The Greek Islands | Pilion | Volos |
THE PILION OR PELION PENINSULA IN GREECE |
The Pelion or Pelion Peninsula lies in the east of Greece and is part of the district of Magnesia. The capital of the region is called Volos, which is located on the Pagasetic Gulf. After Athens and Thessaloniki, Volos is the busiest port in Greece. The Pelion peninsula is green and mountainous and closes off the Pagasetic Gulf in the east and south and forms a narrow channel at Trikeri. The highest mountain of Pelion is 1624 meters high and is called Pourianos Stavros or Xeforti. The largest part of the peninsula is densely forested with all kinds of trees, including oak, beech, chestnut, maple and sycamore. With its many hiking trails, the area is also a haven for hikers. Northeast of Volos you can find Mount Pelion, to which the peninsula owes its name. In the winter months this mountain is often covered with snow and people are practising winter sports here. The region of Pelion is therefore both a winter and a summer holiday destination. In the village of Chania there is a ski center. On the Pelion peninsula there are many picturesque traditional villages with houses with gray and red stone roofs and there are beautiful beaches along the coast. Both on the eastern as on the western side of the peninsula there are attractive beaches. Mylopotamos Fakistra and Agios Ioannis are the most famous and popular with tourists. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Pilion - click here. Agria is a coastal town in the area of Pelion in Greece. It's just south (at a distance of 8 kilometers) from the capital Volos and located on the Pagasetic Gulf. Agria had about 10.000 inhabitants. Especially on the weekends the small town attracts many residents from Volos who come there to relax and eat out at one of the many seafood restaurants that adorn the village. In summer the main road along the beach is closed off and thus becomes a cosy enclosed promenade. There are also a number of bars and clubs that provide some night life here. Most of them you will find around the old port of the town. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Agria - click here. Kala Nera is a resort on the west coast of the Pelion peninsula, about 18 kilometers from the capital city of Volos. The village has about 750 permanent residents. Here at Kala Nera you will find the longest beach in the Pelion peninsula. This longest beach is sometimes also called Boufa Beach. It runs along the coast all the way to the next village Koropi, which is three kilometers away, and is surrounded by trees, terraces, shops and various accommodations. The beach itself in Kala Nera, Kala Nera beach, is about 600 meters long. Nearby is also Theretro Axiomatikon beach, which is slightly smaller. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Kala Nera - click here. Kato Gatzea is a small fishing village which is surrounded by olive groves, and is situated on the west side of the Pelion peninsula in Greece. It lies just to the north of Kala Nera (3 kilometer) and the distance to the capital city of Volos is about 15 kilometers. The village has a beach that is a combination of sand and small pebbles and a there is a harbor. The village of Kato Gatzea is pretty quiet. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Kato Gatzea - click here. Koropi is a small and picturesque village situated on the western side of the Pelion peninsula, which lies in the extension of the nearby village of Kala Nera. It is located a few kilometers south of this coastal resort. Between Kala Nera and Koropi you can find the beach of Kato Lechonia. The distance to the capital city of Volos is about 20 kilometers. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Koropi - click here. Afissos is a pleasant village on the west coast of the Pelion peninsula. It is located about 6 kilometers away from Kala Nera, which is north of Afissos, and the distance from the capital city of Volos is about 26 kilometers. The village is reached by an exit from the main road. Then it is another 2.5 kilometers drive before you reach Afissos. The village is built in the shape of an amphitheatre above the beach, and around the houses there are olive trees. It overlooks the Pagasetic Gulf. Overall it's pretty quiet and a little less touristy than in Kala Nera. On the weekends, as the Greeks themselves are free, it gets more crowded. This is when the local population and the inhabitants of Volos come to enjoy the beaches and tavernas that Afissos has to offer. Also in August when the high season begins it can get crowded. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Afissos - click here. Lefokastro is a picturesque fishing village that is located on the Pagasetic Gulf on the west coast of the Pelion peninsula. The distance to the capital city of Volos is 35 kilometer. A short distance north (3 kilometers) from the village and reached by a narrow coastal road you can find the resort of Afissos with its entertainment, souvenir shops and water sports. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Lefokastro - click here. Kalamos is a small and quiet village which is located on the Pagasetic Gulf in the region of Pelion. It is located south of the villages of Lefokastro and Afissos and on the west coast of the peninsula. The distance to the capital city of Volos is around 46 kilometers. Kalamos is surrounded by hills covered with olive trees, and lemon and orange trees. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Kalamos - click here. Chorto is a small village in the south of the Pelion peninsula, located on the Pagasetic Gulf. It lies between the villages of Milina and Kalamos, at around 48 kilometer from the capital city of Volos. Milina is about 3 kilometer away from Chorto. Chorto is a popular destination for people that love windsurfing and sailing. