Can you walk in the steps of a giant?
Why not give it a try with our Aristotle self-guided tour.
The Hero of Halkidiki
The locals of Halkidiki are proud of their homegrown hero – Aristotle. As one of Greece’s most famous and influential philosophers, Aristotle was a walking university with a wealth of information about practically everything. He was also Alexander the Great’s tutor. No doubt Aristotle’s methods of questioning and analyzing everything armed Alexander with the knowledge and ability to conquer the world as Macedonia quickly became one of the greatest empires the world has ever known.
If you are on vacation in Halkidiki, this self-guided tour can offer you a refreshing day trip that can be done with the whole family and they will love you for it. Divide it up a little with a stop at the beach, maybe lunch in a taverna and then get back to your hotel by late afternoon, ready for a quick nap before heading out for the evening.
What will you see?
Ancient Stagira – the ruins of the birth place of Aristotle and the science park that showcases some of his works.
Lets get started…
It’s best to make your starting point from Stagira to see the ruins of the birthplace of Aristotle. Get an early start since the sun will get hot already by 10 am. Don’t forget your sunscreen and a hat, even though you are by the sea, there is no breeze and are guaranteed to swelter in the heat. There is no suggested route through the ruins, just wander around and enjoy them.
Cool off…
After an hour or two of roaming the ruins, head down to the beach for a swim. At the base of Stagira just south of the promontory are a couple of small beaches the first is called Kefalas. The next beach south is a slightly larger sandy beach called Proti Ammoudia and there is a beach bar called Oasis. About one kilometer from the ruins south is a very long organized beach with a taverna and is called Vina beach.
Aristotle’s Park
After cooling off with a refreshing swim, hop in your car and drive up the mountain towards Arnea to check out Aristotle’s science park. The drive is about 25 kilometers from Stagira. At the summit you will reach the village of Stageira (not to be confused with Stagira). Drive through town. When you exit town to the west, you will pass the park on your left. There is plenty of parking and you will need to pay a euro for the entrance at the booth. You can walk through the science park, it’s not very large, and at the end you will arrive at a taverna with a breathtaking view down to Ammouliani island and Mt. Athos far in the distance. You can stop here for lunch or a break or head back into town to a local taverna.
In conclusion…
This tour is not recommended to be done without a car. We recommend the following plan…
9:00 – Start early at Stagira. Explore the ruins for an hour or two.
11:00 – Take a break at the beach.
13:00 – Drive to the Aristotle science park. It takes about 30 – 40 minutes to get there.
13:30 – Go for lunch or start touring the science park.
16:00 – 17:00 – Depending on how long you need for lunch and the park, you can finish by late afternoon and have time to get back to where your Hotels in Northern Greece is.
Bring along…
Sunscreen, a hat, swimming costume, water.
We hope that you have a fun and educational day with the Aristotle self-guided tour!