Paralia Katerinis is a small town located on the Aegean coast about 4-5 hours drive from Thessaloniki. This is a resort town, though quite young, if you compare it with the Chalkidiki peninsula.

The name "Katerini" is due to the fact that in the 17th century the church of St. Catherine was erected. In her honor, the city of Katerini is named, which is the regional center of the Pieria region, in central Macedonia. Smaller towns and towns have already grown around the city, and one of them is Paralia Katerinis. The word "paralia" in translation means a beach, that is, these are the beaches of Catherine.

When planning another vacation to Greece, I really wanted to stay here, because I had already rested in Halkidiki, and there was a reason. The fact is that Paralia Katerinis is famous as a "fur coat paradise". This is the second fur coat city on the continental part of Greece after Kastoria. That is why I really wanted to combine relaxation and the purchase of a real Greek fur coat. But looking through the information on hotels, as well as price categories, I realized that the rest here is very expensive. In Halkidiki, prices for tours and hotels are much lower. Hotels in the city operate mainly in the "breakfast" or "half board" system. Most of them are very small, a lot of "three rubles". There are swimming pools, there is practically no territory. The beaches in the city are municipal. They are designed mainly for those who come here for wholesale purchases. There were options for larger hotels with their own territory, but the cost is very high.

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Weather in Paralia Katerinis by months:

* This table shows average weather data collected over more than three years

REVIEWS OF TOURISTS:

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Holidays in Paralia Katerinis

Rested in June 2014 in Greece at the resort of Paralia Katerinis. This resort consists of two small villages, smoothly flowing one into the other. So, I rested in the center of Paralia. The resort is not bad, but there are a lot of Russians resting there. You walk down the street and Russian is heard everywhere, from passing vacationers to sellers in stores. It is not difficult to explain this - Paralia is considered one of the fur coat centers. Along the street there are a huge number of fur shops. There are even fewer souvenir shops than fur coat shops. Therefore, our tourists combine business with pleasure: to relax at the sea and buy a fur coat inexpensively.

About beach holiday. The beach in Paralia is long, sandy, but not wide. The entry into the sea is smooth, which is good for families with children. The sea is clean. By the way, Paralia Katerinis is a resort on mainland Greece, on its northern side and the Aegean sea here!

I can't say enough about the tours. Since I prefer an educational holiday rather than lying on the beach, this resort is just a godsend for me! All major attractions in Greece are within easy reach. Here is Mount Olympus, and the Holy Meteors and Thessaloniki are nearby. Optionally, you can go to Athens on a tour. There are many tour agencies in Paralia Katerinis, the prices for excursions are reasonable. Tours with Russian-speaking guides are specially organized for Russian tourists.

Hotels are mostly small, city-type, most often 3 *. So for unpretentious tourists, this resort can be safely advised!

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Prices for holidays in Paralia Katerinis. September 2017.

tour cost

The cost of a package tour with a departure from Mineralnye Vody was 1150 euros (the price includes Schengen visas - 70 euros). Rested 12 days 11 nights. The cost of the flight Mineralnye Vody-Thessaloniki-Mineralnye Vody is 750 euros. We chose the Kouros 2 * hotel located on the third coastline - 30 euros per day, breakfast is included in the price.

Excursion to Athens -35 euros per person, to the island of Skiathos -20 euros, Meteora -25 euros, Greek dinner -10 euros, boat trip -25 euros for two.

Food and products

The average cost of dinner in Greek taverns is 20 euros for two. Greek salad costs -5-6 euros, pizza - 7-10 euros, depending on the composition, souvlaki, gyros - 2-3 euros, tea / coffee - 2-3 euros, dinner with seafood dishes will cost an average of 30-40 Euro.

Souvenirs and other goods

For 1 euro you can buy magnets, shells and other maritime-themed knick-knacks. Olive oil - 5-7 euros, olives - from 2 to 10 euros. For 2-3 euros you can buy slippers, T-shirts, swimming trunks, swimwear. Mink coats cost from 1000 euros. Fur coats and short fur coats from pieces of tails and legs can be purchase - for 400-600 euros.

Total money spent on vacation

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Lily

Holiday experience in September

The end of August and the beginning of September in northern Greece is the velvet season. The air temperature is 26-28°C during the day and slightly lower in the morning and evening. The heat of the day is softened by a light breeze from the sea. The water temperature in the Aegean Sea at this time is 25-26°C. Comparatively empty beaches and surprisingly transparent and pure water in the sea.

Vacation with children

At this resort, the sea is one of the cleanest in the world and relatively shallow, but it seems to me that it’s better to come to Paralia Katerinis with children in the summer. In autumn, you can visit the water park with your child, 8 km from Thessaloniki.

Youth rest

Paralia Katerinis has everything you need for a youth holiday. Inexpensive, mostly three-star hotels, clubs with discos, cafes and restaurants with affordable prices, a lot of excursions and, most importantly, the sea with clean sand. For active youth recreation there is surfing, scuba diving, water rides, paragliding, there are sports grounds on the shore where you can play volleyball. And this is not the whole list of entertainment for young people who choose this resort for their vacation.

