

Small boats can take you, once a day, to Drenia. They are six tiny islands with rememberable clear, blue waters, just two miles away from Ouranoupolis.

Some love to go diving or swimming from one island to another. For the less adventurous types of people, Drenia is a remote place that offers relaxed and tech free hours.

There is only one organised beach with umbrellas, sunbeds and a kiosk where you will find refreshments and drinks.