Today we started off easy, with no rush, and set off to explore Sithonia, the second of the three "fingers" of Chalcidice. They say it’s less populated and less touristy, and you can tell. Fewer people, more nature, and more of a feeling of being left to your own devices.

We drove along until we reached a beach called Orange Beach. We parked under some pine trees in a rather lovely spot, the kind that invites you to stay. From there, we set off to walk along the coast. In the more "normal" part of the beach, people were bundled up quite a bit. It was sunny, yes, but there was also a cold wind that made it clear who was in charge.

But we carried on a bit further and things changed. We reached an area of rounded, very smooth, and curious rocks, as if someone had spent centuries polishing them one by one. From there, you could see the Athos peninsula in the distance, with Mount Athos peeking out and its peak tucked among the clouds. It all felt very serious, like a proper mountain.

Among those rocks were little nooks where the wind didn't hit, but the sun did. And it was lovely there. So, we found our spot and settled in for a while. Me, as always, with my ball. Because a beach without a ball is like a walk without smells—it just doesn’t make sense. I ran, I dug, I hid it, I took it out again… the usual. Daddy Edu, meanwhile, was trying to sunbathe like a lizard, but without moving much, as the wind was unforgiving. The temperature was a bit higher than yesterday and there was more sun, too. It was pleasant if you found the right spot.

Later, we went back to the camper, had a quiet lunch, and around four o'clock, we continued by car. And that was when Daddy Edu decided to look at the map closely and realised something: the detour from Thessaloniki had been quite a bit larger than it seemed. In a straight line, it might not have been much, but between roads, bends, and explorations, we had covered more miles than a dog chasing a scooter.

The truth is, there wasn't an awful lot to see in terms of "must-see monuments." More nature, beaches, roads… and the odd ancient stone here and there, though we’ve seen plenty of those already. But hey, it was worth it. Getting to know this area like this, without rushing, has its appeal.

We made a quick stop in Pyrgadikia, a very Greek village with its small harbour. The kind you imagine in the summer with music, packed terraces, and people dancing. Right now, it was quite quiet, almost dormant, as if it were waiting for the season to arrive.

Afterwards, we joined the main road, the E90, which follows the coast more or less, and kept going until we reached a place we already knew from two and a half years ago, when we were travelling from Turkey. A virgin beach, huge, in the heart of nature.

The name… well, that’s another story. Depending on which map you look at, it’s called something different: Kavalas, Paggeo, Orfano, Loutra Eleftheron, Amphipolis, Vrisi, Mikri, Cape Apollonia. A bigger mess than calling one dog and having three show up. So, we’ve decided to stick with the one we like best: Cape Apollonia.

The beach is spectacular, very long and wild, but the weather had changed. Colder and quite windy. Even so, we found a semi-sheltered spot among some trees with direct views of the sea. Just enough to be comfortable without giving up the scenery.

There’s another camper in the area, but they’ve stayed further up. Down here, the tracks are more for 4x4s, so not everyone ventures down. We do, of course.

And here we’re staying the night. With the wind, the sea in front of us, and plenty of space. A good end to the day.