Under the Scent of Pine - Pefkari, Greece

Several consecutive years of holidays spent in what I perceived to be heaven on earth have created unforgettable memories. Unfortunately, I have found later that anything can be easily forgotten and for this reason, I have decided to place these memories in a place where I can have permanent and easy access and, at the same time, share with those interested in heaven and where they can find it.

When I refer to heaven, I think of imperfect heaven that can bring pleasure closer to our earthly life, I don't think we humans could stand perfection. In this way, each of us has our own little heaven, real or imaginary, and mine is a Greek island called Thassos.

Thassos is one of the largest islands of Greece and is located in the northern Aegean Sea. It is a mountainous island, covered with pine forests and olive groves. The island's main products are olive oil, pine honey, and marble. Along with these, tourism! For the beauty of the island and the sea surrounding it, it has been called the Emerald Isle!

For me, a traveler, coming from the north, from a country where the sea is black and more reminiscent of an enormous lake, the first impact with Greece, Thassos, and the Aegean Sea was devastating. I immediately understood that this is my paradise and I am glad that it has remained so, that nothing has changed my opinion in the three consecutive years I have been able to spend a large part of September there. We chose the second largest town on the island to be our accommodation. Limenaria, the islanders call it a village but I think it could be called a small town.

What is specific to an island, as opposed to a resort, a mainland town on the shore of a sea, is that, due to the small size and a large number of small beaches, you are encouraged to move around, to go to different places close together but different in what they have to offer. I mean you can't (although many can) stay in a hotel and beach in the same place all holiday. Because we preferred active holidays, with lots of movement and no beach time, the place seemed ideal.

This has meant that instead of sleeping in the sun on the beach, we have to walk almost 10 km every day between Limenaria and Potos, passing through little Pefkari (there and back). Three villages nestled along the bay of Limenaria.

Between the two ends of the route, Limenaria, where we stay in a small hotel, Hotel Karagiannis on the edge of the village, where the pine forest begins.

That's where our daily walks to Potos begin. We liked the coffee in Potos but especially the little café with three tables on the sidewalk. Nothing special except the discreet kindness of the owner.

From here follow the most pleasant walks through the pine forest. Through the coolness and scent of the pines that add energy to our not-so-young bodies.

A walk just through the woods with nothing else can be, at some point, boring. Here it doesn't happen because there is so much to see. Such as the olive groves, the always deserted little church, and the goats. The goats that you can't miss on a Greek island.

Above it, all is the sea. The blue Aegean Sea! Looking over the olive groves...

... in the distance, you can see the outline of Mount Athos! The holy mountain of Orthodoxy, the mountain venerated by all Orthodox Christian believers. We must have it in our photographs.

We pass a famous beach, Methalia. A beach we haven't reached yet, although it is very close to our hotel, it is more difficult to get there. Generally, beaches are hidden by vegetation, hills, and rocks.

Here even the smallest bay is a beach but you have to have climbing skills to get there.

Halfway between Limenaria and Potos is a small pavilion for rest and shelter from the burning sun.

This is also the place where you can admire the sea and the bay and you can already see the next village, the village in our story, Pefkari!

Between Limenaria and Pefkari there is an alley that passes through the pine forest, through the olive groves, and also through treeless areas where bushes and herbs are the main inhabitants.

Then and finally, the location that is the subject of this blog. Little Pefkari, which is not a village, is just a street bordered on one side by a few hotels and villas and on the other side, from the sea, there are a few restaurants, cafes, terraces, and beach. Pefkari is, in fact, a quiet little resort, perfect for an equally quiet holiday. For the beach, for swimming in the sea, for walking. Those who don't want to walk and want to get there by car, exit the coastal road of the island, and immediately they are in Pefkari. The sign clearly shows that we are between Limenaria and Potos.

We only came on foot, the main purpose being the walk.

The following photos are dedicated to the part of the land, i.e. the few hotels located here, I mean on the only main street.

On the other side of the street, towards the beach and the sea, there are most restaurants and terraces. To dine and...

