Volos is the 5th biggest city (and 3d largest port) in Greece, situated in Thessaly, almost in the middle of the distance between Athens (326 km) and Thessaloniki (219 km).
Modern Volos is built on the area of the ancient cities of Demetrias, Pagasae and Iolkos. Iolkos was the homeland of ancient Greek hero Jason who boarded the ship Argo accompanied by the Argonauts and sailed in the quest for the Golden Fleece to Colchis. Demetrias was established by Demetrius Poliorcetes, King of Macedonia, in 293/92 BC. In 197 BC Romans annexed Demetrias.
To the west of Volos there are the Neolithic settlements of Dimini with a ruined acropolis, walls and two beehive tombs dated between 4000-1200 BC and Sesklo with the remains of the oldest acropolis in Greece (6000 BC), as well as the foundations of a palace and mansions, among the most typical examples of Neolithic civilisation.
During Byzantine empire, emperor Justinian I in 551 fortified Palea hill. In 1423 Ottomans annexed Volos. Volos during the Ottoman empire was a hamlet, build on the hill in Palea district. The hill was fortified with walls. Today just a few parts of the walls can be seen near the Tsalapata building.
After its annexation to Greece from the Ottoman Empire in 1881, it had a population of only 4,900 but rapidly grew within the next 4 decades. Houses were built outside the walls and the main area of Volos by the sea was built up. Merchants, businessmen, craftsmen and sailors moved to Volos from the surrounding area. In the 1920s there was a large influx of refugees in Volos, especially from Ionia, but also from Pontus, Cappadocia and Eastern Thrace. In the 1920 census, Volos had 30,046 inhabitants but according to the 1928 census, its population had grown to 47,892.
Volos, unlike other towns in Thessalian plain, enjoys a mild mediterranean climate with can-be-hot-but-bearable summers (though a little bit humid) and mild winters. Spring and Autumn are the best to visit the city itself, Winter is the time to be on the Pelion mountain villages, and Summer definitely dedicated to the numerous beaches of the region on Pagasetic gulf and the Aegean Sea.
PLACE TO VISIT
The Athanasakeion Archaeological Museum of Volos open Tuesday - Sunday: 08:30 - 15:00, admission full: €2, reduced: €1; is one of the best smaller museums in Greece and should on no account be missed.
At first glance, Volos City Center doesn't seem particularly interesting for the traveller, but a walk in the town streets might change your first idea. Ermou street is a long paved road parallel to the promenade, Argonafton str, offering a wide variety of shops for any taste, plus a selection of "hidden" bars and cafes, especially around St.Nikolaos Square, the city cathedral, dedicated to patron saint of the sailors, St. Nicholas. There is a seaside park between the university "Papastratos building" and "Agios Konstantinos" church on the promenade. Anavros Park starts directly behind Agios Konstantinos and extends to the east all the way till Anavros beach, an open municipal strand, offering clearwater to the swimmer during the summer (and winter for the brave).
For those that have a car, there is also Alykes municipal beach, a 5-minute-drive from the center to the southwest, in the more easygoing Alykes district of Volos, having cafes and bars offering sunbeds on the sand during late at night, where you can enjoy your cocktail and take a swim as well. The municipal beach in Alykes has an entrance fee of € 1 during the day, offering a lifeguard, showering facilities, clothes-changing chambers and a beach bar. You can easily go to Alykes with city bus (blue bus) number 6 from the city hall.
El. Venizelou str., commonly known as "Iolkou" street among the locals, as well as "K.Kartali str." are vertical to the promenade and Ermou street heading north. A ten minute walk from the port through the center will bring you to Plateia Eleftherias, ie "Freedom Square", sporting some cafes. There are plans of renovating the massive Matsaggos building and arcade on Iolkou street, formerly a tobacco industry, to use it as a new landmark for the industrial past of the city, on the planned "Plateia Panepistimiou" or "University Square" which is under construction.
If you visit Volos you'll most definitely take the opportunity to visit the close mountain villages of Portaria and Makrynitsa, offering you a splendid specimen of the renowned traditional architecture of the Pelion mansions. The city view from Makrynitsa is magnificent.
In case you wander a little bit to the inner districts of the city, you will see Nea Ionia on the Northwest of the center, once a refugee camp after the disposal of the Greeks in Asia Minor after 1922, but nowadays a bustling developing city part, still offering an enormous park called Helikodromio with an open theatre inside. it can be reached with blue buses 1 and 2
HOW TO REACH
By plane - Volos airport (VOL) is situated in (Nea Anchialos), about 30 km SW from the city, and currently operates mostly weekly charter flights during the summer, directly from Amsterdam, the UK and Germany.
Air Berlin will operate every Monday and every Friday from 2 May 2008 to 31 October 2008 (Flights to/from Berlin, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Nuremberg, Vienna). There are expansion projects of the airport underway, as well as a rail connection from Volos city to the airport, so as to be able to start some commercial routes as well.
At this moment there is no regular bus connection from the airport to Volos or Pelion. The buses available at VOL airport meet only travellers of scheduled charter flights to transfer them to their accommodation, booked through a travelling agency. Other travellers can take a taxi from the airport, or travel by rental car.
By regional coach - Interurban coaches ("KTEL" buses) (KTEL Volou (site in Greek)) are by far the most convenient way to travel around Greece, as well as for intra-regional travelling. There is frequent bus service from Athens Liossion Station to Volos about 15 times a day (cost is about €20), as well as from Thessaloniki bus terminal "Macedonia" to Volos about 10 times a day (about € 12). Volos is also connected with daily direct routes to Patras, Ioannina, Larissa, Trikala, Karditsa and to many more places in continental Greece via Larissa. Interurban Bus Terminal is opposite to "Volos info center" near the City Hall, the Railway Station and the Port, on a major hub.
By train - Trains (OSE) connect Volos to other cities in Greece via Larisa. Travelling with ordinary trains can be cheaper, although a little bit slower, whereas choosing a fancy faster Intercity train will cost the same amount of money, or even more than a KTEL bus.
By Ferry - There are ferry services to Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos.
