Overview
The Pelion Peninsula in mainland Greece is dominated by a mountain range, Mt Pelion, curling itself round the Pagasetic Gulf on one side the Aegean Sea on the other. The mountain is peppered with delightful villages, linked by age-old trails, and holding whitewashed, half-timbered mansions that serve as guesthouses or tavernas. Down at sea level, several former fishing ports have become beach destinations.
Explore this hidden gem on our tour 8-day tour, from village to village on old mule paths through a lush green mountainous interior and on trails overlooking the glittering Aegean Sea.
- Ancient cobbled trails through the Pelion Peninsula
- The Greek legend of the Centaurs
- Swimming in the turquoise bays of the Aegean Sea
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Portaria
Portaria is accessible from Volos, Athens or Thessalonika with good train or bus links. Explore one of the most beautiful villages in Pelion with its traditional little houses with grey stone roofs and paved alleys that ooze charm in abundance!
- Accommodation: Hotel Xenia Portaria or similar
Day 2: Circular walk Portaria | 13km
After breakfast, begin by walking to the traditional mountain village of Makrinitsa, which has characterful stone houses with slated roofs. Follow the trail through the maquis shrubland scented with thyme and oregano as you walk to an idyllic church. Ascend through a forest and then via a track towards Portaria, whilst enjoying views over the city of Volos en route. Before reaching Portaria you will enter and walk through a lush green gorge.
- Walking for the day: approx 4.5h, 13km, ↑550m ↓550m
- Accommodation: Hotel Xenia Portaria or similar
Day 3: Potaria – Hania | 7km
Today’s walk starts in Portaria and follows a beautiful path upwards and through conifer trees under ‘Aidonaki’, a mountain in the western peaks of the Pelion. Walk through a beech forest just before reaching the highest hamlet of Pelion, Hania, and pass the ruins of an old sanatorium lost in the forest. Hania ski resort is located at an altitude of 1,250m, so enjoy the cool, fresh air.
- Walking for the day: approx 3h, 7km, ↑560m ↓35m
- Accommodation: Manthos Mountain Resort & Spa or similar
Day 4: Hania – Agios Ioannis | 7-11km
Start your day with a transfer to the start of the kalderimi (paved stone mule path). Upon arrival, descend on this ancient path through a beech forest and then on the alternate tarmac and kalderimi paths until you reach the picturesque village of Kissos. After a lunch break in a local taverna, continue on a pretty track to Mouresi village and then descend to the Aegean coast and arrive in the small and quaint resort of Agios Ioannis. Take an evening stroll on the long beach that is covered in white stones that resemble pearls.
If no accommodation is available in Agios Ioannis, return transfers to Tsangarada on Days 4&5 will be provided.
- Walking for the day (Option 1): approx 3h, 7km, ↑300m ↓650m
- Walking for the day (Option 2): approx 4h, 11km, ↑300m ↓1,100m
- Accommodation: Hotel Eleana or similar
Day 5: Agios Ioannis – Fakistra beach – Tsangarada | 8km
Walk along the coast on a lovely cobbled path to reach the hamlet of Damouchari, a small fishing village located in a pretty bay. Though this place is tiny, in the past it was of great strategic importance as it was the only natural harbour on the entire coast between Volos and Katerini. Today the bay provides a natural swimming pool with a pleasant pebble beach. From Damouchari you can make an optional circular walk along the coast to Fakistra beach where there is a possibility to visit the ‘Hidden School’ in a cave. Back above Damouchari bay, walk uphill on a path, eventually reaching Tsagarada, a wide village with numerous churches and squares and with a panoramic view over the Aegean Sea. From the terrace of your characterful accommodation, you can see the village square with its 1,000-year-old plane tree. It has an incredible diameter of 14m!
- Walking for the day: approx 4h, 8km, ↑ 700m ↓ 300m
- Accommodation: Hotel The Lost Unicorn or similar
Day 6: Tsangarada – Milies | 12km
Start early by crossing the mountain range towards the south of the Pelion. Ascend through the forest via old mule tracks that were mainly built to allow the transportation of supplies from village to village, and later descend to the picturesque mountain village of Milies. Enjoy great views over the Pagasitic Gulf. In the charming village of Milies you will find many old olive groves.
- Walking for the day: approx 4.5h, 12km, ↑350m ↓400m
- Accommodation: Hotel Dryalos or similar
Day 7: Circular walk Milies | 12km
After breakfast, descend from Milies towards the coast enjoying great views all the way. On the last section before reaching the coastal village of Koropi you walk on dirt roads and through olive groves. From Koropi walk to the nearby village Kala Nera, where it is possible to have a sustaining lunch in the shadow of the five huge plane trees in the village square.
The cobbled paths will take you through a small hamlet until you reach the narrow gauge railway tracks, that you follow all the way back into Milies. These tracks are 200-300m above sea level and you will pass many engineering features from the past, plus a cave where, according to mythology, the centaur Cheiron taught Asklepios about medicinal plants and herbs.
- Walking for the day: approx 4h, 1 km, ↑475m ↓475m
- Accommodation: Hotel Dryalos or similar
Day 8: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in cosy small hotels in double or twin private en-suite rooms. We have carefully hand-picked all places and regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms and local flavour.
Click to view default hotels
*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfasts are included on all days. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. You can have dinner at your hotel or nearby restaurants and taverns.
Difficulty and terrain
The walks are mostly via unsurfaced dirt roads, cobbled footpaths (kalderimia) and rocky footpaths. Short stretches on tarmac (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This tour is available from April till September.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Volos airport (Easyjet). Thessaloniki and Athens are good options as well.
By train or bus
- From Volos airport you can travel by public transport via Volos to Portaria and back from Milies. For more information use the Omio planner above. Optional transfers available upon request.
- From Thessaloniki airport it takes approx. 4h by public transport and from Athens – 6h to Pelion. You can book additional transfers from/to Volos bus or train station or from/to Volos airport.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights accommodation on bed & breakfast basis
- Transfer from hotel Manthos on day 4 to the starting point of the walk
- Luggage transfers when changing hotels
- Detailed digital holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps. Please note that the info pack is emailed to you prior to departure and no printed documents are mailed or provided on-site.
- GPS tracks
- 24/7 phone support by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and ferry tickets
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- Single room supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights in Portaria or Milies
Gallery
