Mt. Pelion, home of the Centaurs, has been renowned for its beauty since antiquity. Homer and his contemporary Hesiod, have both praised its unique flora and medicinal plants in their work describing Pelion as the leafy and woody, mountain respectively. In prehistoric times, several large, predatory animals must have inhabited the range, in as much as Cheiron, who, according to Greek mythology, was Achilles’ teacher and mentor, used to feed on lion meat and brains.
Volos is situated between the crystal-clear waters of the Pagasitikos Bay and the evergreen slopes of Pelion Mountain. Volos is the capital of Magnesia and one of the largest and most modern cities of Greece. The privileged location of Volos and its port attracts important investment ensuring the prosperity of the region. Volos is the birthplace of Jason, the legendary hero who led the Argonauts across the Aegean Sea and through the straits of Bosporus. After a long and dangerous journey, Jason, arrived at ancient Colchida in the present-day state of Georgia, on the banks of the black Sea and south of the Caucasus Mountain, in order to retrieve the Golden Fleece.
The Pelion Mountain famed to be the summer residence of the twelve Olympian Gods and the mythical land of the Centaurs [half-man and half-horse] rises imposingly and spectacularly over the northwest of Volos. The mountain’s 24 picturesque villages have a unique architectural style, and are perched on its slopes or hidden in the green ravines. They are so well integrated into the landscape that they give the impression of having sprung up together with the surrounding trees. The harder to explore eastern side of Pelion, where the Aegean sea glitters like a mirror, falls abruptly into the sea creating picturesque rocky coasts and beautiful sandy beaches. In contrast, the serene and calm coasts of the western Pagasitikos Bay are easily accessible. From Pelion, excursions to Volos, the neighboring Sporades islands and even Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki peninsulas are easily available.