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The beauty of Pelion is well known, as are its picturesque villages. This time we would like to present three of the most beautiful towns - Makrinitsa, Portaria and Tsagarada.

Near Athens and away from tiresome life, these three villages in the mountains of the Centaurs are known for their picturesque landscapes and varied vegetation, as well as for their very good tourist infrastructure.

In the traditional taverns and restaurants of the three villages you will enjoy local cuisine (perhaps its most famous dish is “spetzofai” - fried sausages with a sauce of peppers and tomatoes), and in the cafés you will enjoy your coffee in an atmosphere of another era.

From Volos, there are two ways to Pelion – one leads to northern Pelion (Portaria, Makrinitsa, Chania and the ski resort) and the other - to the West and South Pelion (Agria, Milies, Tsagarada and Argalasti).

Makrinitsa - the most beautiful "balcony" of Pelion

Situated on the western slopes of the mountain, north of Volos, the village is one of the most touristic and historic mountain villages in Greece and is known for its traditional "colour", which has remained constant over time, as well as for its special architecture and magnificent views. Therefore, Makrinitsa is known as "the balcony of Pelion".

After only 17 km from Volos, you will take a delightful walk along the streets with beautiful large and small stone houses, and you will have the opportunity to have a rest in the traditional stone-paved central square in order to admire the panoramic view of Volos. There you will see the traditional fountain named "immortal water" and the stone church of St. John the Baptist, while tasting delicious dishes in the nearby taverns or having coffee in one of the traditional cafes.

In Makrinitsa, you will find traditional inns in large local houses, as well as small hotels. The museum of folk art and history of Pelion is worth visiting, which is located in the Topali house with numerous ethnographic exhibits from around Pelion.

A tip: park outside the village, since during weekends the central square is constantly jammed with traffic.

Portaria – a cosmopolitan atmosphere in Pelion

This is another popular village of Pelion, which has been declared a traditional settlement.

Portaria is located 13 km from Volos and is known for its large slate-roofed houses, most of which have been renovated and converted into inns. The village is "embraced" by greenery and dozens of traditional stone fountains with cool water.

In the beautiful central square, you will see towering century-old plane trees, taverns, restaurants and hotels. You can also visit the small museum of the rosary.

In the small traditional shops with local products you can buy a nice souvenir of your trip or a jar of jam of all kinds of fruit, colours and flavours.

Portaria’s proximity both to Volos and the ski resort of Pelion, and the sea, makes the village an ideal destination and a starting point for excursions all over the mountain.

Romantic Tsagarada

Tsagarada is located on the east side of Pelion (62 km from Volos) and it is also a very popular and beautiful village, offering magnificent views over the Aegean Sea.

The village consists of four smaller settlements, which are named after the churches located in the central square: Agii Taxiarches (Holy Archangels), which is the oldest village, Agia Paraskevi and Agios Stefanos, located along the road, as well as Agia Kiriaki (Holy Sunday) which is located towards the village of Damouhari.

In the square of Agia Paraskevi, you will see a huge plane tree, one of the oldest trees in Europe. It is more than 1,000 years old. The square is also ornamented by the traditional and beautiful marble fountain.

Tsagarada’s tourist infrastructure is very well developed and you can find many traditional inns, hotels, taverns, cafes and restaurants.