Family holiday

For couples, Paralia Katerinis is a great place to relax. We stayed here with my husband. In addition to a beach holiday, we traveled a lot in Greece. We traveled independently and booked excursions. Both have their pros and cons. At independent travel we enjoyed each other's company, but saw little, and on excursions the opposite is true.

Recreation for the elderly

This resort is loved by pensioners from Europe, in particular from Germany, Romania and other countries. Here they find excellent Greek cuisine from fresh seafood, gentle sea, many shops, as well as excursions on buses and boats around Greece.

Where is the best place to stay?

Stayed at the Philippos Hotel. The owner of the hotel Vasilius is very hospitable. The hotel is clean and comfortable. The room had air conditioning, refrigerator, TV and of course a shower. There was a table on the balcony where you could sit over a bottle of wine and watch what was happening on the street. In short, if goodwill and hospitality are important to you, you are here.

It's worth going to Meteora. Unforgettable experience! Book a sailing trip to Skiathas. Island with golden sand. In addition to swimming on the island, you will be offered an interesting boat program for the duration of the voyage. Sirtaki performed by the captain and the team you will not forget! Another trip to Athens. And much, much more, if you have the time and energy.

The beaches are very clean. For using a sun lounger, you usually need to order something in a cafe. We took a glass of juice. In September, life at the resort calms down. The service is also already tired after the summer. Which is what we liked.

What to buy? Excellent and not expensive fur coat. There are many shops in Paralia Katerinis where you can buy this product. Local cognac and wine. We brought home the Greek olive oil and spices. They also sell fragrant herbal teas. You can buy a handmade icon.

Where can you eat?

We chose the restaurant "George's". It is more isolated and therefore less visited. But everyone chooses to their taste and there is plenty to choose from.

About the quality of food and service

For dinner, you can choose one restaurant, or you can visit different ones. As you like. The Greeks are very hospitable people and the slightest kind gesture on your part will be answered tenfold. Very often, the restaurant owner treats his visitors with a free glass of wine or a dish that you have not yet ordered. This is so cute! Seafood dishes are served in restaurants, and they are caught right there in the sea the night before, and vegetables. it's very tasty.

How much does it cost to eat? About food prices.

A hearty lunch or dinner will cost from 6 to 10 dollars for one person. In addition to cafes and restaurants, you can have a bite to eat on the go. For example, eat gyros. It will cost 1.5-2 dollars.

Pros of staying in Paralia Katerinis

Advantages: a transparent sea of ​​unusual azure color, clean sand, delicious food, cozy hotels, a variety of excursions, mountains where the Olympic gods live and much more that will beckon you here every year.

Should you stay in Paralia Katerinis?

Definitely worth a trip here. Maybe this will be more expensive than rest in the resorts of Montenegro or Bulgaria, but Greece is a country where once you arrive, you want to return again and again.

August 2011

Paralia Katerinis is a resort in the northern part of mainland Greece in the region of Pieria, near Mount Olympus on the Aegean coast. The name of the resort in Greek means the coast of the city of Katerini, the city itself is located at a distance of about 10 km from the coast inland.

Holidays in Paralia Katerinis were chosen in order to combine 3 desires at once: holidays at the sea, excursions to Mount Olympus and Meteora, as well as the purchase of a fur coat. It must be said that in order to fulfill all these goals the best place it’s hard to find, but I want to make a reservation right away (since many will disagree with me) that Paralia Katerinis is good for combining seaside holidays, excursions and buying a fur coat at the same time.

Well, now everything is in order. We rested in Paralia Katerinis from August 15 to 25, 2011, during the period of the economic crisis in Greece, which we did not feel on ourselves. Airlines and taxi drivers did not strike, all hotels, shops and taverns worked, because. the Greeks need to earn money, and the crisis is rather not an economic, but a political phenomenon in the struggle for big money for the ruling elite, which wants to solve its problems at the expense of ordinary people(as the Greeks themselves believe). But I will not digress from the description of the holiday itself.

Flight.

The flight from Moscow (Domodedovo airport) to Thessaloniki (Macedonia airport) and back was carried out by a regular flight of Vim-Avia. The flight from Moscow was exactly on schedule, which cannot be said about the return flight, which was delayed by almost 3 hours.

As compensation from the airline, we were offered free coffee at Thessaloniki Airport. Before the flight, the aircraft commander apologized to the passengers for the flight delay due to the fact that the previous flight arrived late. The flight itself went well, so I have no particular complaints about Wim-Avia.

Tour operator Mouzenidis Travel.

We bought the trip 2 months in advance through our familiar travel agency from the tour operator Mouzenidis Travel, since they are monopolists in Northern Greece. She was dissatisfied with the work of Mouzenidis, the impression was that the guys want to save money wherever possible.

It began with the fact that a few days before departure we were told that there were no places in the Chronis Hotel, which we carefully chose and paid for 2 months. At the same time, they promised that they would put us in apartments. next door, more in area, and for breakfast we will go to the chosen hotel. At the same time, it was not possible to find at least some information about the apartments of the Achillion Hotel, where representatives of Mouzenidis promised to accommodate us, on the Internet. They took people at their word and agreed.

The representative of Mouzenidis brought us to the hotel reception and called the hostess, while she herself quickly left. The first shock we experienced was when we (3 women) were given a tiny room with one single bed and one single!!! Naturally, we intelligibly (in English, since the hostess of the hotel does not speak Russian) tried to explain to her that we are not a "Swedish family" and we are not going to live in such conditions!

