Pelion: the resort of Centaurus

Written by Editorial Team - 4th Dec 2015

Mountain or sea? Fresh air of the mountain or summer breeze of the sea? What about both of them? The choice is Pelion!

I had heard of Pelion as the mountain of Centaurus and rare herbs, the mountain with the traditional villages (24 in number!) and the unique architecture, the mountain with the endless paths through the woods…yet what I found was not just these…

From Pelion...

My trip started from Makrynitsa, or else called, the Pelion’s Balcony. And that was it, indeed! I still remember the panoramic view of the port of Volos, while I was standing in the village’s square under the shadow of the old plane tree that stands there for years and years - in the middle of the square- listening -pryingly-to the stories of the passengers who stop their before they start getting on to the heart of Pelion.

But as when visiting a home you have never before been, when you stand in its balcony, you want to get inside and see all its rooms, the same thing happens when you are in Makrynitsa. You want to enter the mountain and open all its secret doors…

One such I found while moving to the next village, the famous Portaria. While crossing the serpentine road which connects the villages of Pelion, I found an entrance gate to the mountain! It was made of road and on its top, there was written: “Leave all your worries here. Walk this path and let your soul fill with peace!”

And indeed, the path through the forest fills your soul with peace. I walked through the stones, crossing little natural water springs, I smelled the air of the woods, I heard the whispers of the leaves, I even thought that a Centaurus would suddenly appear out from the dense vegetation…

The modern Centaurus, are hikers who walk through the paths of Pelion, choosing among numerous trails, collecting herbs and enjoying the beauty of the mountain. It has been estimated that Pelion has over 3.000 species of therapeutical herbs, but the mountain itself has a therapeutical effect for its visitors…The whole mountain is covered with forests of beech trees, pine trees, oak trees, firs and chestnuts. I do confirm that the connection one feels with nature while being in Pelion is a unique experience and the ideal goal of every visitor who is on vacation. Priceless…

And it is not just that…My trip just started like this. I kept following the serpentine road through the villages of Pelion in order for me to reach the east side of it – the side that sees to the Aegean Sea, one of the most popular summer vacation seaside destination and with so many choices to make among the most popular villages of the area (Tsagkarada, Makryrachi and Zagora if you wish to stay in a mountain village – Chorefto and Ai Giannis if you prefer a seaside destination).

I chose to stay in a traditional guesthouse built on a mountainside of Pelion near Chorefto. Pelion’s sides are famous for their slope in relation to the seaside but this is what makes the view to the Aegean Sea unique and incomparable with anything else. The horizon mixes with the Aegean blue and the colors one sees are magnificent.

The modern Centaurus, nowadays, walk through the trails of these mountainsides, surrounded mainly by olive trees and other vegetation that thrives in low altitudes and reach secret – almost virgin beaches – with white sand and crystal clear turquoise waters.

...to amazing beaches

I crossed for all the days of my stay a trail that led me to the beach called Aghioi Saranta. Mid-organized with some umbrellas that were not disturbing the landscape, a traditional tavern and a beach bar. I remember myself staying in the beach until the sunset…

I recall myself swimming in those waters and feeling as if I was baptized to a whole new person … The waters were so clear that when I was reaching the edge of the seaside, I was welcomed by little fish to enter the water. I could see the bottom of the sea from a distance, and I kept walking in the sea charmed, even though I had to be careful as the depth of the water in the beaches in this side of Pelion increases abruptly; yet the sense of freedom while swimming in that beach was unique and unforgettable...

The best thing of all is that I have many many years along to explore the seaside of Pelion and that is because, even though I was charmed by this beach, there are a lot of beaches of unique beauty near this area (Papa Nero, Ntamouchari, Mylopotas, Analipsi…).

And so, the good thing when my vacation in Pelion ended this year, is that when I left the place, I said to myself: Well, my trip has just started!