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Photo: Drawing by Marsyas, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The ancient settlement of Oisyme was founded as a Thasian colony in the second half of the 7th century BC. As well as the beautiful view, the small Dipteros Temple, dedicated to the goddess Athena Parthenos, is well worth a visit. During the First World War, in 1916, the Bulgarian army set up a defensive position on the acropolis as part of the Salonika Front, which resulted in the partial destruction of the ancient remains. The acropolis can be accessed from the south via the paved road. A hiking trail begins at a model church dedicated to Protitis Ilias. This somewhat challenging path leads through undergrowth and is marked with red dots and knots of plastic tape.
Oesyme or Oisyme and Aisyme or Aesyme was an ancient Greek polis (city-state) located in ancient Thrace and later in Macedonia. It was within the region of Pieras or Edonis between the river Strymon and the river Nestos.
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It is the largest and most beautiful of the hard-to-reach bays. However, it suffers from litter problems, often caused by wild campers or motorhome owners who leave their rubbish behind.
The middle bay boasts a beautiful sandy beach and is located in a picturesque setting. However, access is via a poorly maintained dirt track which is often littered with rubbish.
It is the smallest bay on the west side of the peninsula. Although it is scenically beautiful, it is unfortunately often polluted by visitors who leave their rubbish there.
On the mountain are the remains of several artillery positions of a Bulgarian defensive wall, the so-called Salonika Front from World War I.
The beautiful beach has no beach bar and is only accessible via a bumpy dirt track. The bumpy access road often puts off owners of newer cars. However, a 4WD is not necessary. There are several other swimming spots along the track without beach bars. There is a canteen next to the beach offering snacks and drinks. Visitors should bring their own parasols and camping chairs.
Anaktoropolis
The ruins of the 10th- to 15th-century Byzantine town and castle of Anaktoropolis have been preserved. The town was strategically located near one of the few ports between Thessaloniki and Constantinople. The castle fell to the Ottomans between 1383 and 1387, after which it was destroyed and rendered insignificant. The remains were later used as building materials for the surrounding settlements. The fortress ruins lie just under a kilometre southwest of the town centre, on a hill that overlooks Eleftheres Bay, offering an impressive panoramic view of the coast and the Ammolofoi Dunes. The ring of walls has a circumference of around 650 metres and features several well-preserved rectangular and round defensive towers, as well as a citadel standing at over 11 metres high on the south-east side.