Began "kind" negotiations with the representatives of Mouzenidis through our travel agent. The result of all this was the appearance of the owner of the Chronis hotel (the room in which we paid), Mr. Georgy Khronis, who speaks Russian. He tried to resolve the conflict in every possible way, even taking us to a waterside bar and drinking frappe at his own expense. While Mr. Khronis was entertaining us at the bar, we were freed from the triple apartments of the Achillion Hotel, by successive relocation of 2 families (I don’t know by what persuasion). In the end, we kindly agreed to stay at the Achillion Hotel.

Another claim to the company Mouzenidis on my part is the tour of Olympus-Dion, but more on that below.

And at the end of the topic about the work of the tour operator, the last straw of dissatisfaction can be called a transfer from the hotel to the airport upon departure from Greece. We were picked up by a shabby minibus with no air conditioning. The way from Paralia Katerini to the airport of Thessaloniki takes more than an hour, and we left the hotel at 13:00, i.е. in the very sun. At our request to turn on the air conditioner, the driver only banged his hand on the bottom of the torpedo and said that the air conditioner was doing something wrong!!!

3 km before the entrance to the airport, we were dropped off with our things in a parking lot near some shopping center, to which another similar minibus drove up and passengers with luggage also disembarked from it. After 5 minutes, a branded Mercedes minibus with Mouzenidis symbols and a working air conditioner drove up. We were all forced to load again with our things on this bus in order to solemnly enter the airport. I have never had to deal with such a work of a tour operator.

ACHILLEION and CRONIS hotels

Since, by the will of fate (or rather, the tour operator Mouzenidis), we had to live in one hotel, and go to another hotel for breakfast, I will describe both of them.

Both hotels adjoin each other with walls, creating to some extent a common complex. Hotels are small, three-story. The location is very good, next to the main central attraction of the Paralia Katerinis resort - the church, but at the same time not on the busiest street. The hotel is not on the first line, which I consider only a plus, because. Crowds of tourists are constantly walking along the first line and there is no silence there until the morning. Under the windows of the hotel there is a small square where our wonderful balcony overlooked. Near the bus stop to the city of Katerini itself.

Our apartment in ACHILLEION (the name is spelled that way) was on the 2nd floor. There is no elevator in the hotel, it did not bother us, but going up and down with heavy suitcases along the curving stairs is very inconvenient. The apartments were represented by a room with three beds (which we got after a serious "battle"), a TV and air conditioning, a small kitchenette, a bathroom (it can't be called otherwise) and a large balcony, which even looked more like a summer veranda.

The room cannot be called large, there is no place to put suitcases, only 1 bedside table, 1 dressing table and 1 chair, small closet, the TV is hung on the wall. The kitchenette was in the form of a mini-kitchen with a sink and a 2-burner stove, under which a small refrigerator was built. There were dishes, cutlery and a couple of pots. A bathroom with primitive plumbing, a shower tray without a curtain and a shower bracket, as well as with a lack of a heated towel rail and any hooks to hang towels and things, there is no hair dryer.

The brightest spot was a large balcony, somewhere at least 10 square meters in area, which we used as another extra room. There was a table with chairs, at which it was very pleasant to have lunch or dinner, drinking wonderful Greek wine, beer or Ouzo aniseed vodka, which greatly brightened our vacation.

Towels were changed every 3 days, bed linen - once a week. Room cleaning was not noticed, the garbage was taken out by ourselves. The TV had 1 Russian channel (ORT).

The lobby of the Chronis Hotel is small and quite cozy, the hotel has an elevator. The breakfast area is made in the form of a winter garden with flowers - it was very pleasant to have breakfast there. The tourists in this hotel were almost all Russian-speaking, everyone greeted each other at breakfast. The breakfasts themselves are European-style, monotonous, but there is always something to choose from food (porridge, sausages, side dishes, cottage cheese, eggs, vegetables, cheese, ham, cake, watermelon, tea, coffee, juice, etc.). They were prepared by 2 Russian women Nina and Nadia, very friendly and welcoming.

We did not manage to get into the rooms of the Chronis Hotel for comparison. Once they tried to invite tourists to see the room, but they realized that they didn’t really want to let us in, so they didn’t make any other attempts.

The safe service at the Chronis Hotel is presented in the following way: you give your money to the owner of the hotel George, he counts it in front of you, puts it away and seals it in an envelope, signs it and puts it in his safe. When necessary, you can take money from him. Cool, but it's free! From this we were a little stunned at first, but we were reassured knowledgeable people that it is so accepted here and no one else has lost money. And so it happened, we took the money when we needed it, everything is safe and sound.

Resort Paralia Katerinis.

The resort itself is very small, stretched along the sea. The hotels here are small, all of the urban type 2-3 stars without a pool, on the basis of breakfast, many apartments. The resort is not fashionable, suitable for unassuming people.

