Places & People- Platamonas, Greece | Sebastian Calcan

For this review we will be traveling to sunny Greece. Even if it is not the largest country or the most populated out there, it is certainly packed full of places to see and things to do. Among all of these vast repertoire of historical sites and luxurious resorts, the one I will be writing about is Platamonas.

When I visited this place I wasn’t actually staying there. I went there by car from Nei Pori, which is not that far away. (That is something really great about Greece, wherever you have accommodation you are never too far away from several historic archeological sites). You can also get there by bus or even by train.

This one is a 2 for one destination combining a historic early medieval castle, Platamon Castle, but also an amazing beach.

The castle

As it is a quick visit, I recommend taking a tour of the Platamon castle first, before going on for a relaxing day at the beach.

The castle is located on top of a steep rocky hill that hugs the sea. This of course means that is the perfect location for a foto with an amazing backdrop. The actual castle is pretty high up and you ac also climb on the defensive walls which offers an amazing view of the beaches on either side of the castle and also the sea.

As for the actual castle, there are a few stone ruins, the walls of the building that used to be there. The most interesting are the two churches which are fairly well preserved. You can even see the original paintings close to the floor (what is left of the walls is not very tall) ant in the larger one you can even feel the smell of incense that stuck to the walls over the centuries.

The beach

After visiting the castle, the next stop is the Platamonas beach. The beach starts right at the foot of the hill and getting there is really easy. Just follow the street going downhill from the entrance to the castle grounds. Going down this street you will reach a T junction. Turning right here, you will soon reach a narrow alley with lovely villas with rentable rooms and restaurants. It leads straight to the beach. There, immediately on the left as you come out of the alley I found my favorite beach in the Dion-Olimpos region.

It is called Fasoli Beach ant is simply wonderful. First of all, they are probably the most generous beach owners I ever came across. The sun bed is free, all you have to do is order something from them. This is true fro the majority of the beaches in Greece, but here, for everything you buy, you receive something free. You buy a fresh orange juice (which by the way is incredible here) you receive a free 0,5 L water bottle. You buy a beer, you get some free peanuts to go with that.

One great thing about this beach is that you can ask for your food to be brought from the restaurant right to your sun bed. This being said, I do recommend going to the actual terrace, which is at the back of the beach as it is simply lovely there. There you will be sitting at a table in some comfortable chairs, so you can better enjoy the food compared to sitting on the beach, all while in the soft shade of trees and maybe grape vines?! (sorry for the lapse in memory here)

As for the food itself, you don’t get a huge variety of options, but let me tell you, they do make the absolute best burger I have ever eaten. And of course you get a free jug of water to wash that down with.

The sand & sea

One drawback of this stretch of coastline, I’ll have to admit, is the sand. Namely, there is not a lot of it. The beaches on the north side of Platamon castle are rather rocky and walking on them bear foot will most likely be at least uncomfortable if not impossible for you (especially if you have sensitive feet). However this can be easily overcome by wearing your flip flops until you are close enough to water. Which brings us to probably the most important aspect and one where this place really shines ... the water. The water gets really deep really fast so it is perfect if you are looking for a place where you can swim a little more unrestricted. It is nothing to be frightened of, though, as it keeps a steady depth of neck high for a few good meters. If you are looking for an exotic feeling, this is the place, as the rocky ground means the water is crystal clear. You can see each individual pebble and tow while in neck deep water, and of course any fish that might find itself between them and your eyes. There is a current that is a little strong, but it runs parallel to the beach so there is no need to worry about is. But do keep it in mind, especially when you are relaxing, eyes closed, on your inflatable mattress or you might find yourself exploring your way back to your lounge chair.

All in all, this is an amazing location that I can hole heartedly recommend. The historic castle, the view from the top of the walls, as well as from the foot of the cliff it is built upon, the generous and welcoming host, the food, the crystal clear water will guarantee you an incredible experience you will never forget.