About Greece
 Fishing boats of Kotes on the Pelion Peninsula |
~ Greece ~ When I was investigating the destinations to offer in my “Adventure and Sports Travel Club Directory” in the late eighties, I heard about this little jewel in the Greek waters. Rather typically it was “discovered” by an Englishman, married to a Greek lady, who had just started a Villa rental business. |
| Sue, my business partner, found her way to Pelion and came back with the deeds to a little stone house in the village of Lafkos. The next summer, I came to visit and totally fell in love. Having lived on the Cote d’Azur since 1963, it was so refreshing to find villages lost in time. Natural deserted beaches, clear water, no marinas, no high rises, no hotels, just lovely old stone houses, a fair collection of neo-classical buildings, tavernas on the Plateaus, with enormous plane trees, tavernas at the water’s edge, little village shops selling everything Greek, and a few telephones. The main roads between villages were very narrow but had hard surfaces, only dirt tracks led down to the sea and into the hills. Roads were frequently congested with goats, as they are to this day. Old folk are still dressed in black, the Orthodox priests go about their business, giving services in local churches and sometimes out of way monasteries. |
 A derelict monestary along the Pelion Peninsula |
 The picture post-card and calendar of Pelion |
Pelion has kept its charm for two reasons. For the international tourist, it is not very easy to get to and secondly, the long war in Yugoslavia kept the Northern Europeans, frequent visitors before the hostilities, from driving down.The beauty lies in the choice of places to explore, either on foot or by car, and the gorgeous beaches from which to swim. Depending on the wind, you choose either the Pagasit Gulf side with its olive trees growing down to the water facing west, or the Aegean sea with its chestnut trees and more sophisticated old houses with slate roofs, fashionable with the Athenians for more than 100 years. The village of Damouchari, is now more on the tourist route as a few scenes from the film “Mama Mia” were shot in the charming bay. In the winter, the snow can reach Lafkos, and ski resorts do a good business up towards Mount Pelion. |
| Pelion is really more Ottoman than Greek, as the sultan gave this lovely area to his wife, as the legend goes. Of course there are stories of Gods and Goddesses, heroic war stories from WW2, churches camouflaged from the Nazis that have recently been discovered. |
 Milina Village, Pelion, Greece (photo: FCapos) |
Old trains now running again for the tourists at week-ends and the food very much improved in the last few years. Those interested in Neolithic culture are spoilt for choice. |
 Olive Bay Beach and Restaurant (photo FC) |
The nearest Airport is the new Airport of Central Greece in Vólos – the capital of Magnesia and is attracting regional airlines from Italy, Germany, Belgium and the UK. This is just over an hour’s drive to Milina, Lafkos and Argalasti the main villages in the unspoilt south of the peninsula. Most international travelers fly to Athens or Thessaloniki or Salonica to some. The downside – a 4 hour drive to Pelion.A very modern and luxurious ferry leaves Ancona – Italy every day in the summer for Igoumenista, quite close to the Meteora Monasteries, and Patras close to Delphi. A 3 to 4 hour drive should take you to Vólos. The ferry journey, more like a cruise with all its trappings, pool, gambling, TV.s, restaurants, bar, duty free shop, plenty of deck space for sunbathing, and takes about 22 hours passing off the coast of Albania and the island of Corfu. |
Where to stay: |
| In Horton, near Milina, the lovely Diplomats run by Maria. These are apartments with hotel service, a very good restaurant, a lovely pool area and a super little beach right in front. The village of Horto, is a few minutes walk along the sea. In Lafkos, Sue is building her traditional ‘country’ hotel overlooking the gulf. The hotel will have a swimming pool, tennis court, library and lovely gardens. There are 20 rooms including suites, most of which have baths and balconies, a restaurant and terrace with views to ‘die for’. The hotel is a short walk from the Plateia of Lafkos, considered the most beautiful in the region with a choice of four restaurants. |
 Lagouraki Hotel Balcon (photo: CL) |