GETTING TO KNOW MOUNT PELION  

 


It is an "ancient" mountain and one of the most fabled of the country . Its sheer beauty, the wealth of natural resources and the fact that it is closed to both the Aegean and the Pagasetic Gulf made it popular even in antiquity.

Ancient Greek epic poets like Homer, Pindar, Simonides and Heraclides sang in praise of Mt. Pelion referring to its dense forests, or praising the wealth of medicinal plants available. They referred to the winds that blow out here, its soaring cliffs and dense forests.

Several lodges, guesthouses and restaurants have the name of Centaur, a mythical creature half man, half horse. You see posters, photos and signs with this creature all over the area. Mythology has it that Mt. Pelion was the home of Centaurs. The wiser and most skillful was Chiron who was a teacher of medicine whose pupils included even the god Asclepius. The latter was skilled in the use of healing plants.

Surviving remains date back from the prehistoric, and throughout the historical and Byzantine periods –periods when Pelion was inhabited and flourished under the period of Turkish domination .

With a total of 6 peaks all above 1.450m, -the highest being that of Pourianos Stavros at 1.624m, with numerous streams that flow the year round ensuring that a dip in the sea is indeed a 'refreshing' experience, Mt. Pelion is a paradise yet not that many have discovered. It is an ideal place for holidays the year round.

As one descends from the mountain peaks, wild forest gives way to orchards of trees and fertile valleys where all manner of plants are cultivated. Summers out here are cool and winter not particularly harsh. Don’t ask me which season is the best because I cannot tell. I believe that each one is unique in its own way with unique colours and smells.

The well-endowed mountain landscape blends harmoniously mountain and sea, couples wild nature with tailored landscapes, dense forest with bare rock, the cool of the mountain with the warmth of the sea, and finally rain with wave.

What a dreamy place to be!