There are few Russians, mostly Serbs, Romanians, Poles, Slovaks, Czechs and other tourists from nearby European countries rest here. The Greeks themselves also like to come here on vacation. The center of the resort is the church of St. Catherine, around which the main cultural life unfolds in the evenings - small concerts or performances for vacationers are often arranged. 2 main streets depart from the church. One goes along the coast and is a kind of promenade, on which there are many taverns and shops, the other goes perpendicular to the coast and there are the main fur coat shops on it. In the evenings, the promenade becomes a street where crowds of vacationers hang out, from the outside it looks like a demonstration, only the crowd does not move in one direction, but randomly in the form of a "Brownian" movement. If you want peace and quiet in the evenings, then I advise you to choose a hotel not on the first line. The beach is not far from anywhere, so there is no big difference on which line the hotel is located.

If you stand facing the sea, then on the right side at the end of the village there will be a port from where boats depart for sea excursions. There is a wonderful fish tavern in the port, we really liked it, a lot of different sea and fish delicacies were eaten there. There is a pleasant atmosphere, the waiters serve quickly, there is a menu in Russian, the prices are quite affordable. There is also a fish shop in the port, which is open in the first half of the day, where you can buy freshly caught fish, shrimp and other seafood delicacies. To be fair, thanks to the fact that we had an apartment with a kitchenette, we bought king prawns for lunch several times, boiled them and had a great time on our balcony with shrimp and Mythos Greek beer.

Not far from the fish tavern there are several other taverns where we also liked the service and cuisine. Almost everywhere there is a menu in Russian.

I must say that it is customary for the Greeks, after you have eaten and asked for a bill, to bring a free present from the institution in the form of a dessert, mostly fruits. Very nice. There is a small amusement park in the port area, but they didn’t interest us in any way, rather they are for children.

Beach and sea.

The second shock that we experienced after the "battle for the hotel" was the beach. That is, not the beach itself, as such, but the number of people who were on it. People fill it for dinner so that it seems that everyone is walking over each other's heads.

I liked the coast of the Aegean Sea - the sand, the sea is clean and shallow entry into the sea. The beaches in Paralia are marked with the international blue flag. The water in the Aegean Sea is second only to the Dead Sea in terms of salt composition. Sometimes, when there is a slight wave at sea, algae appear near the shore. But it is enough to walk 10-15 meters and the sea becomes clear again. It didn't really bother me personally. In some places, standing waist-deep in water, you can observe flocks of fry and small fish.

The beach is urban, it has places with equipped sunbeds from bars and just free space. If you want to lie comfortably on a sunbed under an umbrella, then after taking a sunbed, you must definitely buy some kind of drink. The cheapest Orange juice costs 3.5 euros. For this price, you can lie on a sunbed all day, we calmly left towels and left for several hours, and then returned to the beach again and no one demanded anything from us.

For budget tourists there is another option - buy a mat for 1.5-2 euros in the store or an air mattress for 5 euros and an umbrella for 5 euros. Occupy any place free from sunbeds and enjoy your vacation at sea for less money.

If you are not too lazy to walk from the church for about 20 minutes behind the port, then you will be rewarded with the fact that for less money you can enjoy your vacation on a half-empty beach equipped with sunbeds and umbrellas. And when you swim in the sea, a beautiful view of Olympus opens from the water - complete relaxation! There are no hotels in this place, so there are not so many people who want to go far, and since the demand is small, then the prices are much lower. Here, for 2 sun loungers under an umbrella, it is enough to order one juice for 3 euros. Sometimes, out of great impudence, we ordered 1 juice for 3 sunbeds and no one pestered us anymore. Well, and if we ordered 2 juices for three, then for 6 euros we also received a half-liter bottle mineral water! I advise everyone, besides walking is very healthy!

Excursions.

As I wrote above, one of the desires that I really wanted to fulfill on vacation was excursions to Olympus and Meteora. We ordered excursions from a tour operator, since local travel agencies do not have excursions in Russian. I think that Mouzenidis' monopoly also applies to this, since prices differ significantly (at Mouzenidis an excursion to Meteora costs 55 euros, and in local travel agencies - 15-20 euros - for comparison).

Dion-Olympus.

The tour was led by a guide Mariana, told well. But I was immediately somehow alerted that she emphasized that our tour was short in time and we would be free by lunchtime.

The first place to visit was the ancient Macedonian city of Dion, where the sacrificial altar of Zeus was located. In the archaeological center of Dion, the remains of the destroyed temples of Demeter and Isis, baths, parts of streets and residential buildings are presented. But, to be honest, all this did not impress me much, since the remains of the temples are in a very ruined state in a swampy area. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I was in Pompeii and Carthage, which made a stronger impression on me, but in any case, this is my personal opinion. Next was a stop at the monastery of St. Dionysius. The monastery is small, there was time to walk around the territory, go to the temple, light candles, drink water from the holy spring and buy products in the monastery shop. We wanted to try the feta cheese made by the monks. But the difference with what we bought in a regular store, did not notice. Maybe only a particle of something sacred settled in us.

And at the end of the tour they took us by bus along the serpentine to observation deck Mount Olympus, which is located at an altitude of 1000 meters above sea level. The view from the mountain is beautiful, you can see the villages and the coast below. We stood there for about 15 minutes and that's it! Then everyone was put on a bus and taken back.

It was very disappointing that we were not taken to the waterfall, which is on Olympus. According to the reviews of other tourists, it is very beautiful there.

