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The village of Olympiada is located in the northeast of the Halkidiki area. Because of the beautiful beaches in the area the village is a popular destination for tourists. There are about 700 inhabitants and the distance to Thessaloniki is about 90 kilometers. The village overlooks the small island of Kafkanas, which is situated at 2.5 kilometers northwest off the coast of Olympiada and that was called Kapros in ancient times. Next to the village lie the remains of the ancient city of Stagira.
The story goes that the mother of Alexander the Great (Olympiada or Olympias) was banned to this area and that it is she that has given the name to the village.
It is not clear exactly where she was bannished to. Some sources say it was to Stagira, an ancient city immediately east of the Bay of Olympiada, and other sources say she was banished to the island of Kapros. All this at the command of a rival who wanted to conquer Macedonia and who had captured her. Kapros means "wild boar" and coins from the ancient period of this city also depicted a boar.
The ruins of the ancient city of Stagira are located on a small peninsula 700 meters east of the village of Olympiada. The city was founded around 655 by Ionian colonists. Stagira is best known as the birthplace of Aristotle, and in therefore there is a statue placed in Olympiada in his honor. From this ancient period foundations of buildings are still visible. There are also the remains of impressive walls from the Byzantine period. This wall is two kilometers long and divides the peninsula from the rest of the mainland.
At the top of the southern hill there is a castle. In the valley between the two hills are remnants of a large market square with pieces of a wall and marble columns. Beyond are the foundations of houses.
On the northern hill of Stagira stands a tower from the Byzantine period. Here you can also see a beautiful mosaic floor.
Philip of Macedonia (father of Alexander the Great) besieged and destroyed the city in 348 BC, but let rebuild the city again as a tribute to Aristotle, who was the teacher of his son Alexander the Great. However, the city never recovered and remained largely empty.
The village of Olympiada was, like many other villages in Halkidiki, founded in 1923 by refugees from Turkey. They came from a village which was called Agia Kyriaki. The large church in the village is named after this and is known as the Agia Kyriaki Church. Olympiada itself has a large and wide sandy beach which has the Blue Flag because it is clean and safe for swimming. There is also a small fishing port in the village. Around Olympiada are several bays with beaches.
For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Olympiada in Halkidiki - click here.
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