Tsagarada is one of the most popular villages
in Pelion. It is located 50 kilometers away from the city of Volos in central
Greece and is situated at an altitude of 500 meters above the sea level. I have
crossed several times the village of Tsagarada, always on my way to Milopotamos
beach. And the truth is that I never really liked this village, maybe because
it does not really looks like a common greek village, as it consists of 4
districts, which could be considered as four different villages. Being the most
sparsely populated village of Pelion, it isn't easy forTsagarada to impress the
visitor looking for a small, picturesque village.
But now, having spent three days in this
"special" village, I think I have understood what makes Tsagarada one of the most popular
villages in Pelion. It is the game of the sunlight among the leaves of the huge
old plane trees, the sound from the waters running on the slopes of the
mountain looking for the sea, the narrow paved cobbled streets and the cool
breeze that caresses you in its passage.
It is yet the sun that rises above the Aegean
sea that color the skyline in shades of pink, the whitewashed mansions of
Pelion with the beautiful rooftops facing the endless blue of the sea, the dense
green forests with streams and waterfalls ending in magical beaches ..
The 4 districts
Tsagarada consists of 4 districts, which have
been named after the temples built in their central squares. The neighborhood
of St. Paraskevi (Agia Paraskevi), with its beautiful square, is considered the
center of the village. The St. Taxiarhes (Agii Taxiarhes), with the church of
the same name that was built in 1746, is the first district that you encounter
when entering the village, while St. Stephen (Agios Stefanos), at the other side of the village, has a beautiful picturesque square. As we descend to the beach
of Fakistra, we meet the neighborhood of St. Dominique (Agia Kyriaki), with the
small quiet square and the beautiful stone bell tower.
The 1,000-year-old plane
In the neighborhood of Agia Paraskevi, on the
main square, is located the most famous attraction of the village. The plane
tree of Tsagarada is 1000 years old and is one of the oldest trees in the whole
Europe! The trunk's perimeter reaches 15 meters, while its branches cover most
of the square, creating a thick shadow. If you descend the stairs behind the
plane tree, you will see the marble fountains of Agia Paraskevi. The fact that under the square there are natural springs, is
probably the reason of the longevity of the plane tree.
Churches
Apart from the 4 churches that are the patrons
of the four districts, there are 27 more churches and chapels of hundreds of
years in Tsagarada. The fact is that in Tsagarada are located the most churches
that can be found throughout Pelion.
Old bridge
Shortly before the entrance of the village, the
oldest bridge of Pelion is located at the point where the gorge of Mylopotamos
begins. It is a stone-built bridge built in 1728. Access to the point is very
easy as long as you follow the sign "Old Bridge" in the main road,
and after 5 minutes of downhill ride in a path surrounded by chestnut trees and
plane trees you will find yourself in a magic place that seems forgotten by
time.
Hiking
If you love hiking, Tsagarada is the ideal
destination for you. With more paths than roads, you can wander through the
hours between the cobbled streets in the shade of the chestnut trees,
discovering small hidden treasures. One of the most beautiful routes is from
Agia Paraskevi to Damouchari. Shortly before the main square pf Agia Paraskevi,
you will see the sign that leads to a beautiful 4,5-kilometer-long path. Keep
in mind that return is quite difficult, as the road is very uphill.
The Hidden School
Next to the beach of Fakistra, before the
stairs leading to the beach, you will see a sign that leads to Hidden School.
Downhill has some difficulties, because in some places you will have to walk
between the rocks and there is plenty of mud but after 15 minutes of hiking you
will understand that it was worth it. At the end of the journey, the view is
magical, with huge rocks dominating the sea, while in front of you in a cave
you will see the Hidden School, where during the Ottoman domination a monk
secretly taught the children of the area.
The beaches of
Tsagarada
Much of the charm of this place is due to the
fact that in a short distance from the green mountains there are two of the
most beautiful beaches not only of Pelion region, but also of Greece. The beach
of Mylopotamos, is located about 7 km away from the village. Milopotamos is famous for its turquoise waters
and its impressive natural scenery. Huge rocks divide the beach into two while a
natural arc formed between the rocks is the only passage from one beach to the
other (read more about Milopotamos beach here!).
Very close to the beach of Mylopotamos, just 5
kilometers away from Tsagarada, there is a beach that although less known, was
voted by the Guardian as the 7th best beach in the world for 2016. The beach of
Fakistra is a small bay, with turquoise waters in a rugged rocky landscape. The
road to the beach requires a lot of walking, but the view will make you forget
about any fatigue (see 25 photos of the exotic beach of Fakistra here!).
Where to eat
Pelion cuisine is famous all over Greece and
not unfairly. The most typical dish of the area is spetzofai,which is made of
local sausages, peppers and tomato sauce while the various pies are also quite
popular. If you want to taste the local specialties, visit the Agnanti
restaurant and Kalivi in Agii Taxiarhes Square. These two restaurants are
located next to each other, in one of the most beautiful locations in the
village, under huge plane trees. In Agnanti, we picked the pastirma pie and the
calf with smoked cheese and sun dried tomatoes, while in Kalyvi, the pork with
yoghurt and the pork knuckle.
If you want to try the local products cooked in
a more alternative way, visit the restaurant Dipnosofistis on the old road to
Mylopotamos beach, which is considered by many to be the best restaurant in the
area. Personally, I had bigger expectations from this restaurant, but it
definitely deserves a visit.
For coffee and desserts, take a stroll from
Agna.Di Cafe DiVino, which is located on the main road in the neighborhood of Agia
Paraskevi, in a beautiful environment with beautiful views. I also enjoed my
coffee in the cafe located in the central square of Agia Paraskevi, under the
old plane tree.
Where will you stay
In Tsagarada we stayed at Aglaida Hotel &Apartments and I will tell you why you should do it yourself. This hotel
combines something unique that will make your holidays even more special. On
the one hand, there are excellent facilities such as swimming pool, pool bar
and restaurant, all with stunning views of the Aegean that will give your
holidays a sense of luxury. While on the other hand it consists of residential
complexes, built according to the traditional architecture of Pelion, which
will make you forget that you are staying in a hotel, but you will feel like
you have your own home in Tsagarada.
How to go
From the city of Volos there are two routes
that you can follow to Tsagarada. The 1st passes from Agria, Lechonia, Kato
Gatzea, Kala Nera and Milies and is 49 kilometers in total and it will take
just over an hour to reach your destination. The second route passes from Ano
Volos, Portaria and Hania and is perhaps a bit more beautiful as it offers a
great view of the Pagasitic Gulf and the city of Volos. This route has a total
length of 46 km, but you will need a bit more time to reach Tsagarada (about 15
minutes more than the first one) as it has more turns.
No comments:
Post a Comment