Pelion
Stone villages on the mountain of the Centaurs, with the Aegean on one side and the Pagasetic gulf on the other.
The drive
Two and a half hours to Volos and then the road climbs: Portaria, Makrinitsa, Tsagarada, Zagora. From the east side you drop down to Mylopotamos and Fakistra — beaches under cliffs. Give it at least two days; there are a lot of bends and the landscape will not let you rush.
What to watch out for
- Pelion roads are narrow — avoid the 9-seater
- In winter you may need chains above 800 metres
- Park at the village entrance and walk in
Road: A1 motorway (tolls) via Volos
And next?
More drives from Thessaloniki
Halkidiki
85 km1h 20m
Three fingers of land in the Aegean, an hour from your door. Kassandra for life and beach bars, Sithonia for the bays that have no name.
Mount Olympus & Litochoro
90 km1h 05m
An hour south and you are at the foot of the mountain of the gods — a gorge, plane trees, and the sea fifteen minutes away.
Meteora
235 km2h 45m
Monasteries on 400-metre rocks. The most spectacular day trip you can make from Thessaloniki.