Land of Centaurs

You fly to Thessaloniki during the day. We will meet you at the airport and drive you to your centrally located hotel. If you arrive early, take a stroll into the Greek way of life! Enjoy two nights in a modern hotel in Thessaloniki within walking distance of the seafront.

Today, we will visit Greece’s second-largest city. Thessaloniki is a modern port metropolis and a city that has remained young at heart at the same time. You will enjoy views that will make you fall in love with the city, high up on the citadel and walking all the way back down to the center along the old city wall. We will visit the Rotunda dating back to Roman times and then move on to an atmospheric ceremony in the Saint Demetrios Basilica (UNESCO World Heritage Site). After a visit to the Archaeological Museum, we will go to the White Tower. Tips for the free afternoon and evening: harbor promenade, frappé in the street cafés, local fish specialties, etc.

After breakfast, we will depart for Volos, the city of the Argonauts. On the way to Volos, we will make a stop to visit the Platamonas Castle.
On the southeast side of Mount Olympus, a short distance from the current town of Platamonas, an imposing medieval fortress lays in a strategic position, the Platamonas Castle, which was built during 1204-1222 and is the best-preserved Castle of North-Central Greece. Studies have discovered that the castle was built on the site of the pre-Christian city of Heraklion.
The next stops just before we arrive in Volos will be in the pre-historic communities of Sesklo and Dimini.
We will have lunch in Volos and then spend our afternoon walking around this beautiful coastal city. We will also visit the Folklore Museum, the ruins of the Castle of Palia, and the legendary Argo Ship. We will stay overnight in Volos.

After breakfast, we will leave Volos and move towards Portaria, but we definitely need to make some stops on the way. Not that far away from Volos, we will make a stop at the charming village of Anakasia, where we will visit the G.Kontos House containing fabulous frescos by the artist Theofilos from Mytilini, which must not be missed.
Then, we will visit the “Balcony of Mt. Pelion”, the village of Makrinitsa. As indicated by its nickname, this village offers outstanding views. It has many beautifully decorated mansions and all walking paths are stone-paved. In this lovely village, we will visit the Church of St. Nicolas, the Folklore Museum, and the Byzantine Church. We will stay here for lunch. We should enjoy the beauty and tranquility of this fascinating village.
In the afternoon, we will hike in the home place of the mythical creatures associated with all negative natural phenomena, in the Centaurs’ Path. According to Greek Mythology, Centaurs were creatures that were half-human and half-horse, and they were the cause of many disasters that befell humans.
The path will lead us to the amazing village of Portaria, the hidden gem of Pelion.
The hike is suitable for any skill level. The amazing forest, the shade cast by the trees, and the light shining through the leaves combined with the sound of running water provide a very pleasant experience.

In the morning, we will drive to the village of Ano Lehonia, where we will experience a unique train ride on an unforgettable trip. The little old-fashioned train will travel on the slopes of Mt. Pelion to take us to Milies. It is a mountain route, full of pine and olive trees. The train does not move faster than 20 km/h, which allows us to fully enjoy the magnificent view. The whole route is filled with natural beauty, as well as places and constructions of architectural interest, old bridges, and tunnels. At the end of this journey, we will arrive in Milies, a welcoming sight with its warm and charming taverns. We can visit the church of Taxiarches, which was constructed before 1741. After grabbing a drink, we will continue to the village of Tsagarada, another beautiful Greek village but one that particularly stands out, as it is built in the middle of a chestnut forest and offers an unbelievable view of the Aegean Sea. We will have lunch at one of the taverns in the main square, Agia Paraskevi, where we will see a huge and outstanding 1000-year-old plane tree.
After lunch, it will be time to discover one of the beautiful beaches of Greece. Fakistra is a “wild” beach hidden between cliffs, which cast a natural shade all day long. Its waters are crystal clear and it is a perfect place to just feel and touch the sea, with no crowds.

