Nikiti old village is one of the most picturesque places in Halkidiki, built in 1830 on a hill around the church of St. Nikita. It is located 105 km from Thessaloniki and 36 km from Polygyros, the capital city of the peninsula.
If the portal in time really exists, it is located in the old village of Nikiti. The local houses and small streets have some special atmosphere of antiquity and their own unique architectural style. This pattern is easily recognizable in every balcony, in the stone-block pavements and even in the view of the Toroneos gulf.
The history of the village begins in the 1300s. The major part of Nikiti appeared in the first half of the 14th century as the property of the Athos monasteries. In the Xenophont monastery a written evidence was even found, according to which at the site of the village there was a monastery metochion. And this territory was already called "Land of Neakitou" then. At that time there were other monastic metochions — Konstamonitou and Psalidas. But after the Catalans had destroyed the Psalida village, its inhabitants moved to higher hills. At the beginning of the 15th century, they unified with other metochions into one village of Nikiti, which was independent of the church.
Although the locals tell also that originally the old village was created for refugees from coastal settlements in Elia, Kastri and Agios-Georgios. The people were forced to move inland to avoid the pirate raids. And Nikiti has such a location that it is not visible from the sea. Therefore, the risk of meeting uninvited guests was much lower here. According to the sources, the name of the area comes from the metochion "Land of Neakitou", and Neakitos is most likely the name of its founder.
According to another version, the village was named after Saint Nikita, who was the patron Saint of the village. And this is quite logical. After all, the Church of St. Nikita, which was built in 1867, bears his name. And despite the fact that the landmark was damaged in a fire, it was reconstructed in the 20th century. Today the Church is again located in the centre of the village and offers fantastic views of Nikiti and the bay.
In 1821 Nikiti as one of the largest villages in Halkidiki took part in the fight against the Turks. But in winter of 1821-1822, during the rebellion, the invaders burned the village down. The locals left their homes and sought safety in the Northern Sporadic Islands.
In 1912, after the liberation of the land from the Ottoman Empire, Nikiti continued to develop. People had gradually returned to their native lands and rebuilt the village. No one was afraid of pirates now. The new houses were built closer to the sea, and the old ones remained abandoned. Perhaps no one would have remembered them if not for the tourist boom in the end of the 20th century. It revived the interest in this historic area not only of the travelers but of the locals as well. In the 1970-1980s, some local houses even have been bought by the Germans and residents of Thessaloniki.
The old village has been preserved in excellent condition due to the efforts of the owners of the houses, who restored the buildings and continue to take care of them all the time. In summer, you can see a lot of travelers here. Some recommend walking around Nikiti on foot to look easily into every corner and courtyard of the village. Others rent bicycles to take a spin along the streets and relax in the bar or tavern. By the way, there are really just two establishments left, although in the 50s there were about 15 coffee houses around the square.
The old stone-block pavement has been preserved in the village, but here and there, asphalt has already been laid. The houses are built in the traditional style of this area — with stone exterior trim and ginger tiled roofs. Chimneys are their main characteristic feature. Since there were no other types of heating in the village, every room has a fireplace. You can count up to 6-7 chimneys on the roofs of the houses, which belonged to wealthy owners. And their walls are white unlike other buildings.
Most of Nikiti's houses date back from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century. The building of the cemetery church is older than others — it was built in the 16th century. The most important building in the village is the Church of St. Nikita. Right below it there is the old primary school, which also appeared in the late 19th century. Having restored it, the locals founded the Nikiti Folklore museum here.
The easiest way to get to Nikiti is to go by regular buses, order transfer or rent a vehicle from Thessaloniki or Polygyros.
