Portaria description and photos - Greece: Volos (Topic)

Portaria description and photos - Greece: Volos. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Portaria.

Photo and description

The Greek village of Portaria is one of the most picturesque and interesting settlements in Thesalia. Portaria is located at an altitude of 650 m above sea level on the slopes of the picturesque Mount Pelion, about 13 km from the city of Volos (the capital of the Magnesia nome). This is an ideal place for lovers of quiet and moderate relaxation.

It is believed that its modern name Portaria got from the church of Panagia Portaria, founded here in the 13th century, around which, in fact, the settlement was built. Today, the ancient temple with beautifully preserved magnificent frescoes and unique icons is one of the main and oldest sights of the city.

During the Ottoman rule, Portaria began to develop actively, and the population increased significantly. Already in the 18th century, Portaria became an important commercial and industrial center of the region. Silk products made here were known far beyond the borders of modern Greece. The wealth and prosperity of the city is perfectly expressed in the magnificent old mansions built during that period and perfectly preserved to this day.

Despite the fact that over the past decades Portaria has become a very popular tourist destination, it has preserved the charming atmosphere of an authentic a Greek settlement with a traditional architecture for this region (new buildings are also designed in the same style). Today Portaria is a beautifully restored old mansions (some of them have been turned into hotels and boarding houses), cobbled streets, many fountains and an abundance of greenery. A favorite place for the inhabitants of Portaria and its guests, of course, the main square, around which most of the cozy restaurants and cafes are concentrated, sheltered in the shade of plane trees. The square also contains the ruins of “Mega Theoksenia” (1898-1944) - one of the most luxurious hotels in the Balkan region, which, unfortunately, was destroyed during the Second World War.

Among the local attractions, the church is also worth mentioning. St. Nicholas (1856) and the Byzantine monastery of St. John, located on the road to Makrinitsa.

You should definitely take a walk along the picturesque surroundings of Portaria and walk along the famous "trail of the centaurs".

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Topic: Portaria description and photos - Greece: Volos.