As of today, we will unwind on some beautiful beaches and experience relaxing holidays in some of the picturesque islands of Greece. After breakfast, we will drive back to Volos, potentially stopping to visit the archeological site of Goritsa (if interest is expressed for this). Goritsa is an archeological hill overlooking the city of Volos. On the top of the hill, there is an old temple, the Life-Giving Spring, built on the site of an earlier Christian temple of the 18th century. There is evidence for the existence of an ancient temple in the same place.
From Volos, we will board the ship to Skopelos. Skopelos is a wonderful island for vacation. Its lush vegetation, unspoiled charm, traditional villages, taverns with local delicacies, exotic beaches with deep blue waters, and everything else it has to offer will make you feel as if you are spending your day in paradise.
Skopelos was one of the filming locations of the movie Mamma Mia; when we watched it, we also wished to be in this place, feeling happy and relaxed.
Let’s enjoy the water and laze in the sun for the rest of the day.

Just another day to enjoy the beauty of Skopelos by visiting different beaches and tasting more of the local food and drinks, while the sun is generously shining and the blue waters provide us with moments to cool down.

Today, we will take a cruise and visit another island. Due to the proximity with other islands of the Sporades island complex, we have the chance to make a day excursion to the island of Alonnisos.
Alonnisos is a very pure island. Once we set sail toward it, we can constantly feel a particular atmosphere. The reflection of the sky, the pine and olive trees, and the stylish architecture surrounded by the blue waters give an exclusive character to this island. We will visit the old town of Alonnisos and we will walk through narrow alleys with painted walls and balconies full of flowers, traditional taverns, and artisanal shops with the classic bouzouki, admiring how simply everything here seems to be soothing and amazing. After we treat ourselves with a cup of coffee, we will start a boat tour to the island’s beaches and caves. We will also visit the Marine Park of Alonnisos where, with a bit of luck, we may see dolphins and seals. The Park is the home of a number of protected seals. In the evening, we will go back to Skopelos.

Another day; another island; let’s sail to Skiathos!
Skiathos is the perfect island for nature lovers because of its natural landscape – packed with pine trees and many astonishing beaches. Its romantic waterfront could keep us sitting transfixed in a tavern by the water for hours, but we also need to spend time and maybe even get lost in its narrow alleys. The food is delectable and the atmosphere is enchanting.
We will do some sightseeing. We will visit the Medieval Castle (Kastro) and the Evangelistria Monastery.
We will stay in Skiathos overnight, as the nightlife is another highlight of this island. Every summer, the whole island turns into a huge party spot.

After breakfast, we will board the ship back to Volos and then drive to Litochoro. In the afternoon, we will visit Dion, the sacred site of ancient Macedonia. This open-air archaeological site attracts not only history lovers, but nature lovers as well. The Archaeological Park of Dion is the most important site at Mount Olympus. The site consists of the remains of Roman and Greek ancient theatres and is also home to several sanctuaries.
We will spend the night in Litochoro. In one sense Litochoro means the city of gods; no wonder as it is the gateway to Mount Olympus, which we are going to visit the following day.

On this day we will hike the legendary Mount Olympus.
Mt. Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece and home to the 12 Olympian gods of ancient Greece, as well as the site of the throne of Zeus.
Hiking Mt. Olympus contains not only fascinating beauty but is also a link to ancient Greece. The hike will be very enjoyable but may become challenging at some point; we should only make sure to not provoke the wrath of the gods!
We’ll spend the night in Litochoro.

We’ll enjoy our late breakfast and then drive to Thessaloniki. We can make a stop and have a drink in the charming village of Palaios Panteleimon at the slope of Mt. Olympus. We arrive at Thessaloniki and we’re free to spend our afternoon there, scrolling down the picturesque alleys in Ladadika or going shopping and enjoying our ‘frape’ at the numerous seaside coffee shops.

We leave our cozy hotel and head to the airport. See you again Greece!