Volos: Pelion and Roundabouts

Pelion, land of the legendary Centaurs, the site chosen by the ancient gods for their weddings and celebrations, rises in lush magnificence to the northeast of Volos. It was here that the centaur Chiron, the wise teacher of demigods and heroes, gave his pupils daily instruction in the proper care of body and soul. Here, as well, the first beauty contest took place between Thetis and Eris. Many-leaved Pelion was an inspiration to Homer, Pindar, and Euripides but also to the modern popular muse who sung of the unquenchable desire of the Greek people for freedom.

Climbing northeast of Volos, the road bisects the charming suburb of Ano Volos (5 km.), with the steep hill of Episkopi demarching its eastern side. At the nearby villages of Anakasia and Ali Meria, where there are some wall paintings by Theophilos, it is worth stopping to admire the panoramic view of the Pagasetic Gulf and the plain of Thessaly, while seated in one of the district's picturesque restaurants.

The road southeast of Volos leads to Agria, a coastal suburb with an extensive beach in a fertile district filled with olive groves and orchards. The chapel of the Virgin of Goritsa and the icon screen with carved and painted scenes from everyday life in the chapel of the Holy Cross are sure to leave an impression
The weddings in local costume and the traditional customs observed there during Easter week and on May Day are not to be missed if you happen to be in Greece in the spring.

East of Milina the road goes on to Lafkos and Promiri, a typical example of a village submerged in olive trees, winding up in Platania, a quaint fishing village to the south.