A Taste of Mountain and Sea 

Pelion beckons with its alluring images, hues and scents every day, all year round.

Pelion is a mountain. But it’s a playful mountain, a landscape that doesn’t intimidate with its height and ruggedness. Pelion is also the sea, a sea as calm as a lake, yet as tempestuous as the Aegean. Pelion is a place blessed by the gods of all eras. On foot, you can explore its intricate landscape without tiring, without being an experienced hiker. With Volos as your starting point, it’s worth taking the train. But not just any train. The Moutzouris is a unique historical train in Greece that will take you on a magical journey from Lechonia to Milies. It climbs slowly. The tracks meander through lush vegetation. On your right is the sea. It passes Ano Gatzea, Agia Triada, and a series of beautiful stone arched bridges, the route once taken by farmers descending to their work in Volos.

Ascending, the vista is awe-inspiring, with the entirety of the Pagasetic Gulf and the plain of Lechonia sprawling at your feet until you arrive at the picturesque station of Milies. From there, you’ll be led on cobblestone paths to stately mansions adorned with verdant blossoming courtyards surrounding a striking square. And if you venture even further to the villages of Vyzitsa and Pinakates, you will find that time seems to stand still amidst the opulent homes from Pelion’s economically prosperous 20th century.

If you ride the Moutzouris back to Lechonia, it’s definitely worth exploring the mediaeval tower houses and the Egyptian-style neoclassical residences built by affluent Egyptian merchants. Take a moment to enjoy a coffee in the square before traversing the mountain to reach the sea. Hopefully, you’ve packed your swimsuit because, in Pelion, it’s all about the swift transition from mountain to seaside living, from indulging in wild boar stew and pies beneath the ancient plane trees of the square to savouring tsipouro and meze by the shore.

The northern route ascends from Volos to the mountain’s peak, then descends, meandering through Portaria, Makrinitsa, and Tsagarada before reaching the Aegean Sea. Pelion is a mountainous region adorned with singularly crafted mansions, charming squares, and verdant foliage. Below lies the renowned beaches of Mylopotamos, Plaka, Agioi Saranta, Fakistra, and Chorefto. The captivating interplay between the mountain and the sea swiftly alters perspectives with each turn of your gaze from left to right.

_________________________________
TEXT : ELENI PSYHOULI
PHOTOS : PERIKLES MERAKOS