Many consider Nea Roda to be the largest settlement of refugees who arrived in northern Halkidiki after the Greco-Turkish War and the destruction of Asia Minor. The name of the village reflects the origin of its residents: the Roda of Propontis. About 40 families decided to settle, after many wanderings, in the area called “Provlakas” (meaning before the trench, i.e., before the Xerxes Canal) in the summer of 1923.
In the early years, the residents of Nea Roda worked primarily in agriculture and fishing. Today, thanks to its wonderful beaches, the area has developed as a tourist destination. More than 1,200 people live here year-round, and as expected, the population increases significantly during the summer months. Its close proximity to Ierissos (6 km) has helped accelerate the area’s development, and the tourist infrastructure is well-established.
The residents were mainly sailors and merchants. As devout people, the first thing they took with them was the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary, which today is the protector and pride of Nea Roda. Families also came from Eastern Thrace, as well as from Charaki and Gonia in Kyzikos. In the meantime, those Roda residents living elsewhere were notified, and most of them responded to the call and came to Nea Roda. The population exchange started on June 14, 1924. The last Greeks from Asia Minor were uprooted and entered Greece, seeking a new homeland. A large group of Cappadocians arrived in 1926 in Nea Roda, and the settlement took its final form. The settlement of Antaval (or Antaval, or Antivallon) in the Nigde region of Cappadocia was the homeland of this group. It was a Turkish-speaking but predominantly Greek village with about 1,800 inhabitants. The church of Saint Constantine, built in 500 AD, has ruins that still stand today. The name of the village probably comes from the verb “antivallo” (=to oppose) due to the continuous disputes with the Turks.
Because the land was rocky, poor, and barren with marginal production, the men would leave for seasonal work in Constantinople. Especially between 1913-1923, they suffered from Turkish raids and lived in constant fear for their lives. When the order to abandon their homes was given, under the leadership of their priest Agathangelos, they set off with their carts for Nigde-Ulugusla and descended to Mersin. After 1-2 months, they arrived in Saint George of Piraeus and later in Thessaloniki. From there, many passed through Pyrgadikia, Ouranoupolis, and Orfani, but malaria and hardships eventually brought them to the area. For about five years, they stayed in the surrounding estates and then, with whatever state aid they received, they settled here and gave the village its current form.
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