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Volos / Pelion

Volos (326 km. from Athens, 215 km from Salonica) is the capital and economic centre of the prefecture. Thanks to its privileged position at the foot of Mt. Pelion on the Pagasetic Gulf, it is a good base for enjoying the sea, wooded slopes and green valleys that surround it. As for the derivation of the word "Volos", which according to a Byzantine historian of the 14th century was called "Golos", there are several theories. The most widely accepted is that it represents a corruption of the Mycenaean Iolkos.

Founded in the mid 19th century, modern Volos is a cheerful, lively town, soundly laid out with pleasant, broad streets. The waterfront is an ideal spot for a stroll. A modern coastal avenue bustling with life, it is lined with pastry shops, cafes and restaurants. From the suburb of Ano Volos, built up the slopes of Pelion, the Pagasitic Gulf and the town below take on another dimension. Volos harbour is particularly active. It is the main export centre of Thessaly and the scene of much commercial and passenger traffic bound for the Sporades, the great ports of Mediterranean, Syria and other Middle Eastern cities.

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, believed 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.

A combination of the knowledge and skills of the craftsmen of Mt. Pelion, the labour force of Thessaly and investment from the major centers of the Greek Diaspora has enabled the city to develop into an important industrial center with the third largest port in the country. The economy of the city is based on manufacturing, trade, services and tourism.

Volos is developing into a dynamic European city with a new and modern university, an active cultural life and varied opportunities for leisure and entertainment

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 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 the 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, which is a quaint fishing village to the south.

 

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