Portaria
Only 13 km from the town of Volos, at an altitude of 650 meters, there is the traditional village of Piliona – Portaria. From this village, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the entire city of Volos and the bay, as well as the
the neighboring village of Makrinitsa.
The village is scattered on the hill, with very beautiful houses with stone roofs, full of springs, picturesque stone paths and staircases. The center is dominated by the monastery of Panagia Portarea from the 13th century, after which the village is named
got a name. Portaria is popular in winter, as it is located 12 km from the ski resort of Agriolefkes, and the beach of Pagasitikos Bay is also nearby.
During your visit you can visit the church of Agios Nikolaos, near the monastery, the Athanasakio kindergarten, the Tsoporio school, the beautiful villa of Zoulia which today has been turned into an ethnological museum, the church of Panagia
Agios Symeon which was recently renovated. In the central square “Melina Merkouri” in traditional taverns, you can try local specialties, wine and tsipouro. Various events, concerts, film screenings, exhibitions, etc. are organized on the square in the summer. On the square are the remains of the famous Hotel Theoxenia (1905-1944), which was the most luxurious hotel in the Balkans during the pre-war period.
On the way to Makrinitsa, you can visit the Byzantine monastery of Agios Ioannis, which has rich Byzantine decoration. We also recommend a walk to the spring “Mana” with waterfalls in Karavos. From this place, the road leads to Adamen, where you pass through rich vegetation and abundant water sources. In the local shops, everything is created for tourists, where you can buy sweets from various fruits (strawberries, apples, olives, tomatoes…), handicrafts, pottery, textiles, etc.
The most important events, which mostly take place in the central square, are:
flower festival in May
international dance days in May
the national holiday of Agia Triada in June
National Computer Science Symposium in June
the Tsipouro festival in early June
children’s traditional dance festival at the beginning of July
international dance festival at the end of July
sausage festival in July
Pilion weddings at the end of August
“Hill Climb Portaria” trekking in autumn