On the site of Mouzenidis, in the description of the excursions, it is said that they are still being taken to Vergina, the first capital of ancient Macedonia. The guide Mariana also mentioned it, saying that there is a very interesting museum there, but Vergina is not included in our tour. It's a pity, I think it would be much more interesting to complete the trip. Again, the feeling that the local representatives of the tour operator Mouzenidis decided to save money this time by reducing the volume of the excursion did not leave me.

Meteora.

The excursion to Meteora is very interesting, I have no complaints here!

Guide Dmitry, about whom many tourists speak very well, spoke really well and with humor. He gave a lot of information about modern life Greeks, and about the crisis. First, we were taken to the store at the icon-painting workshop, where we were told in general terms about how icons are painted, about some icons, etc. Well, then they offered to buy, whoever likes it. All tourists are brought there, so the prices, of course, are very high. Well, whoever wanted, bought something anyway. This is a common practice on many excursions, but what to do, because this is also a kind of business ...

Meteora are monasteries on the rocks, which got their name as soaring in the sky. They were built by monks for many centuries, and how they did it is very difficult to realize, such a titanic work was done by a small group of people. Building materials, food and other necessary things were manually lifted up the sheer cliffs.

Previously, there were 24 monasteries, but over time, some of them were destroyed, and now only six are active - 2 for women and 4 for men. We visited the monastery of St. Varlaam and the convent of St. Barbarians.

Meteors themselves fascinate with their beauty and originality. Indescribable feelings of unreality, admiration and something sublime did not leave me. There was a feeling that you really are "visiting" God and soaring in the sky. It is simply impossible to describe it in words, you just need to see it.

Russian folk fun - buying a fur coat.

There are at least 50 fur shops in Paralia, the assortment is very different - from cheap fur coats from pieces to fancy models with lynx and sable. It took us at first 3 days just to get around them all and study the assortment. Fur coats in Greece are mostly bought by Russians, so almost all stores have Russian-speaking salespeople.

If you want to find the right fur coat is not difficult, the main thing then is not to get confused where you saw and measured. I advise you, if you liked something in the store, then take a business card and make notes for yourself which model you are interested in there. You need to bargain only when you have already decided on the choice of a fur coat and intend to buy it. But the discounts are very small, about 100-200 euros, so it's best to negotiate with the store owner himself, and not with the sellers. If you have time for 4-5 days, then a fur coat can be sewn to order according to your size and desired style, only it will be a little more expensive. But in any case, fur coats in Paralia Katerini are cheaper than similar ones in Moscow by about 2 times.

Some practical advice coat of choice. The first and most important thing is that the lining at the bottom of the hem is not sewn on, this must be done on good quality fur coats. The lining must be unscrewed and look at the dressing of the skin. If the skin is not dyed, then the skin should be the color of baked milk. Squeeze it in your hand, if it wrinkles well and does not rustle, then the skins are not overdried. Which fur coat is better from solid plates or in dissolution - there is no point in discussing, because. opinions differ here. Someone thinks that whole skins are better - a fur coat is warmer, but at the same time it does not flow so much and on sleeves and other places from constant wear it can stretch and bubble. A fur coat in dissolution is considered lighter and more elegant, but the mezra is thinner and not so dense fur, although due to the many seams it is more durable - it does not stretch (as knowledgeable people told me). Here, decide for yourself what you like more.

All three of us bought fur coats for ourselves, but each in his own store, it was not possible to choose everything in one store. I was more fortunate, because in the JOHN FURS store, where I chose a fur coat made of black Canadian mink black nafa, the owner himself sells. His name is Janis, he is very friendly and speaks good Russian. After a long, persistent and kind bargain, he gave me 300 euros, which was the biggest discount (of the three of us). The purchase of a fur coat was immediately “washed” with a martini, which Janis treated us to.

You can only pay for a fur coat in cash, the Greeks do not accept cards in order to evade taxes. Since I didn’t take cash for a fur coat with me, I had to withdraw it from an ATM near our hotel.

Checks (something like our invoice) must be issued for a fur coat in 2 copies. One (white) you give at customs when you leave Greece, and the other (pink or blue) you keep for yourself. The price on the check is written out much less than you paid for a fur coat (about 1000-1500 euros), so the Greeks evade taxes. Yes, in our customs regulations there is a restriction on the duty-free transport of goods in the amount of not more than 1500 euros.

It is better to leave the fur coat for storage in the store and pick it up just before leaving (nothing will happen to them, you can be sure).

Where to carry a fur coat home in a suitcase or in hand luggage - decide for yourself. We heard a lot of the most controversial opinions about this. As a result, they were carried in hand luggage, as they say, your burden is better closer to the body. At Domodedovo airport, we went through customs on only one flight, so the customs officers, having learned that a flight had arrived from Thessaloniki, looked through all the luggage and hand luggage of everyone. If you carry one fur coat, then they are not interested.

Conclusion.

Summing up my vacation, I can say that everything that I wanted to do during my vacation was done. For the money that was spent on a fur coat and on the whole vacation, in Moscow she could only buy a fur coat of not very good quality.

Will I return to Paralia Katerinis again? Only if there is a need to update the wardrobe and buy a new fur coat, while giving yourself a few sunny days at the seaside for your beloved. Exclusively for a beach holiday, it is better to choose another resort.

