Mount Pelion

Rising directly behind the port of Volos in Thessaly, Mount Pelion is a long green ridge that runs along the Aegean coast and, on its western flank, drops steeply to the Pagasetic Gulf. In Greek myth it was the home of the centaurs, and the wise centaur Chiron was said to have raised heroes such as Achilles in its caves. Visitors who call it the Magic Mountain are borrowing a nickname that suits the place: its slopes are covered with chestnut, beech, oak and plane trees, and streams run through villages built of stone and wood.

The settlements are the main attraction. Makrinitsa, above Volos, is called the balcony of Pelion for its view across the gulf, with a main square shaded by an enormous plane tree. Portaria, Milies, Vyzitsa, Tsagarada and Zagora each have their own character, with tall mansions of local stone, slate roofs, and church bell towers. Zagora is one of the largest villages, known for apple orchards, and Tsagarada is famous for a huge plane tree said to be centuries old. Many villages are linked by old cobbled mule paths, the kalderimia, which make good walking routes through forest.

On the eastern side the mountain reaches the Aegean through steep slopes and a coast of pebble beaches and small coves, among them Mylopotamos, Fakistra and Damouchari, a tiny fishing harbour known from the film Mamma Mia. The sea here is deep blue, and the contrast between forest and coast within a short drive is one of the region's pleasures. The highest point, Pourianos Stavros, rises to about 1,600 metres and has a small ski area in winter.

A narrow-gauge railway, the Pelion Railway known as the Moutzouris, once ran from Volos up to Milies, and a restored section still carries passengers on a scenic route with stone bridges. The region's food is another draw: local dishes include spetsofai, a sausage and pepper stew, along with pies, preserves made from fruit, honey and tsipouro served with small plates.

Visitors usually need two or three days to see the area properly, and a car is the best way to link the villages along winding roads. Spring and autumn are good for walking, summer for the beaches, and winter for snow and cosy fires. The mountain is also close enough to Volos to visit for a day trip from the city.