According
to the Greek mythology, the mountains of Pelion have hosted gods,
demigods, heroes and anthropomorphic entities. Among the most famous
myths, there is one, according to which Pelion was considered to be
the homeland of the Centaurs. They were peculiar creatures, half
anthropomorphic (above the waist, they had the form of a man) and
half animals (below the waist, they had the form of a horse). The
Centaurs were famous for being warlike creatures, which lived by the
rivers.
Chiron
was the most famous Centaur, since he was the teacher and mentor of
legendary heroes such as Hercules, Jason and Achilles.
Other
mythological sources indicate that Mount Pelion was the summer resort
of the Olympian Gods, the battleground between Giants and Gods and
the residence of nymphs and dryads. Furthermore, in the mountainous
villages of Pelion, various events such as the famous wedding of
Peleus and Thetis were celebrated as well as, the first beauty
contest between the Goddesses Aphrodite, Hera and Athena took place.
Archaeological Sites
To
the east of Almyros, between the foothills of Othryos and the
Pagassetic Gulf, in
a narrow strip of land is the Hellenistic town of Alos. It was built
around the end of the 4th century B.C. There are remnants of
fortifications, houses and cemeteries.
The
ancient city of Demetriada (Volos), built in the strategic position
of Pagassetic Gulf,
was named after its founder, Demetrios Besieger. It is inhabited and
flourished from the Neolithic to the Early Christian period. (Iolkos,
Dimitriada, Pagasse, Mognita, Volos).
Goritsa
Hill is located in the depth of the Pagassetic
Gulf, east of Volos, and has full control of
the sea. A strong city was built on this hill, possibly by Philip II.
Two
ancient Mycenaean vaulted tombs have been found in the area, the
smallest one is called "Lamiospito" and it is located 300m
west of the hill with the ruins of the Neolithic settlement and the
other one which is very imposing, known as "Toumba", is
located on the western edge of the same hill. The Mycenaean Palace
Dimini is the most important Mycenaean monument of Thessaly.
Neolithic
Age Mansion & "Kerameas" House of Sesklo, was built in
the Neolithic period at the highest point of Kastraki hill. The
building of the ceramic workshop is located on the top of the hill,
next to the central mega-edifice.
New
Anchialos (Fthiotides Thives) is inhabited since the Late Roman
period and early Christian times until the 7th c. The most important
monuments of the archaeological site are: Basilica of St. Demetrius,
the same archaeological site includes two baths and an ancient
boulevard with shops, Peter the Archbishop Basilica, Martyrdom
Basilica, Cemetery Basilica, Episcopal Mansion, Cosmic Building,
Basilica II of Helpidius Episcope, Ferai (Velestino): Outdoor spaces
and Trikeri's Castle.
Caves
Of
particular interest is Magnisia's speleological wealth, with
approximately 300 recorded caves attracting visitors from Greece and
abroad. Approximately 200 caves are mapped and studied and they are
estimated to be 200 to 100 million years old, based on their rocks.
The
Society of Speleological Research of Thessaly ("Chiron")
organizes excursions at regular intervals, focusing on the caves of
Magnesia, 15 of which are called caves of Centaurs Chiron. These
caves span from the area of southern Pelion and Milina to Tsagarada
and Mouresi.
The
deepest cavernous cave in Magnesia is located in the area of
Keramidi, has a vertical depth that reaches 250 meters and is one of
the deepest in Greece.
The
caves of Magnesia can be visited by organized tours with the
assistance of a specialized tourist guide and connected with the
alternative activities and the walking tours that take place in
Pelion.
Traditional Food
Many
succulent local products can be found in Pelion, including virgin
olive oil, local wine, vinegar, golden thyme honey, fruit liqueurs,
an incredible variety of herbs and teas and many sweets and jams.
The
most famous fruit of Pelion is fyriki, a type of small apple that is
largely cultivated in the villages of Pelion and that makes a nice
delicacy. Many women cooperatives have established to make these
delicacies and jams and to gather herbs in order to sell them in open
markets.
The
traditional specialities of Pelion include white been soup,
cheese-bread called tyropsomo, excellent meat as many inhabitants
deal with cattle breeding and spetsofai, a spicy dish with peppers
and sausage.
The pies filled with mushrooms,
mountain vegetables and local meat.
In the local taverns, you have to
drink tsipouro and ouzo served usually with seafood dishes and fish,
while very popular are karavidomakaronades, especially in the
villages of South Pelion.
The famous Pelion
sweets, herbs, honey, jams & tsipouro are some of the local
products worthy to take with you.
Mulberry Mansion is a
traditional 18th century house situated in the heart of Makrinitsa:
one of Mount Pelion’s most charming and magnificently preserved
villages. The building itself is of great historic importance and has
features of exceptional beauty, as evidenced by the Greek Ministry of
Culture, which gave the building protected status and designated it
officially as a work of art. Mulberry Mansion also boasts stunning
views of the surrounding mountain landscape as well as the Pagasetic
Gulf, the islands of Evia and Trikeri, and the nearby city of Volos
whose glittering city lights make for a spectacular view at night
time.
Much like the
surrounding area, Mulberry Mansion is an ideal place for a relaxing
holiday with friends and family or for a romantic retreat. Given the
spaciousness of the house, it can cater for both privacy and
sociability as suited to your needs. Combining traditional
architecture with modern facilities and impressive views, Mulberry
Mansion offers the unique experience of staying in one of Mount
Pelion’s most carefully preserved traditional mansions, while you
explore the beautiful countryside and local colour.
Arrival Instructions
There are many ways of getting to
the Pelion Peninsula. The Pelion region is located in Thessaly, which
is closely half way between the capital of Athens, and the northern
Greek city of Thessaloniki.
-
By Air: There isn’t an airport in Pelion but one can arrive at the
airports of Volos or Skiathos Island. The airport of Nea Anchialos is
located 26 km from Volos and many buses operate from/to Pelion.
Skiathos is the closest island to Pelion and the transfer is not easy
as a boat must be taken and then a bus. However, it’s a fact that
Skiathos, as the most touristic island of the “Sporades” Islands,
serves many charter flights from most of the European cities.
-
By Road:
1.
From Athens via the National Road Athens-Lamia. The distance is 324
km, and it is covered by regular timetables of the KTEL buses (4
hours). You may also choose EXPRESS timetables (which do not stop at
Almiro and Nea Anchialo).
2.
From Thessaloniki, (216 kms), KTEL transports you to the city of
Volos in 2 hours and 30 minutes.
3. There is also a connection with
KTEL from Patra, Ioannina, Igoumenitsa, Kozani and Larissa.
-
By Train: The trains (from Athens to Thessaloniki) stop in Larissa.
There you will have to board another train to Volos. Generally, the
travel from and to Volos, with train is not very comfortable.
