Climbing from Volos, past Portaria, the road twists and twists again through the forest. At some point the plane trees and chestnuts give way to beech, the air turns cold and the horizon opens. You are at Hania, the highest point of the road that links the two sides of Pelion.
Why "Hania"
The name recalls the old use of the place. Here, at the pass, there were hania, inns for travellers and muleteers crossing the mountain with their animals, from the villages on the Pagasetic Gulf to those on the Aegean and back. Today hotels, cafés and tavernas stand in their place, but the idea is the same: a stop before you carry on.
The forest
The area around Hania is one of the most wooded on Pelion. Beech dominates, turning gold and red in autumn. Paths start in every direction: towards the peaks, towards the villages of the eastern side, towards meadows with springs. It is an ideal place for walking from late spring to autumn.
Agriolefkes
Just above Hania is the Pelion ski centre at Agriolefkes. It is one of the few ski centres in Greece with a view of the sea. In winter, when there is snow, Hania fills with families with sledges and skiers.
The view
From several points along the road, and especially from the edges of the forest, both seas are visible: the Pagasetic Gulf with Volos on one side, the Aegean on the other. On clear autumn and winter days, visibility reaches the Sporades.
Practical notes
Hania is about 25 kilometres from Volos. The road is mountainous and needs care, especially in winter, when snow chains may be required. Take a jacket even in September: up here it is noticeably colder than in the city.
If you carry on from Hania to the other side, you will drop down to Zagora, Kissos and Tsagkarada, and from there to the Aegean beaches.
