| Amanita | |
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Agia Paraskevi Tsangarada 370 12 Pelion |
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If you stay at Guesthouse Amanita during the mushroom seasons (mid-September until mid-November, as well as the month of June), owner Filaretos Psimenos may take you for walks through the forests to hunt for wild mushrooms. He is passionate, and very knowledgeable on the subject and will point out which ones are delicacies and which ones are to be avoided. Those that fall in the first category are prepared and served as an aperitif in the evening. But you don’t have to share Filaretos passion to enjoy a stay at this charming little guesthouse on a mountain slope on the Pelion peninsula. It’s an inviting place, with five cosy bedrooms (plus a family apartment in the garden house) and two small sitting rooms. The house was no more than a few crumbling walls when Filaretos and his wife Marianna bought the property, and based on one old picture they rebuilt it, true to its original shape. Inside, nothing is overly decorated, but with wooden floors, walls painted in soft colours and nice traditional furniture everything looks warm and appealing. The garden is a small paradise with over 50 species of fruit trees and far-reaching views over the sea.
What makes it special to me:
The wonderfully quiet location on the mountain slope, the fantastic views, the nice garden and the cosy bedrooms. The area is great for walking. No matter what time of the year you go, pack some sturdy shoes.
But what you should keep in mind:
Unless you don’t shy away from walking a few kilometers, you will have to get into your car to get to the local restaurants, shops and beaches.
| Owner | Filaretos Psimenos and Marianna Zaharatou |
| Address | Agia Paraskevi |
| Tsangarada | |
| 370 12 Pelion | |
| Opening period: | All year |
| Children: | Welcome |
| Dogs: | Not allowed |
| Credit cards: | DINERS, MASTERCARD |
| Accommodation | 1 small double 1 double 1 room for up to 3 persons with fireplace 2 suites for up to 4 persons with fireplace 1 apartment for up to 4 persons with one bedroom, a living room with open kitchen, fireplace | ||||||||||||||||||
| Prices: | Normal season
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| Reservation policy: | A deposit of 10% of the total price of the stay is required at the time of booking. The hotel may ask for an additional credit card guarantee or deposit by bank transfer. The outstanding balance is to be paid directly to the hotel upon checkout. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cancellation policy: | The 10% deposit paid online at the time of booking is non-refundable. The hotel will charge a further fee if the booking is cancelled less than three weeks prior to your arrival date. This fee is 40% of the total price of the stay. In the case of a no-show or an early departure, 90% of the total price of the stay is charged. Jacoline's Small Hotels in Greece reserves the right to debit your credit card on behalf of the hotel in accordance with the above cancellation policies. 
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| Room facilities |
En-suite bathroom (shower) Television with DVD player (only for playing DVDs – there is no reception of TV channels) CD player Mini-bar Fireplace (except in the double rooms) Hairdryer
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| Other facilities |
Two sitting rooms, one with a fireplace
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A breakfast of mostly local products is served between 8h30 and noon. You will be served thick slices of dark, home-baked bread, delicious marmalades made from fruits collected from the garden, local honey, homemade cheese pies, and freshly picked fruits. For your other meals you have a choice of restaurants in the area (ask at the guesthouse which ones are best) but there is none at easy walking distance. |
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Guesthouse Amanita is in a very quiet spot on a mountain slope in the Tsangarada area on Pelion, roughly halfway between the square of Agia Paraskevi (with its famous 1000-year-old plane tree) and Fakistras beach. The area is great for walking – nature is extremely beautiful in every season. There are several fantastic wild beaches not too far away. Fakistras is just five minutes’ drive away; others are a bit further. |
 find it on the map
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From Volos, there are two ways to drive to Tsangarada. They are roughly the same in distance, and both are beautiful drives, so I recommend you go one way on your way over, and the other when you leave. The first way is to drive through the centre of Volos with the sea on your right hand and then follow the coastal road from Volos in the direction of Agria. Drive along the coastal road for about 20 km and continue following signs for Neohori and Tsangarada. (Alternatively, if you come this way, you take a left in Ano Lehonia and follow signs for Agios Georgios. You will pass through some of Pelion’s most beautiful villages: Agios Georgios, Pinakates, Vyzitsa and Milies, until you catch up again with the main road towards Tsangarada.) Tsangarada consists of four small communities. Amanita is between Agia Paraskevi and the sea, and it is signposted (you turn right) from the main road. The other way to go from Volos is to follow signs for Portaria and Hania from Volos. There’s a new road that connects Hania, via the ski centre of Agriolefkes, directly with the village of Kissos. (The road used to stop at the parking of the ski centre – now you keep on driving from there.) Keep following the signs for Tsangarada, and turn left at Agia Paraskevi. |
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Pelion is a destination for any season. Verdant and mountainous, and blessed with a beautiful coastline, the peninsula is wonderful for touring around and exploring, no matter what time of the year it is. It is great in the winter, when the mountains are covered in a thick and powdery layer of snow. It is great in spring, when the green is greener, the flowers are more fragrant and birds sing louder than anywhere else in Greece (or at least, so it seems…). It is great in the summer, when the mountains offer relief from the heat to those who don’t want to spend all their time on the many beautiful beaches. And it is great in the autumn, when the colours of the forested mountain slopes are the most intense, while the apple, walnut and chestnut trees shed their fruits.
