Arrival Pilion, transfer to Portaria
You’ll be met in Volos and brought to the mountain village Portaria.
Portaria has a lovely square, shadowed by plane trees. The accommodation is at wish a traditionally built hotel on this square or a hotel a bit further into the village (with swimming pool). In the village you’ll find some beautiful churches, various shops and lots of tavernas and cafes.
You may extend your stay in Portaria for a circular walk along Makrinitsa and the Centaur path.
From Portaria to Chania (SP13071x)
You mostly ascend, along kalderimia, forest routes and mountain paths. On the way you’ll have lovely views over the Pagasitic Gulf. The hike ends in the wintersport village Chania.
walking time/distance: 4h / 9.1km
ascent/descent: 615m / 65m
start/finish: Portaria / Chania
From Chania to Zagora (SP07171x)
You leave Chania by kalderimia through dense beech forest, sharply descending.Then you continu on gradually descending country roads along apple orchards with often splendid views over the Egean Sea on the north side of the Pilion. In the village you descend by a narrow path until you’ve reached the accommodation.
Zagora is the place where the specific red Pilion apples are gathered and distributed. The village consists of several kernels with a church each; the church gives the name to the kernel. You’ll stay in the kernel Agia Kyriaki, a lively centre with various shops, cafés and tavernas.
walking time/distance: 3h20’ / 11.2km
ascent/descent: 40m / 725m
start/finish: Chania / Zagora
From Zagora to Agios Ioannis (SP17162x)
From Zagora you descend into the fisherman’s village Chorefto, past the apple processing factory Zagorin. There are places to eat in Chorefto. You walk along the sandy beach to the little harbour and start your ascent. The north-east coast is full of steep cliffs, so you’ll have to pass several heights to come to the next beach.
Banikas consists of two pebble beaches with a stream in between. Past the second beach you’ll ascend again by country roads and then descend until you’re near the beach of Agios Ioannis. A lovely spot for an extension on the splendid sandy beach!
walking time/distance: 4h20’ / 13.7km
ascent/descent: 425m / 920m
start/finish: Zagora / Agios Ioannis
From Agios Ioannis by Damouchari to Tsangarada (SP16011x)
You start along Agios Ioannis beach and Papa Nero beach, then a short ascent and descent to the charming harbour of Damouchari. Here the film ‘Mama Mia’ was recorded; the beach house of Meryl Streep was on this bay. In the harbour various cafes beckon you and the sandy beach invites you to a swim.
From Damouchari a splendid and flowery kalderimi sharply ascends directly into Agia Kyriaki and finally Agia Paraskevi, both kernels of the village Tsangarada.
From Tsangarada there are several (circular) tours for an extended stay.
walking time/distance: 3h15’ / 7.2km
ascent/descent: 570m / 85m
start/finish: Agios Ioannis / Tsangarada-Agia Paraskevi
From Tsangarada over the mountain ridge to Milies (SP01101x)
You walk through Tsangarada to Taxiarches, the third kernel. From there you cross a stream by an old arched bridge and start your ascent to the mountain ridge. Suddenly you see the sea on the other side: the Pagasitic Gulf. By chestnut forests you descend into Milies.
Your overnight location is next to the station where the train from Ano Lechonia ends. Nowadays it’s a tourist attraction, but in the prime time of silk trade it was a main connection along the villages that were not connected by roads.
walking time/distance: 4h40’ / 14.1km
ascent/descent: 440m / 610m
start/finish: Tsangarada-Agia Paraskevi / Milies
From Milies to Kala Nera (SP10091x)
From Milies you ascend to Vyzitsa along the cave of the centaur Chiron. In Vyzitsa you’ll find lots of splendid classic mansions giving evidence of past wealth. Also the next village Pinakates hosts lots of these mansions.
After both villages you descend by lovely paths and kalderimia towards the coast. You walk a small stretch of the railroad track coming from Milies and then descend further along the hamlet Argyreïka to Kala Nera, ‘good waters’. The village is situated next to a lovely beach and has a charming little harbour where freshly caught fish is traded every morning.
walking time/distance: 4h15’ / 11.2km
ascent/descent: 400m / 705m
start/finish: Milies / Kala Nera
From Kala Nera to Agios Georgios Nilias (SP09271x)
First you ascend from Kala Nera to the railroad track and then follow the track from Ogla to Ano Gatzea. At Ano Gatzea station is a café and the Olive Press museum (museum only opens when train stops). After the station you’ll leave the railroad track and ascend through olive groves to Agios Georgios Nilias. On the square you’ll find the museum of the sculptor Nicolas.
In the standard trip you’ll be transferred back to Kala Nera by taxi. You may overnight in Agios Georgios Nilias; ask for an estimate (various room types).
walking time/distance: 3h35’ / 10.9km
ascent/descent: 675m / 85m
start/finish: Kala Nera / Agios Georgios Nilias
From Agios Georgios Nilias to Agria (SP27181x)
You start in Agios Georgios Nilias with a descent to Agios Vlasios, with its lovely church square with some cafees. From Agios Vlasios you walk by old kalderimia through olive groves to Agria, a cosy suburb of Volos. There is a fisherman’s harbour, a small beach and lots of cafes and tavernas.
From Agria you may easily take the public bus to Volos to enjoy some culture at the lovely small archeological museum, to shop and to relax at the waterfront near the statue of Jason and the Argonauts. Agria is also a good spot for an extension of your holiday.
walking time/distance: 3h10’ / 9.5km
ascent/descent: 120m / 710m
start/finish: Agios Georgios Nilias / Agria
Departure from the Pilion
You are brought back to Volos for your return.
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