PELION | MAINLAND GREECE | THESSALY

ANAKASSIA

The Theophilos Museum in the house of Giannis Kondou is worth a visit; it contains murals painted by the well-known folk artist in 1912.

MAKRYNITSA

Built like an amphitheatre along the mountainside, it has been called the “eagle’s nest” and “balcony” of Pelion and its restored listed mansions are still impressive, despite the recent tourist boom. The village was founded between 1204 and 1215 and its residents’ trading around the Balkans was based on their silk-worm production and tanneries. Have a coffee under the plane-trees in the big square, with its panoramic view of the Pagasitic Gulf and its sculptured marble fountain. Pop into the 18th c. monastery of the Panagia tis Makrynitissas and ask to see the famous “secret school” where children studied during the Ottoman occupation. The Topalis mansion housing the Museum of Folk Art and History is fitted out as it would have been in the past.

PORTARIA

The “gateway to Pelion”, as it is often called, has plenty of tourists and the facilities to accommodate them. Its wonderful restored mansions, the cobblestone paths and running brooks account for its popularity. Take a look at the church of the Panagia tis Portareas, built in 1273 and then have a drink at Karavos where mini waterfalls tumble out of the mountainside. You could also hike up to Pliasidi peak at an altitude of 1,548 m, a three-hour walk that will give you a stupendous view of Mt Olympus and the Aegean.

HANIA

The old inns or khans gave this area its name. Situated at an altitude of 1,200 m, this is the highest village on this side of Pelion before the Agriolefkes ski centre.

ZAGORA

Pelion’s biggest village with 4,000 inhabitants, Zagora consists of four autonomous communities, Agia Paraskevi or Perahora, Agia Kyriaki, Agios Georgios and Agia Sotira, strung out over 5 km. This is where the Patriarch Kallinikos IV founded the so-called Riga Fereos school, now a folk art museum open in summer. Visit the square of Agios Georgios with its spreading plane trees and beautiful 18th c. basilica, its 15,000-volume library and the church of Agia Paraskevi.

KISSOS

A picturesque village enveloped by greenery with a lovely flagstone square. Visit the 17th c. church of Agia Marina and be sure to look at the gilded icon screen known as the treasure of Pelion.

TSANGARADA

Spread out down the mountainside as far as the sea, this village has 800 inhabitants, traditional architecture and many facilities for its numerous visitors. It is composed of four, virtually autonomous communities, Agii Taxiarchi, Agia Paraskevi, Agios Stephanos and Agia Kyriaki, which are linked by a network of roads and some 70 km of traditional cobbled paths (kalderimia). The walk between Agii Taxiarchi and Agia Paraskevi is interesting and quite easy. Both churches are impressive, the former built in 1746, the latter with its traditional fountain and thousand-year-old plane tree, whose trunk measures 14m. in circumference. If you can, go down to Damouhari, a seaside hamlet with an enclosed fishing port, a ruined Venetian fortress and a pebbly beach.

MILIES