Walking Thessaly Greece ESB

Itinerary – Walking in Thessaly

Day 1: Start Portaria
Pick up at Thessaloniki airport (flight Ryanair FR1390), welcome by your guide and transfer (3 hours) to your 4* Xenia Palace Hotel (outdoors swimming pool, bar and restaurant).
It is located in Portaria, perched village of 2000 inhabitant at an altitude of 600 m and around 12 km to Volos. The hotel is 8 min flat walk to the centre of Portaria. The area is fantastic for walking, with a large choice of coastal walks, forests and mountain walks.
Every day 2 levels of walk will be offered each of them led by one qualified mountain leaders each.
A walk: 12 to 15 km distance and up 800 m ascent.
B walk : 8 to 12 km distance and up to 500 m ascent.
Dinner incl.
Day 2: Portaria loop walk
Today we will discover some villages around Portaria with our first stop to one of the most famous villages of Pelion named Makrinitsa which the locals call “the balcony of Pelion”. This loop walk will take us through traditional houses and picture squares and then enjoying a fantastic view of the Pagasetic Gulf almost for the whole hike across the little river of Krafsidon before our last ascent to Portaria.
Breakfast, dinner & picnic lunch included.
Day 3: Portaria to Drakeia walk
Our day starts from Portaria and ends in Drakeia village, one of the many martyr villages in Greece, with the oldest square of Pelion. Our route crosses streams, chestnut and beech forests. As for sightseeing, we will cross the bridge of Missiou and visit the ruins of the first mountainous Sanatorium in Greece in Hania where the young doctor Karamanis lived at the start of the 20th century and practised medicine in his birth-place ”Drakeia” dreaming of accomplishing something great in his life. Our day ends in the square of the village enjoying local tsipouro (traditional drink) with meze.
Breakfast, dinner & picnic lunch included.
Day 4 : Free day
A day to relax and visit Portaria with its “Historical and Folk” museum which is housed in the two floors of the Zoulias mansion. The imposing building with its double entrance staircase, the blue sign over the balcony and the identical layout on all floors, is a representative example of the “Egyptian” houses of Portaria .
Possibilities to go to Volos and visit the town and its museums: roof tiles and brickworks museum, Byzantine museum, Entomological museum.
You can also walk to the Palia district in Volos, nice strall at the sea front or join by taxi the East side coast, many fabulous spots.
Breakfast included. Lunch & dinner not included.
Day 5: Agria – Agios Lavrentios walk – Agriolefkes peak
Today short transfer to Agria by the sea from where you will walk towards Agios Lavrentios using cobbled paths, through olive trees, chestnut and beech forests possibility. Enjoy a short stop for a Greek coffee in the square of the village. For those with more energy you continue towards Agriolefkes peak which offers an amazing view of the Pagasitic Gulf and Agean sea at the same time.
Breakfast, dinner & picnic lunch included.
Day 6: East coast walk
Today we will explore the east side starting from Millies. Taking old paths(kalderimi) and dirty roads we will go through Tsagarada village to finish the walks at Agios Ioannis. Small touristic village on the seaside of Agean sea. The path crosses tall maquis vegetation with kermes oak, beech, chestnut trees, and some of the biggest streams of the area, such as Xourichtiotiko and Milopotamos Before our path ends at Agios Ioannis it is possible to walk down to the small picturesque harbor of Damouchari where the “Mamma Mia “ movie was filmed.
Breakfast, dinner & picnic lunch included.
Day 7: Panagiotiko valley walk
Our walk today will be crossing the valley of Panagiotiko stream and connect the village of Milies with the small coastal village of Afissos. A route that a lot of hikers love, due to many ascends and descends. We will walk on the Panagiotiko Dam, which is an artificial lake that provides drinkable water to the villages of south Pelion. At Afisssos village we can enjoy a swim and of course delicious seafood.
Breakfast, dinner & picnic lunch included.
Day 8: FAREWELL!
Transfer in the morning to Thessaloniki airport (flight Ryanair FR1391).
Breakfast included.