Appointment at Miliès, on a Saturday or Sunday at noon. You will see him arrive puffing very quickly and stop at the stop where everyone will applaud his arrival. The rails will change direction and the fascinating pelion train He will resume the race towards Ano Lexonia.
This is a lovely itinerary to discover. an unusual Greece, where you will pass through forests, towering trees and under more than 12 bridges. There are no words to describe such beauty. The trip on the Pelion train lasts approximately an hour and a half and will be one of the most beautiful experiences of your life.
La Pelion railway This is a 600 mm narrow gauge line that connected the Volos railway station with Miliès, in the interior of Thessaly. The objective was to promote the development of the essentially agricultural area by facilitating the transportation of products. The narrow gauge, with its very tight curves, allowed him to fit into the tormented orography of the Mount Pelion region without having to create too many works of art. In charge of the works was a Sicilian engineer named Evaristo De Chirico, father of what would become the famous painter Giorgio De Chirico. Disused in the seventies, it was partially reopened to tourism in 1996 on the Miliès-Gazea-Ano Lechonia section.
Pelion takes its name from Mount Pelion, a 1.600 meter mountain covered in forest perfect for hiking lovers. Wild nature, postcard landscapes, culture and gastronomy, but also beautiful beaches, are some of the ingredients that differentiate this peninsula from the rest of Greece.
Travel a section of this territory aboard the steam train With old carriages with wooden interiors it is like diving into the past and it doesn't even feel like being in Greece, at least not the iconic one we are used to. The stages are an opportunity to discover the Pelion area.
Il Monastery of Taxiarxon de Miliès, renovated in 1764 and famous for its acoustics, has a peculiarity that is worth a visit: 48 overturned jars hidden in the upper part of the church and 5 wells connected to each other in the lower part. Once the visit is over you will not be able to avoid stopping at one of the numerous taverns in the historic center, about 800 meters from the train station.
For photography enthusiasts, the advice is to look for a seat in the tail of the train where there is a terrace that allows you to have excellent shots and take beautiful photographs of the suggestive panoramas. The train is undoubtedly very suggestive and also suitable for children who will be enthusiastic about this train trip.
This is a trip idea to do all year round. Autumn in Pelion, for example, is like entering a painting of orange and red colors. Paths, ancient churches, beaches and even crystal clear waters to admire, while in summer it represents the perfect day or weekend getaway away from the usual tourist routes.
So much beauty could not fail to generate myths. According Greek mythology, in the region of Pelion they would have lived centaurs, the mythical creatures with the head, arms and torso of a man and the body and legs of a horse, and the wisest of all, Chiron, a centaur who, according to legend, taught Achilles, Hercules and the local boy Jason of Argonaut and Vellus d'Oro. And that is why Pelion is also called "the land of the centaurs."
