Lesser-known villages, routes and unique landscapes that youll never forget.
No matter how many years go by, no matter how many times we go, we will always return to Pelion for getaways that blend rich tradition with unique routes through nature. It is one of those mountains you can enjoy in every season of the year.
Pelion hides many treasures, inviting restless travelers to discover them on strolls through beautiful villages, stone-paved alleys and forested trails. Beyond the areas headliners, Portaria, Makrinitsa and Tsagarada, its worth exploring some of the mountains lesser-known villages and uncovering their wonderful secrets.
The traditional village with the oldest coffeehouse in Greece
Lafkos is one of the most beautiful villages of southern Pelion. Well-preserved stone mansions, cobbled lanes, blooming courtyards, fountains, as well as a lovely square, give the village its distinctive color, while the 310 meters elevation offers superb views towards the Pagasitikos Gulf. Its worth walking it from end to end. Manolis Forlidas coffeehouse on Lafkos square is considered the oldest in Greece (in continuous operation since 1785). Also, in the village you can see three museums: the Folklore Museum, the Fampeio and the distinctive Radio Museum- one of the two that exist in Greece.
A fishing village with Aegean flair
If you love road trips, its worth setting off early one morning for the southernmost point of Pelion (75 km from Volos) where youll find Agia Kyriaki, the harbor of the seafaring village of Trikeri and one of the areas most beautiful fishing villages. You dont get on a boat and yet you feel as if you are on an island. Here time flows more slowly, the villages narrow lanes carry you back to a Greece of another era and the food at the tavernas by the sea is truly delightful. A nice idea for an excursion is to take the boat from Alogoporos to the islet of Paleo Trikeri. The only inhabited island of the Pagasitikos Gulf is a place time seems to have thoroughly forgotten.
Walking in the forest
The beautiful trails of Pelion are a nature lovers paradise. There are dozens of waymarked paths that connect the villages to each other and to the beaches. Even if you find yourself in Pelion in winter, its worth walking the trails that descend to the sea. The sight of the beaches without people is enchanting. Among the musts is the classic route from Tsagarada to Damouchari beach. Unforgettable too is the hike from Kala Nera to Milies. A more demanding route, and one of the loveliest in Northern Pelion, is the one from the village of Veneto to Ano Kerasia, through forest with lush vegetation, running waters and wild ravines. Beyond natures sights, the historic Flamouri Monastery impresses in a forest clearing.
Old churches that hide... miracles
The churches scattered throughout the Pelion area are true jewels of the region. In the small village of Kissos, you will find Agia Marina, a three-aisled basilica built in the 17th century, with stunning frescoes by the folk painter Konstantis Pagonis of Chioniades, inspired by Revelation, the Old and New Testaments. Among Pelions most distinctive churches is also the Church of the Archangels in Milies. It is built in such a way that its exterior does not betray the buildings true nature, while it is famed for its amazing acoustics, which are due to 48 upside-down jars hidden in the roof and a well at the center of the church!
For coffee and tsipouro in the highest-altitude village
About 20 km east of Volos, near Vizitsa and Milies, Agios Georgios Nilias is a lesser-known yet beautiful Pelion village. Spread amphitheatrically between two ridges, at an altitude of about 700 m, it is Pelions highest-altitude village and is famed for its wonderful views over the Pagasitikos Gulf. The heart of the village beats in its serene square, one of Pelions most beautiful. Here, old stone houses stand beside 19th-century neoclassical mansions. The latter belong to merchants who emigrated to Egypt and made fortunes before returning to the village to build impressive summer residences. Stone fountains and running waters complete the village scene. The surrounding nature calls you for excursions into the forest, strolls and hiking.
The village-retreat
Just 20 minutes from Volos, you will encounter the remote and quiet Drakia, hidden behind lush and steep slopes. Drakia is one of the martyred villages of Greece, where one of the Nazis greatest atrocities took place. The entire village has been designated a traditional settlement. Take a stroll around its two squares with plane trees and traditional tavernas and visit the Triantafyllou mansion with its wonderful interior, the church of Agios Athanasios and the chapel of Agios Georgios with Pagonis frescoes. Enjoy nature by walking the paths that connect the village with Hania and Agios Lavrentios.
