Adventure weekend in Pelion: Hiking, Via Ferrata, Canyoning

Mount Pelion is not the tallest of the Greek mountains nor the most remote but it’s definitely one of the prettiest. Lying on a small hook-like peninsula between the Pagasetic Gulf and the Aegean Sea it offers both amazing sea views and a cost full of beautiful beaches and coves. But it is the mountain villages scattered over its slopes with their unique architecture, shady squares filled with taverns and traditional kafenios, and picturesque kalderimia (paved paths) that attract visitors all year round.

But Pelion is a great place for an active holiday as well. Hiking is increasingly popular on the forested slopes of the mountain with plenty of marked trails to choose from while the coast offers great opportunities for snorkeling, diving, sea kayak, and more. Tsagarada and the nearby Milopotamos beach are popular among climbers with yearly rock climbing festival hosted in the area. Last but not least, the ravines and gorges of Pelion, filled with flowing streams and waterfalls, are a perfect playground for canyoning lovers or anyone wishing for an ice-cold dip.

And if you are lucky enough to visit Pelion during the winter, then dust of your skis and head to one of Greece’s prettiest ski centers at Chania for a totally different experience. We “settled” for a day of hiking and half-day canyoning and Via Ferrata tour accompanied by some light sightseeing and one delicious lunch at Zagora, leaving Pelion full of memories and plans to come back for more!

How to get to Pelion

We come to Pelion with a bus tour organized by one of the Athenian hiking clubs and it was great not having to worry about planning the trip for once. However, you can easily explore the area on your own by car or public transport.

By car: The 300 km long drive from Athens to Volos through Lamia takes around 3 and a half hours and is pretty straightforward. Once outside of Volos the comfortable highway shifts into a tangle of narrow roads full of sharp turns and elevation making driving a bit more challenging. Don’t be fooled by the short distances between the villages and set aside enough time for the transits, the 40 km long drive from Zagora to Volos took us more than one and half hour to complete!

By bus: The region of Magnesia has a surprisingly great network of daily buses connecting the mountain villages and coastal towns with its capital – Volos. They have an awesome website, too, including detailed timetables and even an online booking system for the long-distance routes (Athens – Volos will cost you 30 euros one way). This may not be a big deal in some other, more organized countries of the world but is still an exception here in Greece. Just try to plan a bus trip through Epirus or even Attica and you’ll understand my excitement here!

Day 1: Hiking from Agios Lavrentios to Chania

Pelion is a hiker’s paradise. The lush green mountainous peninsula is crisscrossed by a good network of marked paths connecting the picturesque villages with old monasteries, waterfalls, and stunning beaches along the coast. The Pelion mountain is not exceptionally high, its tallest peak – Pourianos Stavros reaching an underwhelming height of 1624 meters but do not underestimate it. The hilly terrine has its challenges, especially during the summer with temperatures rising high above 30 degrees.

When it comes to deciding on the trail you’ll be spoilt for choice. From traditional kalderimi paths to shady forest trails and coastal walks the possibilities are endless. THIS blog is an awesome resource for planning your hiking holidays with a detailed description of more than 60 walks. Or get the Anavasi hiking map of Pelion, they never disappoint.

Our hike took us from the beautiful village of Agios Lavrentios through the western slopes of Mount Pelion all the way to the ski resort at Chania. Despite having over 700 meters of elevation it wasn’t particularly difficult and took us around 6 hours to complete. It passes through remote countryside with no refreshment options and only one spring, well hidden from the passerby. Keep that in mind and take enough snacks and water for the day.

Agios Lavrentios is a charming village tucked away from the main touristic flow at the western slopes of Mount Pelion at an altitude of around 600 meters. It owes its name and origin to the 13th-century monastery of Agios Lavrentios, one of the oldest Byzantine monasteries of Magnisias. Don’t expect souvenir shops or other touristy traps here, instead enjoy a cup of coffee in one of the traditional kafenios on the main square or wander through its picturesque cobbled alleys all the way up to the monastery.

Leaving Agios Lavrentinos we climbed up past the monastery following a narrow path overgrown by thick vegetation. The first hour and half of our hike was the hardest, not so much due to the elevation or difficult terrain but mostly because of the heat. There was no shade whatsoever allowing the June midday sun to get the best of us. However, once we reached the forest all our previous suffering was forgotten.

From here until the ski center at Chania, the marked path passes through a thick beech forest traversing the slopes of the Golgotha peak. I haven’t seen many places so lush and green here in Greece and spent the rest of the hike admiring the scenery and imagining all kinds of magical creatures hiding in the branches or under the giant, tropical-looking ferns. The path flattened considerably, too, turning from a strenuous climb into a pleasant stroll with just a few ups and downs.

The only slight disappointment, at least from me, was the ski center at Chania. As awesome as it must be in the winter, covered with snow and with beautiful sea views all around, in the summer it was deserted and slightly depressing. If I was to do this hike again, I would follow the description HERE and instead of Chania continue to the small, picturesque village of Kissos on the eastern slopes of Mount Pelion.

Day 2: Via Ferrata and canyoning in Galanorema

Both Via Ferrata and canyoning have been on my wishlist for years so combining the two activities into a 4 hours long roundtrip through the beautiful Galanorema gorge was a huge dream-come-true for me. The route is considered easy, making it ideal for first-timers, and I didn’t find it particularly challenging despite my lack of experience and fear of heights. However, be prepared to get wet and cold and scratched and even terrified in some places, it’s canyoning for god’s sake, not knitting lessons!

Our tour was guided by the guys (and girls) from Hellas Canyon and I cannot recommend them enough. They were very professional the whole time, unbelievably helpful and patient with even the slowest of us, while friendly and a lot of fun. All equipment was provided on spot with the exception of shoes but any pair of old trainers will do. For 69 euros per person, I wouldn’t call this a budget activity but it was absolutely worth it.

Our adventure started with a 20 minutes hike down to the gorge through a pretty countryside of small orchards and fields. We’ve got overly excited and put our wetsuits on right at the beginning, something I wouldn’t recommend in a 30 degrees heat. I spent the next half an hour feeling like Ross from Friends suffering in his new fancy leather pants! But the agony was over as soon as we reached the stream, cool and refreshing, shaded by a lush canopy of trees.

Another short walk up the stream followed by a brief introduction into the techniques of Via Ferrata and rappel and an equipment check and we were off. The Via Ferrata has around 400 meters and follows a rock face over narrow ledges and metal steps secured by ropes through the whole length. Except for a few passages near the waterfalls, it is not particularly high and the water underneath adds to the feeling of safety. Between admiring the stunning jungle-like scenery of the gorge and taking hundreds of pictures in silly rock climbing poses we had no time to worry anyway.

That was until we reached the tallest waterfall! Seeing the first members of our group already fighting their way down through the gushes of freezing cold water made my heart pounding like crazy but I couldn’t wait to try for myself. And then my turn came, my harness checked, my belay fixed and off you go! Even though I have some rock climbing experience and this wasn’t my first abseil it is a completely different story when surrounded by slippery wet rock and tumbling waterfall.

I have no idea how I managed to get down to the pool and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the most elegant of abseils. But it was totally exhilarating and I couldn’t wait for more. The second waterfall was bliss and when the third come I didn’t want it to end! But it did and after couple more slides and some wading, we were back where it all began. It took us around 4 hours to complete the route and ended up cold and tired but with huge happy grins on our soggy faces.