The village of Makrinitsa is located at an altitude of 640 meters above sea level, and is best known as the “balcony of Volos and Pelion” because of the magnificent panorama of the entire city. Since 2011, the village has belonged to the municipality of Volos. It is located on the northwestern part of Mount Pelion, 6 km northeast of the town of Volos. In order to reach the village, you have to follow the road towards the second village of Portaria, where at the intersection there will be a separation and a signpost for the village of Makrinitsa.
It is a real pleasure to climb the hills on hot summer days, where you will quickly cool down in the beautiful villages of Pelion full of fresh water springs and beautiful architecture. The village of Makrinica is like that.
The traditional village of Pelion, with many beautiful houses and villas, richly decorated, surrounded by lush greenery and water, which springs from every corner. The beautiful decorations on the traditional houses of Pilion testify to the wealth of this region.
Walking through the narrow cobbled streets of Makrinitsa, you will see one of the traditional cafes, which is decorated with frescoes and murals by the famous Greek painter Theofilos. The picturesque roads of Makrinica are scattered around the village and almost all of them are very steep, and decorated with beautiful stone fountains and fountains.
The water is spring water and is extremely clean and cold. Climbing to the highest points of the place, we often wondered how the traffic is here in winter, so we got information that Makrinica is an extremely popular destination, especially during winter.
Markinitsa is extremely well organized and primarily intended for tourists. At every step there are souvenir shops, homemade crafts, cafes, hotels and taverns in an authentic environment. Tasting Greek coffee and traditional sweets (strawberries, olives, tomatoes, chestnuts… in sweet syrup) is a must.
The village is dominated by the central square where there is a main terrace and an incredible view of the town of Volos and the bay of Pagasitikos. The main square has a huge sycamore tree over a hundred years old in the middle, which you can enter and a carved marble fountain with extremely cold water.
Makrinitsa has always been a rich village. During the Turkish occupation, the village had the status of “Vakoufia”, which meant that all tax money was given to charity. In the 19th century, industrial production increased significantly, and Makrinica became one of the main centers for silk production.
In Makrinitsa, you also have the opportunity to see several churches with exceptional icons. The first is the church of Agios Ioanis Prodromos which is located next to the marble fountain from 1809 from which springs the “immortal water”. Other churches are Agios Athanasios, Agios Nikolaos, Agios Georgios and Agia Magdalena. Various cultural events are organized in the place during the summer. In July, the current Maidas event is dedicated to the celebration of Dionysus, the renaissance of nature and life.
Markinica is perhaps the most visited and commercial village of Pelion. That’s why prices in cafes, restaurants, hotels are slightly above the average for Pelion. The same applies to local products: pottery, glass products, sweets, souvenirs, etc.
