Most people think of Chalkidiki as the three peninsulas that dangle like fingers in the Aegean Sea, but there is a fourth part of the area, northern Chalkidiki. This hilly, wooded region is a world away from the bustling beach resorts on the two westernmost peninsulas, and much less visited. The easternmost peninsula is the serene Mount Athos, known throughout the world as the place where no female is allowed to set foot.

Northern Chalkidiki has plenty to see, including beautiful wooded hills and hill villages hardly touched by tourism. A major attraction is the cave near Petralona, sometimes called the Petralona Cave but more correctly known as the Kokkines Petres, or Red Stones Cave.