Sea side villages

Agios Ioannis

Agios Ioannis is one of the most cosmopolitan summer resorts in Pelion, where you can see different people from different nationalities that spend their holidays there.  Agios Ioannis is full of restaurants and tavernas, while it is one of the few places in Pelion where you can have some nightlife.  Agios Ioannis would be an ideal spot for an easy and relaxed day out, where you can spend your whole day in the beach and finish it with a nice meal in a seaside taverna.  In Agios Ioannis you will be able to find three small shingle beaches.  The beach of Plaka; the main beach of Agios Ioannis which is sandier and it has access to a wide selection of restaurants, cafes and tavernas; and the beach of Papa Nero, which is on the right hand side of the resort, with its long sandy beach.

Damouchari

Damouchari is perhaps Pelion’s most well kept secret.  Damouchari is a unique little port that used to be extremely important during the 18^th and 19^th century.  As you are sitting in one of the two tavernas that can be found there you cannot help but notice the remains of the old castle that Venetians build centuries ago, in order to protect their trade routes.  The old customs stone building found in the beach on your left-hand side was still used until the beginning of the 20^th century.  It is believed that Damouchari is built on the remains of the ancient town of Periplous.  It is said by the locals, that the name Damouchari is taken from a heartbreaking love story and it is the translation for “for the name of love”.

Chorefto

Chorefto is the seaside resort of the village of Zagora.  It took its name from the Greek word “χορεύω” (chorevo), which means dance, due to a large dance that the locals performed everytime the defended the port against the pirates.  Chorefto used to be a very important maritime centre, exporting most of the goods of the northeastern Pelion.  Please note that there is a number of caves around the area that can be visited once you can get hold of a boat, while the area is also known for the good fishing opportunities it offers. In Chorefto one can find the longest sandy beach of Pelion. 

Afissos

Afissos is one of the most famous summer resorts of Pelion and is especially popular with the locals.  Afissos offers three of the best beaches of the whole region, two of which offer watersports facilities.  You will be able to find a nice café in all those beaches where you can have a glass of freshly squeezed juice after you are done with your sunbathing.  Afissos offers a wide choice of restaurants and tavernas and in the meantime you can pay a visit to the local church of Agia Marina, just off the main square.

Lefokastro

Lefokastro is the ideal location for someone who wants to have a quiet and relaxing day.  Everything moves at a very slow pace at this fishermen’s village, which even though it is just 3km far from Afissos if you follow the back road it seems as it is miles away.  Do not use the front beach for swimming, due to its big stones, but drive a bit further to visit the Gouva beach (please refer to the avoid the crowds section for more precise driving instructions).  Have lunch in one of the three tavernas, where most restaurant owners fish their fish on their own in the same morning.  Finish your day as you are looking at the colours of the sunset while drinking your last sip of your tea or Greek coffee.

Kalamos –Horto

Two of the most beautiful resorts of Pelion, and also very well kept secrets – still.  Kalamos is a sleepy village with tow beautiful bays – one with a pebbled beach and one with a natural harbor.  The waters are crystal clear and you can feel the sea calling you in….The walks around Kalamos are a joy, as you can walk next to the sea, but yet, in a small hill with refreshing wind.

Horto is a stunning small village, with a suprising “up beat” cultural festival in August.  Th etheatre and the festivities are well known internationally.  A main stream cuts through the center of the village, providing a natural port for the small fishing boats of the locals.  The beaches are smaller than the other Pelion areas; yet they waters are turquoise blue. 