I wish you all a pleasant holiday!

Irina S.
08/09/2011 16:48

The opinion of tourists may not coincide with the opinion of the editors.

6,0

There is nothing to do here in May.

There is nothing to do here in May. There are only 3 restaurants, the rest are souvlaki and gyros. The beach line is endless) It's nice, you can take a walk, but it's clear that already in June it will be like we have in Sochi - there is nowhere to throw a towel. In addition to hotels, there is almost nothing in the city - only a couple of stadiums and some kind of children's institution. There is Lidl. Pay attention to the cafe at the pier - from the side of the pier they sell fish there, if you rented an apartment with a kitchen - you can stock up on fish and seafood there.

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Anonymous Abkhazia

8,0

A small resort town with a long beach.

A small resort town with a long beach. Were in June 2019. There are many vacationers from Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania in the city. A few Russians and Poles. You can choose a fur coat. Taverns are cheap, food is delicious.

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Sergey Russia

Small town with access to the sea.

Small town with access to the sea. The Aegean Sea is incredibly beautiful, the descent into the water is smooth, the bottom is sandy. The city is green, buildings are decorated with geraniums, locals keep parrots on their balconies. Paralia Katerinis is suitable for those who love shopping. Lots of shops, restaurants. By the way, the prices are not biting: a dinner in a restaurant for 2 people in 2018 cost 33 EUR. The main (and only) attraction is the church. Mount Olympus is visible from Paralia Katerinis. City beach is dirty. It is difficult to get to the airport: you have to do it with 2 transfers. For a Russian person, the journey seems expensive: about 14 EUR to the airport with all transfers by public transport. Public transport runs on schedule, there is an electronic scoreboard at the bus stop. The locals are good at English language. There were no problems in communication when buying tickets, in shops, on the street, in a restaurant.

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Victoria Russia

4,0

Targeting packagers, for the first time on the whole trip...

Orientation to packagers, for the first time in the whole trip I felt that the peak of the season is crowds everywhere. the beach is full of people from horizon to horizon, the sea is dirty and muddy. Near Halkidiki - just a paradise, clear sea, no crowds, and not more expensive (of course, if you are not a package guy :) Of the benefits, inexpensive food and fruits. The choice is huge

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Anastasia Russia

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Greece. Paralia Katerinis - is there everything in Greece?

Realizing at the end of summer that the marvelous warm season was leaving and a long, nasty winter was coming, I quickly dealt with the most urgent matters, begged the authorities for a vacation and, grabbing the first “burning” ticket to Greece that came across, went to the homeland of Hercules, Jason and other mythical personalities. For Greek exotic (as I thought).

With horror, having endured 5 hours of flying in a shuddering plane (when choosing a ticket, pay attention to which plane you have to get to the place: accustomed to Il-am and Tu, it’s hard in Yak-e), I handed over my half-dead body to the hands of the meeting company "Vilar-Tour" and immediately received the first two warnings, due to fatigue or great naivety for those (warnings) I did not immediately accept.

Firstly, all those who arrived were clearly divided into two parts: some - the lucky ones - were loaded into a double-decker bus and rushed off to Halkidiki (where, they say, green, beautiful and comfortable), others were stuffed into a tiny bus with barely alive air conditioning and taken to Paralia Katerini - the so-called "tourist zone", the delights of which - below.

Secondly, the lady accompanying us by the name of Despina (quickly renamed DePsina by Russian tourists for her hospitality and charm), monstrously drawing out her words, gave us dry information about the kilometers of Greek territory and the number of living natives in about five minutes, then said the sacramental: you are with me the third group that I have to meet today, I am very tired, I hope you are tired too, so let's keep quiet ... We did not manage to get acquainted with the surrounding beauties.

Conclusions could be drawn immediately: as you know, Greece has everything. Indeed there is. But in a completely miraculous way, at the same time, it seems to be not there. Or there is - but half. And the longer you stay in Greece, the more you are convinced of this.

Take, for example, hotels - seemingly wonderful houses, with such tiny courtyards, standing close, close to each other. However, there are rooms with a decent view (into the courtyard and onto the street) only on two sides of the hotel - the other two offer an unforgettable view of a blank wall, roof or window of a neighboring hotel ...

Air conditioners, toilets, hair dryers - everything works halfway. The air conditioners blow but are not regulated; the toilets appear to have built-in water limiters set to the absolute minimum; hair dryers only work when the button is pressed and held...

Buses: the seats are also adjustable by fifty percent - for some, the backs of the seats do not recline at all (this is on a night trip to Athens, when you don’t know how to survive the hardships of the bus night anyway!), For others, they recline, but somehow quite a bit -a little ... owners of serviceable seats are in a happy minority.

Even the weather is also exactly half (checked not only by me): you come to Greece - it’s warm and good for a few days - it’s raining and cold for a few days ... although the Greeks themselves invariably swear that this is an absolute accident!

