From the first coffee to sunset over the Toronean Gulf.
Sunbeds, a kitchen and music on Destenika beach at Toroni, on the west coast of Sithonia. The sun sets straight across the water, behind Kassandra.
09:00
Morning
A sunbed before the sand gets hot
We open with coffee and a Thessaloniki koulouri. The umbrellas are straw, and every May we set them at the same distance: four metres apart.
Front row
Two sunbeds and an umbrella, with two bottles of water
€35
Back rows
Two sunbeds and an umbrella
€25
Bed under the pines
For four, shaded all day
€60
The price counts towards what you order, so it comes off your bill. It holds all day, until we close.
13:00
Midday
Kitchen until six, swimming off the rocks
At the north end of the beach the granite runs into the sea and the water gets deep fast. Bring a mask. The kitchen cooks a few things, from the morning boat and the gardens of Sykia.
Steamed mussels with ouzo
From the mussel farms of the Thermaic Gulf
€12
Fried baby squid
With lemon and cabbage salad
€14
Dakos with tomato and katiki
Barley rusk, oregano from the hill
€9
Watermelon, feta and mint
For two, while the summer lasts
€7
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Sunset
Sunset time
--:--
Golden hour starts at --:--, when the sun drops below six degrees.
The time is worked out on your own device, for this spot on the beach. Behind the hills of Kassandra the sun disappears a few minutes earlier.
Halkidiki rosé, glass
Dry, from xinomavro and syrah
€7
Tsipouro with frozen watermelon
No anise, with mint
€9
Mastiha spritz
Chios mastiha, soda, lemon
€10
22:00
Night
Vinyl, not foam parties
After sunset the music goes up a little, not a lot: the neighbours at the campsite are asleep. We close at one.
Example programme, for the demo
Fridays
Records from the suitcase
Greek ’70s and funk, on vinyl
Saturdays
Deep house until one
A guest DJ from Thessaloniki
Last full moon
Last night of the season
We close under a full moon and open again in May
Why Lekythos
The headland above the bay was called Lekythos. It held the fort Brasidas took in 423 BC, as Thucydides tells it in his fourth book. The Byzantine walls still stand, ten minutes on foot from the sunbeds.
A lekythos was also the clay flask for oil, rubbed on the skin before going out in the sun. The first suncream.
Getting here
The beach is at the entrance to the village, on the left of the road from Sykia.
From Thessaloniki
150 km, about 2 hours 15 minutes
Through Nea Moudania and Nikiti, then down the west coast past Neos Marmaras.
Parking
Free, 40 spaces
Under the pines behind the bar. In August it is full by eleven.
By boat
Anchor off the rocks
Sandy bottom at 5 metres. Call us and we will fetch you in the dinghy.
Book a sunbed
We hold your sunbed until eleven in the morning. For the same day, call us on +30 23750 00000.