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Chorto - click here. Milina is a small village that is situated on the Pagasetic Gulf in the southwest of the Pelion peninsula. The distance between Milina and the capital city of Volos is about 48 kilometers. Just north of Milina is the fishing village of Chorto, which can be reached via a coastal road. In front of the village lie the islands Prasouda with the Zoodochos Pigi Monastery, and Alatas on which stands the Agioi Saranta monastery. Both monasteries date from the Byzantine period. From the village itself you can only seen Alatas, because Prasouda lies behind that island. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Milina - click here. Trikeri and Agia Kyriaki are two villages in the far south of the Pelion peninsula. The distance to the capital city of Volos is 81 kilometers. For some time now this part of the Pelion peninsula can also be reached by car via a 32-kilometer road. Previously the road stopped at the village of Milina. The harbor of Trikeri is called Agia Kyriaki and it is located in the extreme south of the Pelion peninsula. Here about 300 people live. The village of Trikeri has about 1200 inhabitants. On the north side of this piece of Pelion lies the island of Palaio Trikeri (= old Trikeri) inhabited by about 40 to 80 people, depending on the season (more during the summer than the winter). A very long time the island was the domain of fishermen and a Byzantine monastery. After 1947 during the Greek Civil War time Palaio Trikeri served as a concentration camp for female anti-facist political prisoners. The number of prisoners ran up to 4,700 people in September 1949 when also other political prisoners were transported to the island. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Trikeri and Agia Kyriaki - click here. Mikro Beach is located in the southeast of the Pelion peninsula, just south of the village of Platanias. The distance to the capital city of Volos is about 57 kilometers. From Mikro Beach you can follow a trail that runs over the mountains and along the coast thet leads to the nearby village of Platanias. The walk to the village takes about 20 minutes. During the summer there is also a water taxi service that runs between the two places. The village of Platanias or Platanias is located in the southeastern part of the Pelion peninsula, just about 60 kilometers from the capital city of Volos. The village is built on the ancient city of Afetes and it was named after the plane trees that grow in the area. There are now about 150 inhabitants in the village and it is a real tourist destination. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Platanias - click here. The village of Potistika is located in the southeastern part of the Pelion peninsula at about 53 kilometers from the capital city of Volos. The village has a beautiful large sandy beach surrounded by cliffs where you can find some shade if it is not already too busy and the sun shines from the west. In high season, many people bring their own umbrella, but as far as I know are let no sunbeds and umbrellas for rent. Also in the sea itself is a very large rock, which makes it an extra scenic beach. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Potistika - click here. Mylopotamos or Milopotamos beach is located in the northeast of the Pelion peninsula. The distance to the capital city of Volos is about 52 kilometers. The beach consists partly of sand but mainly of small white pebbles and is divided by a rock into two. A winding path surrounded by pine trees connects the two beaches to eachother. The sea water has a beautiful turquoise color. At the beach is a beach bar, where you can rent umbrellas and sunbeds, and there are a few tavernas. It is partially organized, with on one side a section where you have to pay for sunbeds and a another section where you can lie freely. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Milopotamos in Pelion - click here. Damouchari is a village which is located on the eastern side of the Pelion peninsula, a few kilometers south of Agios Ioannis. In Damouchari there is a headland that divides the village in a natural harbor on one side and the beach on the other side. In total, the village has two beaches, both composed of pebbles and the color of the water is a beautiful greenblue. The beautiful beach of Fakistra is on walking distance. There are a couple of accommodations and a few taverns in the village for the tourists. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Damouchari in Pelion - click here. The village of Mouresi is located in the northeast of the Pelion peninsula at about 45 kilometers from the capital city of Volos, near the popular resort of Agios Ioannis. Tsagarada is located three kilometers south of the village. Mouresi is situated at an altitude of about 350 meters high, overlooking several villages in the area and the sea. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Mouresi in Pelion - click here. Agios Ioannis is the best known and most developed tourist resort on the eastern side of the Pelion peninsula. The distance to the capital city of Volos is about 50 kilometers. There is a wide choice of accommodations, taverns, souvenir shops and mini markets. The beach in the village is shallow and is suitable for families with small children. Agios Ioannis beach is a large organized with sunbeds and umbrellas and you can rent canoes, a boat of a peddle boat. The beach consists of small pebbles and it has received the blue flag because it is clean and safe to swim. In the immediate vicinity of Agios Ioannis you can find several other beautiful beaches, of which sandy Papa Nero beach is the best known. For all hotels, apartments, studios and villas in Agios Ioannis in Pelion - click here. |