Ano Gatzea

A magnificent train station and tunnel constructed in the 1900s by Evaristo De Chirico (father of Giorgio De Chirico, the Italian painter of Pittura Metafisica); the Olive and Olive Oil Museum housed in a 1924 mansion; and the feel of an authentic old Greek village seem to us pretty good reasons to visit Ano Gatzea. Here, you will not find tourists but travelers, people who take their time to explore, appreciate, and discover the true essence of Greece.

Situated on a steep slope between Lechonia and Kala Nera overlooking the Pagasitikos Bay, Ano Gatzea is a Mt. Pelion village that one would rightly call off-the-beaten-path. The village houses, some abandoned, some inhabited, and some under serious renovation, are a testimony to a prosperous past and an agropastoral economy where every household had to be self-sufficient to survive. Most are spacious two-storied mansions surrounded by land used for livestock and a family vegetable garden. The sea view is spectacular from virtually every corner throughout the village. Narrow and extremely steep cobble stone streets lead to the highest point of the village, which is crowned with the railway station.

In the past, the train transported passengers and goods from Volos to Milies and vice versa. Today, it is a tourist attraction, and although the old tracks still exist, the line has been shortened from Ano Lechonia to Milies. At Ano Gatzea, passengers enjoy a 15-minute stop allowing them a coffee or tsipouro at the nearby kafeneio or pay a quick visit to the Museum. At Ano Gatzea, you will not find modern amenities and fancy coffee places. You will, however, find kind people and hospitality; and the warm feeling of a glimpse into the past that you will carry with you long after your visit.