Nea Fokea

Nea Fokea, Kassandra Halkidiki

Thousands of visitors of all ages visit the charming coastal hamlet of Nea Fokea each year, drawn by its well-preserved Byzantine tower of St. Paul, charming tiny harbor, lovely beaches, and crystal-clear water.

The village of 1500 residents, who increase to 10,000 in the summer, is located about 78 kilometres from Thessaloniki. is one of Kassandra’s newest communities, having been founded by immigrants from the Near East in 1922. Despite being a new community, it has a rich past. The area is inhabited by people from long ago.

Two settlements appeared in those ancient times: Skithai, which was established on the Toronaios Gulf, and Sani, an Eretrian settlement established on the west shore. On Mount Athos, there were a lot of “metoxia” (monasteries) in the fourteenth century. In 1407, Ioannis Palaiologos left the Monastery of St. Paul on Mount Athos the land on which the village currently stands. The Byzantine Tower was probably built at that time. The commander of the revolt, Emmanuel Papas, set his shop in that tower in 1821.

The Apostle Peter and Paul Fair is a fascinating event that happens on June 29 and 30. The church of St. Paul, which is situated at the entrance to the settlement, is the venue for the service. It is about a really amazing carved Macedonian tomb in the rocky part of the hamlet, where history has it that Apostle Paul hid to protect himself from his attackers. Within the tomb are many chambers and a subterranean tunnel that leads to the holy water.

The hamlet has an amazing infrastructure for visitors, with five-star hotels, restaurants, taverns, fish taverns, cafés, patisseries, and so on. In addition to the village’s taverns, nightlife enthusiasts may choose from a range of nightclubs with live music.

As part of the Kassandra Festival, the Tower hosts a variety of cultural events in the summer.