Explore the Greek hiking trails and ancient paths of the Pelion and relax in charming Lafkos. Enjoy the proximity to the sea and the mild climate, surrounded by beautiful nature and breathtaking views in the unique Greek light.

The Pelion peninsula is located in the Aegean Sea in the south of the Thessaly region. Homer called it the summer residence of the gods.

Starting from the port city of Volos, it encircles the Pagasitikos Gulf and extends for around 60 kilometres to the headland at Agia Kyriaki.

The variety of landscapes and the lush nature make the Greek Pelion a paradise for those who love hiking and want to combine the beauty of the mountains with the charm of the sea.

According to a Greek hiking magazine, there are so many hiking trails in the Pelion that you could hike a different route every day for three months.

Get ready to walk, cycle or run on the countless paths and trails, many of which are paved with natural stone.

The south of the peninsula is exceptionally diverse. Here you will find a mild climate, and within close proximity, fairytale landscapes, picturesque villages, charming coastlines and enchanting coves.

A very good starting point for excursions and hikes in southern Pelion is the small, centrally located mountain village of Lafkos, situated above Milina and a little further south than Argalasti. It offers short distances to both coasts, great accommodation, fascinating hiking trails, good food and pure Greek way of life.

Lafkos – The mountain village by the sea

Situated at an altitude of 300 metres and surrounded by green hills, Lafkos is a reminder of a time when the area was a bustling centre for the trade of olive oil, olives, fruit, chestnuts, silk and timber, which were transported to the sea by mule.

Today the village is known for its traffic-free square, its delicious tavernas and one of the oldest coffee houses in Greece, which has been in the same family since 1775.

Lafkos is worth a visit in both summer and winter, and will be remembered for more than just being the legendary home of the centaurs.

Numerous hiking trails and ancient stone paths wind around this authentic mountain village. The beaches of the Aegean Sea or the equally beautiful sandy coves of the Gulf are also within easy reach.

Although Lafkos is a mountain village, it is only a 10 minute drive from the sea.

Right from the edge of the village, a ‘kalderimi’ leads down the hill to the picturesque coastal village of Milina.

45 minutes later you are there and ready for a swim.

It is advisable to plan your walks according to the path of the sun. The morning sun in the east for the steep slopes of the Aegean, the midday sun for the valleys and streams of the mountains and the evening sun for the flat and sunny coastal paths in the west. If it gets too hot, just turn around and follow the shadow.

Find out more about the hiking trails, geography and vegetation of Pelion. If you can read Greek, take a look at these hiking maps.

Experience the lush nature of Pilion

The Pelion peninsula is part of a mountain range that crosses Greece from the mountains of central Macedonia to Mount Olympus. It ends at Mount Ossa and Mavrovounio in Pelion.

The result is a rich visual experience with a variety of vegetation, colors and scents. A visit at any time of the year is an unforgettable aesthetic journey.

The nature combines the inviting and mild atmosphere of the sea with the rugged and unspoiled profile of the mountain slopes.

The interior of the peninsula impresses with dense deciduous forests of beech, chestnut, oak and plane trees.

Visiting Pelion is always an unforgettable, synaesthetic journey, no matter what time of year.

Along the coasts, olive groves and pine forests grow together.

Here thrive some species of animals, mushrooms and especially herbs in great diversity, which are otherwise hardly found.

The rich flora led the ancient Greeks to settle the wise healer Centaur Chiron on Pelion, whose healing art was based on local herbs.

Autumn is mild and the thousands of sprouting flowers are reminiscent of spring.

The Greek cyclamen, autumn crocuses and autumn timeless are particularly common.

The vast network of roads and footpath’s, the variety of nature, the beautiful and ever-changing panorama, the mysterious atmosphere of the forests and the many small bays and beaches make the Pelion one of the most interesting areas for hiking in Greece and nature lovers.

Find out more about the geography and vegetation of the Pelion peninsula.

A spectacle for the gods, the ever-changing panorama of the Gulf or the Aegean Sea.

Hike in Pelion and discover unique mountain villages

The Pelion area invites you to explore its rich history with over 40 mountain villages built by skilled stonemasons from the Epirus region. Even under Turkish rule, the self-governing mountain communities flourished, trading in olive oil, olives, fruit, chestnuts, silk and wood and transporting their goods to the sea on mules. Each village had its own beach, which served as a port.

The privilege of autonomy is considered as the basis for the prosperity that reached its peak after the Turkish rule in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Most of the villas, monasteries, bridges, fountains and paved footpaths, called “Kalderimia” that we admire today, were built at that time.

At the end of the 19th century installed Evaristo Di Chirico, the father of the painter Giorgio de Chirico, an artistic railroad between the villages. Till this day, commutes the train in the summer months between Ano Lechonia and Milies.

Today, many old Kalderimia and paths have been converted into asphalt roads, but this unfortunately was not enough to prevent the creeping economic downturn of the Pelion mountain villages, which are among the most beautiful in Greece.
More about the villages and their history.

Hike in the Pelion and explore a walking paradise

The peninsula is a playground for hikers and nature lovers. The variety of walking routes is so immensely, that you can walk on a different route every day for three months.

Most Impressive is especially the endless net of old paved roads that connect the Greek villages and can be traced back partly to ancient times.

The Kalderimia are ideal for experiencing the magnificent fusion of nature, mythology, history and human labor in Pelion.

Despite the years that passed by, many of the traditional walkaways are still in very good shape due to efforts done by the old local communities.

The trails lead past springs or olive groves and show how the locals once cultivated the landscape. But also how they traded and transported goods from the mountains to the coastal towns with donkeys and horses.

At that old times, each villager was obliged, it is said, to spend a certain amount of time per year in the maintenance and construction of the Kalderimia.

The stone paths were used intensively until the 1970’s. Since then, they have been slowly disappearing under the forces of untouched nature.

But heavy rains wash the paths and many people are engaged for their protection. They are alway ready for hiking in Greece.

More about our holiday cottage in Lafkos, the village, events, hiking in Greece and other tourist excursions like the Pelion train is reachable searching the web or within our personal guide’s. Everything about arriving or booking is here. We are also glad about a message or your contribution in our guestbook.

Lafkos in Pelion, the best place for nature lovers and hiking.

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