Camping Stavros is a cute little family-type campsite at the bottom of the west bank on the second arm of Halkidiki, Sithonia.
In this writing I would like to share my impressions of our stay there, more about the conditions and specifics of the organization there. Nice and not so good sides.
The turtle at Camping Stavros
Why do I mention the turtle in the foreground?
Because it is significant for the horizon line and all photos invariably cut off its distinctive shape.
Wherever you turn, its colossal, impressive posture fills the classic Greek seascape and you can’t help but take a few shots. Fifty minimum ..
Accommodation and departure from camping Stavros
This summer we consolidated our experience from the previous one and again we struggled with a camper.
It is no coincidence that we turned to this type of accommodation, because in addition to bringing your house (ie camper, caravan, tent) to the campsite, it is difficult to arrange anything else, especially if you are four.
Part of the campsite is the Porto Elena Hotel, but the double rooms seemed tiny to me, and the management of the campsite was not particularly zealous in answering my inquiries.
After the 20th call, I was able to contact and reserve a place for the camper. Nothing written! You have to stick a lot of perseverance and luck here.
After 6 months, after an epoch-making trip with two campers from Sofia to Stavros, it turned out that there was a problem with the reservation and something went wrong.
In the end, after an hour or two of nervous quarrels, we adjusted things and took positions. Even on the first line!
I had never slept so close to the crash of the waves before!
So in summary so far, this place has a huge problem with communication. And I didn’t see much effort to change that.
When we left, we didn’t laugh much either. Check-out at the earliest after 8.00 am. No exceptions. Never mind that the managers are at the front desk an hour early and lazily stirring their coffee. This is the situation.
Organization of camping Stavros
From an internal organization, things started to get a little more positive.
Camping Stavros is relatively small. That is, you cross the campsite diagonally for 5 – 10 minutes, you quickly reach the friends positioned every 5 meters and the waiting mint, ouzo or similar.
The bathrooms are at your fingertips. I didn’t even think intently about the shopping list, because it was just the store next door and someone was running there for something forgotten.
Of course, I can’t miss the color arrangement of the campsite and the numerous purple colors coming from every corner.
Next to the entrance is the reception and home office area. Alas, here, like most Greek campsites, there was a huge problem with the Internet. Every day eyes ached on the screens, frowning campers trying to send one or another business e-mail were nervous, along with the obligatory young YouTubers for this area.
The bathrooms were relatively clean, we have seen worse on our Black Sea coast. Light traffic jam at peak hours, when people were already returning from the beach.
The common areas were also cleaned regularly, although the hygienists didn’t care much if you had breakfast when they swept the brooms.
There are several common refrigerators where you can’t easily arrange a place. The washing machine costs 5 euros per run, which as far as I understand is more expensive compared to the previous year.
Gastronomy of camping Stavros
For those who have decided to be lazy in terms of cooking, rest is still, there are several options.
The restaurant at Camping Stavros was quite decent in terms of food and service and was regularly respected.
A second close option is the Tonis Tavern, which is glued to the campsite. Here I refrain from recommending, as we had some remarks, but for those looking for variety nearby, it’s an option.
You can find a more refined dish and a pleasant atmosphere in the Panos restaurant or, in other words, “With the Bulgarian woman”.
The restaurant is a 30-minute walk from Stavros Camping. The road there is a wonderful walk, especially at sunset and you can enjoy many pleasant golden sea etudes.
What struck me about the look of the restaurant was its spaciousness. As a friend from the company said:
“I would get married here!”
Huge spaces, fast service, great dishes at decent prices. There is a reason why so many people flock here from all over the sleeve.
Entertainment at the Stavros campsite
Regarding entertainment – if you do not make them yourself, do not expect anything organized.
The campsite is run by one family, and its members are either at the reception, in the shop, hotel or restaurant. So if you are waiting for an animation, you will wait!
The beach at Camping Stavros is small and compact, with a narrow strip of sand.
Plus, whatever and wherever you leave it, you find it the next day. You can easily find your lost kid. When entering, it is shallow, so babies can easily float in the mirror-smooth sea.
The weekend is getting fuller and at times the umbrellas stuck together look like the Central Beach in Nessebar, but this is typical for the weekend, especially in these latitudes.
Also on the side are the jagged avant-garde rocks with emerald coniferous vegetation typical of Sithonia, which add a lot of charm. Of course the turtle!
The alleys in the campsite between the olive trees are the backdrop of continuous tours of young cyclists, scooters and even laser sword fights. Harmony interrupted by brief interstellar wars.
As fans of board games, we indulged in hysterical laughter at night, which could not be easily stopped. Here appeared an unpleasant element in the face of the campsite manager, who walked around at midnight to mourn the guilty campers. It felt like being in a student camp.
We made up for the midnight restrictions with wonderful walks, a serious sports program (running, cycling, synchronized group swimming and yoga) and card tournaments, until the last ray of sunshine disappeared into the sea and smelled of barbecue everywhere.
Final words for camping Stavros
I do not want to praise the campsite, because there are a number of negative aspects.
Whether we will return here again, time will tell, although we have a secure company firmly rooted here.
We already miss the palm trees, the flowers and even the oriental postures of the bathrooms.
Maybe for the next year we forgot the 20 attempts to book and again we will fight for a place under the sun here.
Antonio, the manager, smirks at me with the words: “I promise to answer your e-mail!”
