NIKITI SITHONIA CHALKIDIKI
(ΝΙΚΗΤΗ ΣΙΘΩΝΙΑ ΧΑΛΚΙΔΙΚΗ)
Nikiti (Greek Νικήτη) is a town in north-west location on the peninsula Sithonia in a distance of 110 km from Thessaloniki. Nikiti is the administrative capital of Sithonia.
Nikiti is divided into 2 areas: the original village 'Old-Nikiti' in the inland and the new touristic area Nikiti on the seaside in 2km distance. Also settlement Elia, located 11km souwards, belongs to the municipality of Nikiti. All year around about 3 000 inhabitants are living in this area. During summer the population rises up to about 20 000 people. Benefited on its geographical location, the environment around Nikiti contains wide sandy beaches in the south as well as vast pine landscapes & olive groves in the north.
One of the major annual events is the swimming marathons, in which the participants have to cross the Toroneos bay in competition. The contest starts in the village Kallithea on the western peninsula Kassandra and ends after a distance of 24km in Nikiti, Sithonia.
Further attractions are the honey festival and the sport event 'Sithonia'
In the past agriculture, beekeeping and honey-production were the most relevant employment of the population of Nikiti. Although, compared to the past these professions have a clear decrease of relevance, many locals carry on with their family-business. Nowadays tourism is the areas main source of income.
Nikiti as a holiday-destination was first discovered in the late 50s by the people from Thessaloniki. Tourists from western European Countries followed later on. Since the 80s Nikiti is touristic established and the area shifted its commercial focus on it.
In the 13th century most areas in Sithonia belonged to the administrative region of Mount Athos, maintained by various monasteries. The area around Nikiti fell under the jurisdiction of the monastery Xenophon. A settlement Neakitou was mentioned first time in the 14th century. In lack of written records, all historic information of this place base on oral tradition only. 1918 the village was officially recognized as a community. In reference to the former designation Neakitou the village was registered under the name Nikita and changed again 1988 into its present version Nikiti.