Pelion is particularly famous for its perfectly preserved villages, marked by their tall mansions, the so-called arhondika, constructed during the commercial boom of the 18th and 19th centuries. These are typically three-stories high, their first two floors built out of stone, originally used as storage space and winter rooms, and a third floor for the summer, a larger construction with many large windows on three sides. Many have been converted into guesthouses, varying from plain and simple to stylish and luxurious.
You could drive around most of Pelion in one day, but if you have the chance you should take more time and split your stay between the west side, the east side and the mountains in the north, and explore as many villages as possible. You will enjoy strolling through cobbled lanes past old stone mansions, tiny churches and numerous water fountains, buying local products in tiny shops, and tasting traditional meals on village squares.
Starting with the north, you should go and see Makrinitsa and Portaria, two villages situated at an altitude of about 600 m, halfway between Volos and the ski centre of Mount Pelion. Easy to reach, blessed with a ravishing setting and magnificent architecture, and offering many different places to stay, they tend to attract a fair amount of visitors. Makrinitsa has sweeping views of Volos and the Pagasitikos Gulf. The main square is a great spot to stop for a meal.
About 12 km after Portaria is the village of Hania (another cute one) and a bit further on is the Agriolefkes ski resort. It is small (five lifts), but it is known for the good snow quality, and it is quite something to ski with a sea view! It also has a particularly attractive trail for cross-country skiing.
The eastern (Aegean) side of Pelion features the best beaches and beautiful scenery. Zagora in the north is the largest village; Horefto, set along a long sandy beach, is nice if you are interested in pure beach holidays; a bit further south Mouresi is quiet and charming; Damouchari, a tiny fishing port, is a good choice to stop for lunch.
Further south, you reach Tsangarada, a group of communities set amidst greenery and overlooking the sea. One of those, Agia Paraskevi is known for its magnificent 1000-year-old plane tree (with a perimeter of about 17 m!). Reputedly, it is the oldest and largest in Greece. The communities are linked by cobbled paths – so bring your walking shoes!
The main road continues down for another 15 km or so, until it bends towards the west taking you to the other side of the peninsula. You could leave the main road and drive further south to Argalasti and Lafkos. The area is not as impressive and mountainous as northern Pelion, but it is green and quiet and there are nice beaches and small seaside communities to explore. Otherwise, turn off the main road towards Milies, the first (or last) in a string of villages built along the south western slopes of Mount Pelion, overlooking the Pagasitikos Gulf. They are among the most authentic and picturesque villages of Pelion, and popular among Athens weekenders, especially during the autumn and the winter.
In Milies, you can visit the craft museum and the library, though most people come here to have lunch in the taverna at the old railway station. During the summer season, on Saturday and Sunday, you can take a ride on the old train on the narrow gauge railway line (it takes you past breathtaking scenery); if you come another time, go for a walk along the tracks. The road continues towards Vyzitsa, Pinikates and Agios Georgios, one even prettier than the other. Vyzitsa offers most choice in terms of accommodation and places to eat or drink, while the other two are perhaps a tad quieter on weekends. Go and see them all. |
Did you stay here?I'd love to hear how you liked it