But in general, you can relax - most importantly, even before a trip to Greece, it is correct to find out what kind of vacation awaits you. And, if you are going to Paralia Katerinis, you don’t need to tune in to the Greek exotic (the travel company sending you should, in principle, tell you this, but, as my case shows, even reputable travel agencies that have been working for a long time do not always do this). But you are guaranteed a quality party - in Paralia, as nowhere else, there is an abundance of different tourists, most of whom are residents of Slavic countries. So, if you fundamentally speak only Russian, it will not hurt in communication. Life in Paralia is not just boiling, it is bubbling: a motley crowd during the day, an abundance of shops, restaurants, sand and sea, beaches, active night life- discos, bars, light music ... Only in the morning Paralia falls into a dream, so that in a short 3-4 hours it will again be filled with din and bustle.

There is no time to sleep in Paralia. The bustle is captivating. By the third day, even the most persistent visitor accepts this way of life for himself. Therefore, impressions, images are kaleidoscopic:

The rolling roar of night motorcycle racers in Paralia…

A no less resounding snoring woman on a night trip to Athens...

The Vilar Tour guide, calmly learning his words from the player on a bus full of sightseers (excursions for Russian tourists are expensive, tiring and quite primitive. Arriving in Paralia, it is better to go through local travel agencies and purchase excursions for Hungarian, Polish or some other - or tourists. The cost of excursions for tourists of any countries is for some reason half as expensive as for Russians. Plus, an incomparably more respectful attitude and comfort. And if you still want comments on the beauties you can see, you can buy a book in Russian with part of the money saved from excursions, they are sold both in Paralia and on all excursions) ...

Lines of fur shops - not even on every corner, but just one after the other - you need to see in order to understand.

The driver with the flowery name Manolis, who gave his blanket to a freezing child (of course, they did not warn about the deathly cold on the bus in advance) ...

Russian tourists Alla and Volodya, smiling, friendly - involuntarily you begin to love compatriots ...

David is a Georgian-Greek demigod. The restaurant where he works is the only place in Paralia where you can eat deliciously. It's easy to find: from the church (the center of Paralia) walk past the square to the children's slot machines, the penultimate restaurant in front of the slot machines is the same one. You do not need to know languages ​​- David knows six of them and can meet you in any. He will tell you what is better to eat, and what to drink - he will bring it right away in the form of a treat: one glass of tsipura grape vodka is enough for several hours of a cheerful mood. Tourists who “hooked” on David do not go to other places anymore ...

Endless roads...

Olympus - home of the gods...

Meteora are amazing mountains with monasteries on the tops, which you just can’t help visiting…

Poles, Germans, Hungarians, Lithuanians, Slovaks, Yugoslavs….

And for some reason I don’t want to leave, despite all the delights of the Greek service. Greece is a really strange country. Farewell Greece.

See you, - pAchemu net?, - so they say, slightly sipping "a", in Greece.

It is here that the Olympus mountain range is located. Also, Pieria borders on Thessaly, in which the famous monasteries of Meteora are located. From here it is convenient, if desired, to get to the Greek capital - Athens.

Mount Olympus photo

What to choose: Halkidiki or Pieria?

If you answer this question briefly, then for an exclusively beach holiday it is better to go to Kassandra or Sithonia (the “fingers” of the Chalkidiki peninsula). And the resorts of Pieria, as well as the villages of Halkidiki closest to the airport, are best suited for combining beach and sightseeing holidays, and will also in many ways become a more practical solution for organizing an independent holiday in Greece without a car.

How to get to Pieria?

Transfer from Thessaloniki airport by car/taxi

The road to the resorts of Pieria from the airport will take about an hour or a little more, depending on the place you need. The road is good (national highway Thessaloniki-Athens), there are no traffic jams. There are several toll booths (toll a car from 1.2 to 2.4 euros). Of course, if you ordered a taxi transfer, this issue does not concern you. (Pros: large reliable company, international taxi service at local prices; order confirmation is sent to you email, and the driver is waiting at the exit from the arrivals area with a sign with your name on it; the fare is known in advance (no unpleasant surprises!); payment of the full amount only upon arrival at the place)

By public transport

You can get to Pieria in two ways: from the main bus station of Thessaloniki by intercity bus KTEL or by suburban train (quite comfortable train) from the railway station of Thessaloniki. All current prices can be found on the websites using the links and even in some cases you can buy a ticket online.

City buses run to the train stations from Thessaloniki Airport.

Car rental at Thessaloniki airport

You can choose in advance and book a car for traveling around Greece here (instant comparison of offers, prices and conditions of the world's leading car rental companies, online booking confirmation and flexible conditions, discounts, super offers)

Which resort to choose?

If you are not planning to rent a car, then perhaps the best choice is a large urban-type settlement Leptokaria in Pieria. The railway station is located here right inside the town and it is divided into two parts by railroad tracks. The lower one, closer to the sea, is exclusively touristic, a typical resort village with a minimum of local residents. There you can find both economy-class studios and more expensive hotels. The entire infrastructure is “sharpened” for tourists.

Above the railway tracks in Leptokaria is a large settlement, with large shops, a weekly market, playgrounds. If you want to save on housing, then it makes sense to rent apartments in this part, however, the road to the sea on foot will take from 15 minutes or more. You can come to Leptokaria throughout the year, because even outside the high tourist season everything works in the upper part of the village.

