The Insider’s Travel Guide To Thessaly

Thessaly is located south of the Macedonia region and is washed by Aegean waves. It has a warm climate and has a population of around 700.000. Mountainous terrain, beautiful vistas, and a great folk spirit beckon.

What to visit?

Meteora monasteries – Holy Monastery of Varlaam.

Close by is the impressive Meteora, about which I wrote in an earlier article on Macedonia. Some writers hold that it is located in Macedonia, others say that you can find it in Thessaly. It all depends on how big the regions are assumed to be, given varying parameters. Regardless of to which region they belong, Meteora must be visited, because an equivalent miracle of nature and human engineering cannot be found anywhere else. Trust me, you will be blown away by the sight.

Moreover, if you are looking for scenery and relaxation, be sure to visit Mount Pelion! Hiking is very popular on this mountain. In addition to lovely scenery, you can enjoy gorgeous views of the sea, for Mount Pelion is located next to the Aegean. It is a paradise for lovers of nature, mountains, woods, the shore, the sky, and the sea.

If you are more of a history lover, like me, there are many museums in Thessaly for you to discover. But one that I would recommend to everyone would be the folk art museum in Pelion, also known as the Folklore Museum of Makrinitsa. While there, be sure to take in the town of Makrinitsa itself – a small, big-hearted, mountain village in a charming setting. It has a traditional vibe to it and a welcoming spirit. While walking through the narrow streets of Makrinitsa you will get a sense of exploring a different time in history, it will be as if you were dreaming or as if you had travelled back to 18^th or 19^th century Greece.

Mylopotamos beach, Pelio

What about the beaches?

For those of you who like to relax while on holiday and enjoy sun, sea, onshore breezes and scenery, I highly recommend the beaches in Thessaly. The most visited and most beautiful beaches are the ones on the eastern base of Mount Pelion. You can guess why the sight and the experience are both breathtaking. I would suggest a few beaches for all nature lovers, sea lovers, hedonists . . . anyone and everyone, certainly Mylopotamos, Papa Nero, and Horefto, which are very wide beaches, and Fakistra which is small, and intimate, and you could even say embraced and protected by the cliffs of Mount Pelion.

What to eat?

Typical Greek tavern, Makrinitsa village of Pelion

In Thessaly, like all other parts of Greece, you can enjoy Greek cuisine in traditional Taverns, where you will always find specialties that include different types of meat, frutti di mare, or various salads. Don’t miss the good wine of Thessaly, especially tsipouro. The one thing that will certainly lift your spirit is the Greek music that is always played in Taverns! Just imagine the shore, the salty smell of the sea, good music and, of course, great food.

Where to stay?

When it comes to accommodation, Thessaly is like other places in Greece. You can find rooms that range from very affordable to very expensive and luxurious. If you are on a budget, fear no more, in Greece you can always find rooms, mostly bed and breakfast, that cost from 20-30e per night. The other option that sometimes can end up being cheaper is to book an apartment for 10 days which can be, if you find a good offer, as low as 250e for two-three people. Be sure to look it up carefully on tripadvisor.com , booking.com or bookgreece.com.

Photos: Shutterstock

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