Pelion, "Mountain of the Centaurs", "summer residence of the Gods of Olympus", has been characterized by many mythical names, after all, its beauty could only be associated with myths. The mountain of Thessaly dominates the Pagasitic Gulf and the city of Volos, has an altitude of 1624 meters and is 2.5 hours away from Thessaloniki and 3.5 hours from Athens. The whole mountain is overgrown with forests with tall beeches, oaks, plane trees, chestnuts and pines. Lost in this endless nature, beautiful villages with stone streets, gurgling waters and beautiful people.The truth is that two or three days are not enough to explore Pelion, however these days are ideal to get a taste and return again and again to this blessed place. The Mountain is divided into central, western, eastern and southern Pelion and each is recommended for a different season.
Its central and western part with main villages Portaria, Makrinitsa, Milies and the ski resort of Chania is ideal for winter and autumn getaways from the city. You will find fresh air, snow, skiing, walking and time in nature at this time, while in Milies there is also the famous train of Moutzouris that connects Ano Lechonia with Milies. It is a historic line with a lifespan of over a century and it is one of the narrowest railway lines in the world with a width of only 60 cm. In its wonderful route, that is worth doing, passes through many bridges and green mountain slopes.
On the contrary, for the summer period, Tsagarada and Zagora on the East side steal the impressions with countless blue beaches. Water sports, hiking, rackets and of course swimming and sunbathing can be found there on beaches that have been awarded a blue flag for their beauty.
Finally, South Pelion gets the least publicity of all, perhaps because it takes more time to get there than the other regions. However, it is ideal for the "alternative" travelers and the locals who enjoy its beauty away from the main volume of tourism.
In Pelion there are many organized paths which for many years connected the villages with each other and thanks to the inhabitants are well preserved and offer the visitor the relative security to explore them. It is worth walking the alley of Centaurs that starts just outside Portaria and ends in the village square relatively small in size but huge in natural beauty, the only sure thing is that it will reward you. Finally, there are many traditional products and women's cooperatives that maintain the traditions of the place while there are also traditional festivals that raise the fun and give unforgettable experiences to travelers.
For all the above reasons plus the countless memories and experiences we unreservedly recommend you to make a little space in your daily life for this jewel of nature and pure human intervention due to the love of the locals for their place. And rest assured the result will be proportionate and perhaps higher than expected.
