First Pelion Tour

We depart from Volos in the morning and head toward the village of Milies. On the way there you pass through the traditional villages of Agios Georgios Nileias, Pinakates and Vyzitsa.

Agios Georgios Nileias is a village built around the 15^th century. It is located at an altitude of 700 meters, and overlooks the Pagasetic Gulf.

Agios Georgios

Continuing on, you will pass through the village of Pinakates. Its inhabitants are largely engaged in wood carving, creating masterpieces.

Pinakates

The next village on your tour is Vyzitsa, built using the traditional architectural style of Pelion. While walking through the cobblestone streets of the village, you will see houses that date back more than a century, and today function as traditional guesthouses. In the main square you will find shops selling local products, such as their famously delicious fruit sweets.

Vyzitsa

Next, we reach Milies, a village of great historical importance.

You may visit the Public Library of Milies (“Psychis Akos”), built in 1815, and the Folklore Museum of the village.

In the center of the village is the Church of the Archangels (1741). It has amazing acoustics, due to 48 inverted jars, which are inconspicuously located in the corners of the roof domes, and a well in the center of the church.

The next attraction in Milies is the Old Railway Station of the Little Train of Pelion. It was built in two stages, between 1894 and 1903, by local and Italian workers. The special architecture of the building harmonizes perfectly with the natural wild beauty of the area.

Milies

The next village we will visit is Tsagarada, with its central square, “Agia Paraskevi”.

We will see The Plane Tree of Tsagarada, which is estimated to be as old as 1,000 years, making it one of the oldest trees in all of Europe.

You will be able to photograph this extraordinary tree, and take time to drink a coffee or eat some traditional local fruit sweets while sitting under its shade.

Tsagarada

After leaving Tsagarada, our next destination is Damouhari. It is a traditional, picturesque settlement and old fishing village, with a natural port. Because of its unique combination of mountains and sea, several scenes from the movie Mama Mia were filmed here.

You can eat fresh fish and traditional food by the water, with a view to the Aegean Sea. There is also the beautiful beach, “Palia Damouhari”, where you can swim in the clear blue water.

Damouhari

Palia Damouhari

Continuing on the tour, we will pass by the summer resort village of Eastern Pelion, Agios Ioannis.

It contains a summer holidays settlement with hotels, restaurants, taverns, beach bars, and has an exciting nightlife.

Agios Ioannis

The next village on the tour is Kissos, which is located at an altitude of 600 meters. This village is famous for good traditional food.

In the central square of the village is the church of St. Marina, the most famous basilica church in Pelion, built in 1650. Originally the church was dedicated to three saints: St. George, St. Marina and St. Athanasios. Today it is dedicated only to St. Marina.

Rigas Feraios, the famous Greek revolutionary, taught here.

Inside the church are four domes, elaborately decorated and painted by the famous painter Ioannis Pagonis.

Very rare and especially impressive is the gilded, carved wooden iconostasis of the church.

Kissos

Upon leaving Kissos, you will follow an uphill road which crosses through a dense beech forest. At the top of Mount Pelion you will find the “Agriolefkes Ski Center” and the village of Chania. Here are located hotels and resorts where ski buffs and nature lovers can stay in the winter.

“Agriolefkes Ski Center”

The next village you will visit is Makrynitsa, known as “the balcony of Pelion”. The houses of the village, built two centuries ago, embody the characteristic traditional architecture, with rich decorative painting and wood carving.

These days, most of them function as guesthouses.

Additionally, in the central square you will find the Church of St. John the Forerunner (built in 1806), and the Byzantine Museum of Makrynitsa.

Also, in the village square you can enjoy local cuisine in one of the traditional taverns, have a drink, or try sweets made from local fruits, while experiencing a panoramic view of the city of Volos and the Pagasetic Gulf from above.

Makrynitsa

At the end of the tour you will arrive back in Volos, full of beautiful memories, images and information about the areas you visited.

The return to Volos will be in the afternoon.

As always, the program can be adapted to meet your specific needs and wishes. There are other villages in the area that can be added to your tour, such as: Zagora, Chorefto, and Portaria.

The cost for the suggested tour above will depend upon the duration of the tour and the number of villages you visit.