Pelion: Mountain Villages, Aegean Beaches and the Little Train – A Travel Guide

Pelion, the mountain of the Centaurs above the city of Volos, is a world of its own: stone villages hidden in chestnut and plane forests, cobbled mule paths, and beaches with clear water on two seas – the Pagasetic Gulf on one side and the Aegean on the other. It is lovely in every season.

The villages

Makrinitsa – “the balcony of Pelion”, with mansions and a square looking over Volos and the gulf.
Portaria – a lively village just below Makrinitsa.
Tsagarada – spread out in the forest on the Aegean side, with a huge old plane tree.
Milies and Vyzitsa – traditional villages on the southern slopes, perfect for walks.

The beaches

On the Aegean side, small bays with white pebbles and green hills reach the sea: Damouchari, Fakistra and Mylopotamos are among the most beautiful. On the calmer Pagasetic side, the villages of the gulf have quiet beaches and fish tavernas.

The little train of Pelion

The narrow-gauge railway designed by the engineer Evaristo de Chirico runs as a tourist train between Ano Lechonia and Milies, over stone bridges and through forest, usually at weekends from spring to autumn and daily in high summer. Check the current timetable before you go.

Walking

Old cobbled paths (kalderimia) link the villages, from easy walks down to the sea to longer routes through the forest. See our Pelion trails.

Winter on Pelion

In winter Pelion becomes a mountain retreat with fireplaces, hearty food and a small ski centre at Agriolefkes, above Hania.

Getting there

Volos is about 3½ hours from Athens. The villages are spread out and connected by winding mountain roads, with few buses – a private transfer takes you straight to your guesthouse, and can link Pelion with Meteora or Mount Olympus.

See: private transfer Athens airport – Volos · Thessaly.