Agia Kyriaki

The greater area of Trikeri and Agia Kiriaki is quite remote from all the other villages of Pelion, by the time that it is found at the southern tip of the peninsula.  You can drive there is you follow the southern coastal road that passes through the cosmopolitan village of Milina.  On the way to Trikeri you can overlook the beautiful beach of Tzasteni with the large mansion which is built at the end of a tiny peninsula that “invades” the sea.  Agia Kiriaki is the port of the mountain village of Trikeri and is home to a great number of fishermen in the area.  The fishing boats that dock at the pier of Agia Kiriaki supply the three tavernas of the village with the freshest fish that you could ever find, therefore, it is an ideal spot for the fish lovers like me!  It is actually one of the very few parts of Greece that you can find fresh squid and calamari, without feeling that you’ve been ripped off when the check comes.  If happen to be in Pelion around the 7^th of July, it would be a good idea to visit Agia Kiriaki for the local festival.

MOUNTAIN RESORTS

Conservation laws protect the mountainside villages and although its village retains each authenticity and character, they all have in common the leafy village squares, well known to all Greek villages.  All every day life takes place in those particular squares that form the center and trade point of each village.

Most villages provide breathtaking views into the sea and are the “perfect place” for peace and ambience.  The old stone build mansions, traditionally with their gray slate roofs and small windows and balconies, blend in with the surroundings. 

Makrinitsa

Makrinitsa is located in central Pelion, just 3km from the village of Portaria.  If you want to visit this extremely beautiful village you need to drive first through the village of Portaria and then follow the signposts for Makrinitsa that are found just off the square of the village.  Makrinitsa has been characterised as the village of the “nobles”, due to the large number of mansion houses found in the village and the “balcony of Pelion”, due to the breathtaking view of Volos that you can get from the square of the village.  When visiting the village it is worth to pay a visit to the local folk museum (please refer to other parts of the villa book for further information) and have a cup of coffee at the square of the village.  You might as well try the local lemonade brand of the area called “ΕΨΑ” (EPSA). The taverna at the square of the village offers food of good quality including the local dishes of spetsofai, fasolada (bean soup) and giouvetsi (beef with pasta baked in the oven).  Visit the church of Agios Ioannis (St John) at the square of the village and pay attention to the details of the fountain of the “immortal water”.  If you decide to take the back road to Volos, you will find it on your right hand side just as the parking area ends.  This road is pretty downhill, but on the way you will be able to see a number of 18^th century chapels, dedicated to Agia Magdalini, Agios Georgios and Agios Athanassios.

Tsangarada

Tsangarada was built in 1500AD and was developed around the four churches of Taxiarches, Agia Paraskevi, Agia Kyriaki and Agios Stefanos.  The four suburbs of the village still keep their names from the original churches.  Tsangarada stretches along the main road for more than 5km.  It is worth visiting the square of Agia Paraskvi, where you can see the one-thousand year old plane tree with its 14metre trunk diemeter, and enjoy the fabulous walnut cake at the main square of the village.

Vizitsa

In my opinion Vizitsa is the most beautiful village in the whole mountain.  A great number of 18^th and 19^th century Peliot mansions can be found in this village, many of which have been restored under the supervision of the Greek National Tourist Organisation.  I’m sure that you will recognise a lot of these mansions from the postcards that you’ll most probably have already bought to send back to your friends and your family.  Have some lunch or dinner in one of the restaurants at the main square and pay a visit to the monastery of Agios Ioannis where you can see its 18^th century katholikon.

Agios Georgios Nilias

This is one of Pelion’s most picturesque villages.  It was inhabited mostly by wealthy man with origins from Pelion that lived and made their fortunes in Alexandra and Cairo of Egypt.   It is perched on a green mountainside with magnificent views to the Pagasitic Gulf.  The local church of Agios Georgios, the art museum of sculptor Nikolas, the convent of Taxiarches,  provide the village with a life that is very diverse for the guests.  Yet, it is one of the most beautiful and worthwhile to visit villages.

Lafkos

One of the most beautiful traditional villages of Pelion, and certainly one of our favorites.  It is the preferred home of several Greek artists who appreciate the quality of light, the cobbled paths, the stone house and the beautiful village square.  These particular “meeting point” in the summer months is at most color, alive to all manner of conversation, children playing, old men playing tavli, greetings and local politics discussions.  All that a Greek village should be!