The Place. Portaria – Pelion

Portaria is a beautiful traditional mountain village, just 12 km from Volos, built at an altitude of 650 metres near the small church of Panagia Portarea, which dates from the 13th century and gave the area its name.
Portaria was once an important and prosperous regional centre. During Byzantine times, Portaria and Makrinitsa formed a large settlement known as “Ano Dryanouvaina”.

Visitors are enchanted as they walk along its paths and discover the rich diversity of its natural landscape. Portaria is equally beautiful throughout the year.
You can explore its natural attractions, traditional cobbled lanes, the Centaurs’ Path beside the stream of the Mana spring, the Karavos waterfall, the central Melina Mercouri Square surrounded by hotels and restaurants, and Taxiarchon Square with its beautiful stone church and magnificent views over Volos and the Pagasetic Gulf.

You can also visit Byzantine churches, old monasteries and numerous restored mansions that reveal Portaria’s history through the centuries. The Athanasakeio Kindergarten, one of the first in Greece, the Zoulia Mansion, which once housed a vocational school for girls, and the Tsopoteio School are among its most important historic buildings.

Portaria is also known as the “Gateway to Pelion”. Thanks to its location, it is an excellent base for exploring the 24 villages of the mythical mountain of the Centaurs. The Agriolefkes ski centre, 12 km away, and the clear-blue beaches of both the Aegean Sea and the Pagasetic Gulf are all within easy reach.

On the beautiful paved square directly opposite our hotel, you can see part of the once-impressive “Mega Theoxenia” hotel (1898-1944), formerly considered one of the most luxurious hotels in the Balkans. It was destroyed during the German occupation.

Portaria was the first village in Greece to have a hotel and also the first village to be connected to Volos by road, in 1908.
Portaria also gained electricity before Volos, following the establishment of its own electric company.

It is no coincidence that Portaria is one of the most popular villages in Pelion and in Greece as a whole. It attracts visitors throughout the year by combining the atmosphere of an authentic Pelion settlement, picturesque architecture, natural beauty and outstanding views over Volos and the Pagasetic Gulf. Its proximity to both the Pelion ski centre and the sea makes it an ideal destination and an excellent base for exploring the whole of Pelion.

Hotel Filoxenia is located on the central square of Portaria, surrounded by lush greenery, centuries-old plane trees and colourful hydrangeas.