Ouranoupolis is a small village, sitting close to the foot of Mount Athos. It is situated in the western part of the Agio Oros peninsula, part of the Halkidiki Peninsula. It has a population of 830 residents. It covers an area of 21.292 km². Perhaps you are wondering: what is interesting in a village whose population is less than that of a block of apartments? It is its history! Judge for yourself:
In the ancient times, this place was the home for a settlement of Sanis, an Andrian colony, which was destroyed by King Philip II of Macedon. The ancient town with the same name was founded by the philosopher Alexarch in 315 BC. He was a rich and noble man who was popularly known as the son of Cassander, the ruler of the ancient kingdom of Macedon. He wanted to build an ideal state: he invited people from different towns, granted equal rights to slaves and even made the first attempt to create artificial language. He named his city Ouranoupolis (“Sky City”). Its residents were called “the sons of the sky.”
The coin, minted by the city, had a depiction of Aphrodite Urania on it. What is exciting about her is that she was sitting on a globe, and the Earth was depicted as a celestial sphere.
There are many nice places near Ouranoupolis, but they cannot be reached on foot or by bus. Thus, you should better rent a car in Ouranoupolis, Halkidiki, and explore the local attractions and beaches. For example:
- Stagira – an ancient city and the homeland of Aristotle. As of today, it is an archaeological area
- Ierissos – a city with gorgeous beaches
- the waterfalls of Saint Barbara
- the Sithonia Peninsula with its famous Vourvourou beaches.
The Greek road traffic rules do not differ much from the common European rules. In general, local roads are of good quality. There are no toll roads in Halkidiki. The nearest toll highways the driver should know about are: the exit from the roundabout in the west of Thessaloniki and the motorway, running towards Kavala (near the village of Asprovalta).
Note that some parts of the main road in Halkidiki are not lit. Thus, if you plan to travel at night, you should be especially careful.
The majority of petrol stations are situated close to large cities and villages. They do not operate at night. Thus, you should better refuel your vehicle in advance.
When it comes to parking in Ouranoupolis, the situation is quite good. There may be certain problems during a high tourist season. Nonetheless, you can always find a free parking space near the port or the city beach.
Pay attention to the markings’ colour: white paint stands for free parking, yellow – for specialized vehicles, but the locals use it to park their cars, blue – paid parking.
Pay attention! Keep to the parking regulations. Otherwise, you risk getting a fine amounting 80 EUR.
The following documents are required for car rental in Halkidiki:
an International Driver’s License (IDP) and National Driver’s License;
an International passport or any other identification document with a photo;
if you plant to pay via a bank card, make sure that it is issued in the driver’s name.