By Nicolas Bard

OR Arnea It is a beautiful and traditional town in the mountainous Halkidiki, built amphitheatrically at an altitude of 600 meters, at the foot of Mount Holomontas. Around the settlement there are deciduous forests with running water, while a panoramic view of the valley and meadows of the area is spread in front. However, apart from a picturesque town, Arnea is also the seat of the Holy Metropolis of Ierissos, Mount Athos and Adrameri. It was particularly growing in the 19th century, when it acquired its present form. By 2010 it was the capital of the homonymous municipality of Halkidiki.

According to the plan of Kallikratis, it is the historic seat of the Municipality of Aristotle based in Ierissos, while its population reaches 2,300 inhabitants.

About 430 BC Arni was in the area, as Thucydides typically points out. It is even likely that it was built on the hill of Prophet Elias, 2.5 kilometers from today’s settlement. How, when and why it was destroyed, we are not known. However, during the Turkish occupation the region was uninhabited and functioned as a cultivated land granted to neighboring Paleochori. This changed in 1478, when the village of Liarigova, which had a Christian population, was founded there. This name was maintained until 1928, when it changed to Arnea, in the context of the systematic Hellenism of Slavic toponyms. Liarigova evolved into a large shopping center in Halkidiki in the 18th century, when the Mines of the Iron Center, beekeeping and the production of woolen carpets flourished in the area.

Most of the traditional Arnea houses we see today were built in the first half of the 19th century, and others from 1850 to 1945. They are stone, two -storey buildings, with many bedrooms and the bottom. The houses are very close to each other to protect themselves from the strong winds and to remain warm during the winter. They all have tiled and fireplace inside. Walking through the picturesque cobbled streets of the town, you will see many impressive mansions with loggia at the front, and colorful facades. The residential ensemble develops around the central square, from which begins a basic network of roads, intertwined with an individual grid with small squares at the nodes. One of the distinguished houses are the Town Hall, housed in the old elementary school, and the Church of St. Stephen with the imposing bell tower and the clock, a trademark of the area.
There is also a historical -folklore museum in Arnea today, worth a visit to get a taste of the lives of locals in the old days. Among the exhibits there are representative samples of Arnea’s architectural heritage, traditional musical instruments, beekeeping and various farm tools. Opposite, in a traditional building of 1870, there is also the Museum of Textile. There, among other things, you will see colorful and elaborate textiles, rockets and looms, which reveal the rich history of the place in textile art. Continuing your ride and outside the settlement, the area is full of walking trails in the forests, and you will also see beautiful waterfalls near the village of Varvara.

Before leaving there, do not forget to get local and high quality local produce, which have been awarded international gastronomy competitions. Aromatic pine, flower, wine, mudovina (honey tsipouro) and of course the famous sprinkle, a pumpkin pie version made by the locals. Arnea is just 72 kilometers from Thessaloniki and is an excellent Weekend Break proposal all year round!