Private apartments in Leptokaria

The beaches in Leptokaria are mostly pebbly and sandy. In the direction of the four-star hotel "Olympian Bay" - when entering the sea, sand. This hotel can be reached both on foot and by taxi for a few euros, and in the evenings - for 2 euros per person, take a ride on a tourist train. In the direction of the five-star hotel "Poseidon Palace" - entry into the sea is gradually deteriorating, more and more stones are found in the sea, the entrance to the sea in those places is along specially organized paths.

The beaches of Pieria

Other major resorts of Pieria - Paralia Katerinis, Olympiaki Akti, Nei Pori- with their wide sandy beaches and a very shallow entry into the water are perfect for families with children. The infrastructure necessary for life is also well developed during the season. For children there are inflatable trampolines, rides and other entertainment.

Paralia Katerinis and Olympiaki Akti can be reached by taxi from the railway station in Katerinis, or by using the KTEL buses. Nei Pori can be reached both by bus and by train, the railway station is located within walking distance from the village itself.

Paralia Katerinis photo

Village Platamonas- Another major resort in Pieria. It is located between Leptokaria and Nei Pori. The beaches there are generally worse than in neighboring villages, but there is also everything you need, including shops and entertainment. This village may be more suitable for vacationers without children, since there are fewer noisy families and, in general, the situation is calmer.

If you are traveling by car, then your choice is not limited to the above resorts, so you can safely choose others - for example, Plaka to Litochoru, Paralia Panteleimon, Paralia Skotinas. There are no large shops and markets at all, mostly only small tourist shops and a completely different atmosphere. Many areas are occupied by campsites, stand-alone taverns or beach bars.

Mountains of Pieria

In Pieria, you can live not only by the sea, but also in mountain villages or, for example, in the foothills of the divine Mount Olympus - in the town of Litochoro. From it to the beaches you can go down by car in a few minutes.

Olympus is a large mountain range. For lovers of mountaineering or trekking in the mountains of Olympus, routes of varying difficulty are available, there are also several organized shelters. Those who do not like to walk can drive to the highest point, to which the highway leads - Prionia (about 1100 meters above sea level). The climb can be difficult for those who get sick on the road - stock up on the appropriate means in advance.

No less interesting trips through the mountains can be made and climbing through old settlement Leptokarya. The road does not end there and you can take a long and exciting walk through various mountain villages, returning to the sea by another road and driving, for example, closer to Paralia Katerinis.

If you are only interested in small walks in the mountains, you should visit the mountain village Palos Panteleimonas. This picturesque place is located 15 minutes from Platamonas along a simple serpentine. There are small and cozy guest houses, pleasant family atmosphere in taverns, beautiful views, delicious food and reasonable prices.

Panteleimonas village

Excursions

Pieria, as already mentioned, is an ideal place to combine beach and sightseeing holidays. In addition to the mountains, here you can see, for example, a beautiful old Fortress of Platamonas. It is located on a hill between the village of Platamonas and Paralia Panteleimon, from these villages you can get here by car or just walk. The fortress is open to the public for a small fee.

It is easy to get from Katerini or Leptokarya to the ruins of ancient Dion.

There are also organized bus tours to all the places listed, which are offered by guides both at hotels and in independent travel agencies in large villages.

In addition to excursions around Pieria itself, it is easy to get to famous monasteries on the rocks in Meteora, get to Thessaloniki and even to the Greek capital Athens. You need to get to Meteora on your own by car or with an organized tour, but you can also get to Athens and Thessaloniki by train.

Cost of holidays in Pieria

If you wish, you can organize an independent vacation of a completely different level. In Pieria, there are campsites and modest budget studios with a kitchenette and shower, as well as chic five-star hotels with an all-inclusive system.

If you are planning a budget vacation, then, as usual, we advise you to pay attention not only to the price of housing, but also to the walking distance of shops, markets, and pharmacies.

The cheapest accommodation is studios above the railway tracks in the village of Leptokarya, 15-20 minutes walk from the sea. During the season (but not at its peak), you can find accommodation here from 20 euros per day for 3-4 people, in high season prices start from 25-30 euros and it is better to book in advance.

On the first lines by the sea in Pieria, prices for even modest housing are higher and start from 30 euros in June/September and from 40-45 euros in July-August.

In the beach cafes of Pieria, umbrellas and sunbeds are usually provided to all visitors, subject to the order of any drink.

If you don’t want to cook on your own, then you can eat both in Greek fast food (numerous pizzerias and gyros cafes are at your service), in cheap taverns, and in expensive restaurants, which are also not lacking here. An approximate budget for a meal per person per day starts from 15-20 euros with partial self-cooking and from 30-40 euros per day if you plan to fully eat in in public places. If you save and live on fast food and vegetables / fruits, then you can get by with much more modest amounts, it all depends on your desires and capabilities.

Best time for vacation in Pieria

A comfortable season for swimming in the sea for everyone is from the second decade of June to mid-September. At the same time, many swim in May and October. The ideal time to combine sightseeing and beach holidays is May-June or September. If you plan to conquer Olympus, then best time- end of August - beginning of September. In the mountains, you can relax in the coolness even at the height of summer.

But you can safely come on excursions to Pieria almost at any time of the year: it is pleasant to ride in the mountains, admire the sea, walk along deserted beaches both in spring and autumn, and even on some fine winter days.

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