... relaxation, a drink or a coffee, and sweets, of course!

Nice places to relax and protect from the burning sun. We traveled there only after mid-September and yet it was very hot, as in the middle of summer (as it is back home), here in Greece, I hear mid-summer is terribly hot!

After a 3 km long walk, Pefkari is the first stop for rest, in the shade of the terraces. This is the first approach to the beach.

The first opportunity for me to admire the beauties of the beach!

A reminder for us, a reminder that we were there. Only for us, because we're old and fat, especially me... luckily I've lost some weight in the meantime.

I put this photo up because I am writing this story for myself, my wife, and our good friend. So that we can, from time to time, remember this beautiful holiday and these beautiful places. I went on this holiday with our friend Elena, with whom we have been friends for over thirty years.
Some might say that this resembles what the French call "ménage à trois" and I can't say that it doesn't, just with a slight difference from the classical definition.

Definition of ménage à trois
1: an arrangement in which three people (such as a married couple and a lover of one member of the couple) have a sexual or romantic relationship especially while they are living together

source

I mean that I have experienced all the disadvantages that come from such a cohabitation and not the advantage you are thinking of! I hope you understand what I mean, ha, ha...

It was, however, enjoyable, fun. Wonderful!

The beach of Pefkari has a blue flag.

The Blue Flag is a symbol of high environmental standards as well as high-quality sanitary and safety conditions at beaches and marinas. An integral part of the program is environmental education and informing the public, government, and tourism stakeholders on environmental protection.

source

The beach is divided into two. On the right side, facing the sea, is the beach with fine sand, both on the beach and in the water. It is the beach that has been awarded the blue flag. It is the most crowded beach.

A sunbed and umbrella cost 5 euro/day or you can order a drink from the beach and get them "for free".

The left side of the beach is more "popular", less crowded, less sought after by overly sensitive tourists. Because there is no sand on the beach, only small stones. In the water, there is sand but also big stones that can be unpleasant if you bump into them.

The water is extremely clean and you can see small fish coming close to shore in the shallow, warmer water.

This is the piece of beach we like. Every day we stop our walk to Potos to take a dip here. We do is too much said because my wife is afraid of the water and always tries to be as far away as possible. Here we have found a very pleasant place to rest and observe. She prefers to sit on the little bench, breathe the breeze, keep out of the sun, read, admire the stones she has collected, watch the beach and the sea.

From here there is a good view of the beach.

My friend Elena and I take a short swim in the sea, perfect for refreshment and reinvigoration.

Walking, resting, sunbathing, and swimming in the sea. Like we should do anything else? High heat calls for fluids. Beer for me and juices for the girls! The cool terrace is just a few meters away.

Terrace, still in a very good place for observation, for looking at the sea and the beach as far as possible.

Very close to the terrace is a small hill, a seashore, part of the bay above. Another favorite spot for observation and photography.

Greece is a Christian Orthodox country, with a strong and everywhere displayed faith. All the more so on the island of Thassos, which lies close to the peninsula on which is Mount Athos, a mountain where monks live in many very old monasteries.
These small church monuments are everywhere, and we have included them in our photos.

This taller landing offers a superb sea and beach view. We can see Limenaria in the distance, where we will return at the end of the day. Pefkari saw from a little higher up!

The name Pefkari comes from the pine forests that surround this beautiful place. The seawater is emerald, probably from this comes the name of the Island of Emerald as Thassos is also known.

About Pefkari I could write a lot, not to stop. But I must stop, the children must go to lunch, to rest. They're not our children, but we liked them.

It's been three years since I last set foot on the island.

Now in my third year, I hope to break my bad luck and go there again. I hope the pandemic ends, I hope the war doesn't start... Until then the Holy Mountain watches over the island!

In this presentation, three years of vacation and three years of waiting have come together. The photos have been chosen from the pile of photos taken during those years. I wanted to present chronologically, as in a film, how I spent my time on the island, in the desire to show a way of living on holiday. Maybe it will inspire someone, but more importantly, maybe it will awaken the desire to visit these places.