Pelion was the summer residence of the twelve Olympian Gods, and the mythical land of the Centaurs, half-man and half-horse creatures.

Tenty-four picturesque villages, built in a unique architectural style, are scattered throughout the mountain. The eastern side of Pelion falls abruptly into the Aegean creating rocky coasts and sandy beaches. The western coasts of Pagasitikos Bay are serene and calm. The interior is a paradise of luxuriant greenery and water springs.

The most beautiful villages, and of course highly touristic, are Makrynitsa, Portaria, Tsangarada, Vyzitsa and Milies, and there are some coastal resorts, too, like Agios Ioannis and Platanias. The southernmost tip of the peninsula is the fishing village of Agia Kiriaki, and a short drive away is the historical community of Trikeri, on a hill top that offers views to the Aegean as well as the Pagasitikos Gulf, as far as Evia.

Clean air is usually good for the appetite, and the visitor's is utterly satisfied with the delicacies of the regional cooking. Try the local beansoup and the stifado, the cheesebread and spetsofai, wash them dowm with local tsipouro, and finish with the hand-made sweets with various fruit flavours that are called 'glyka koutaliou' (sweets of the spoon, literally), and they are also sold by the jar.

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Num 13
Num 13

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