The beautiful Pelion Peninsula, located in the heart of Greece, has been the best hidden gem of Aegean tourism so far.
The Pelion Peninsula is, in fact, a large mountain whose edges are adorned with traditional villages and exotic beaches. Makrinitsa, Portoria, Zagora, Milina and Cagarada are villages where time seems to stand still – all the houses are white, they exude elegance, with gray stone roofs, and they can be reached by old roads. Exotic beaches are pebbly, with beautiful pebbles like precious stones. Milopotamos, Fakistra and Agios Ioannis, are places with crystal blue water, and are located in the eastern part of the peninsula, where there are often large waves. On the west side, the bay, the water is crystal clear, calm, and the beaches are mostly pebbly.
The nearest larger city is Volos, and the road also passes by Larisa. Pelion is traveled at any time of the year. In summer, this is a perfect place for rest and peaceful sleep, because the nights are pleasant. In spring and autumn, it is visited by nature and hiking lovers. In winter, in the village of Agriolefkes near Chania, there is even a ski center. From Pelion it is easy to go on a trip to nearby Skiathos.
Ancient legend says that it was at Pelion that Jason and the Argonauts found the golden fleece. Tourists from all over the world visit beautiful mountain villages with traditional restaurants and taverns and enjoy the sandy beaches and crystal clear sea.
Famous tourist places in Pelion are: Cala Nera, Milina, Platanias, Horto, Koropi, Milopotamus, Agios Ioannis, Afisos … Many tourists choose quiet places, such as Agia Kyriaki. Mount Pelion is a famous destination for lovers of hiking, biking or horseback riding, as it offers trails through incredibly beautiful landscapes of chestnut and oak forests. In summer, most tourists come here who do not like vacations in large hotels, crowds on the beach and countless shops.
Portaria is a cosmopolitan place that tourists visit throughout the year, especially in the spring. Thanks to the lush vegetation and sunny days, tourists stay here in luxury hotels in a traditional style, and enjoy visiting taverns, bars and shops.
Zagora is located in the eastern part of Pelion and each house has a beautiful view of the Aegean Sea. All the streets end in the square where the Church of St. George and the library from the 18th century are located. Near the village is Dragopol, a villa surrounded by various citrus. Here you can try and buy domestic products from this area.
Tsagarada is an elegant small town, 500 meters above sea level, with cascading houses, and there are also palm trees, chestnut trees and turquoise sea. There is a millennium-old tree on Agia Paraskeva Square, and coffee is usually drunk there before going to the forest, where mushrooms are collected all year round. In the month of November, a chestnut festival is held here.
Vizitsa is a small town where tourism began to develop in the 1980s, but nature is still untouched, the streets are still paved with cobblestones, and houses are being renovated in a traditional style. In the center there is a fountain with drinking water. Walking along the sea, you can reach the village of Kala Nera, where home-made food products are sold.
Milina is the place that is the starting station of the legendary steam train “Mucuris” (dirty), which goes to Ano Lehonija. This railway connects the beautiful landscapes of the western Pelion.
Makrinitsa is a place called the “balcony” of the Pelion mountain because it offers the most beautiful panorama, the view goes over the bay, old houses, narrow paths, stone roads, forests … This is a place on the Pilion that everyone says is breathtaking, and many cafes they are in perfect respite locations.
Pinakates is a fairytale village. It is located in the south of the peninsula, and the first tourist arrived in this place only in 1999, when the road to Vizica was made. For tourists who love authentic rest, peace and quiet, kind hosts and excellent local food – this is the right place.
