Zagora, 47 kilometers north of the city of Volos, is not among the most popular tourist destinations in the famously lush district of Pilio in central Greece. It is, however, one of the most populated semimountainous villages in the country. The secret lies in its apples -- the Starking Delicious variety marketed by the local cooperative under the “Zagorin” label -- for which it is famous and on which its economy is primarily based.
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It was not always so. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Zagora was described as one of the most important cities in the region of Thessaly, thanks to its booming trade in silk and wool garments. It produced an estimated 40 tons of silk a year and exported far and wide from the nearby village of Horefto. Indeed, it was a rather curious case of a non-coastal community which owned as many as 150 ships. The resulting wealth helped make Zagora a center of learning, with notable schools and a rich historical library. It reached its heyday in the 19th century, when several locals made fortunes in Egypt.
The village comprises four distinct neighborhoods named after their respective churches: Aghia Paraskevi (or Perahora), Aghia Kyriaki, Aghios Georgios and Sotira. All four have scenic squares, ornate fountains and impressive stone-built churches which formed their original respective nuclei. You will see several imposing mansions and tower houses -- testimony to past riches -- representative of the traditional Pilio architecture, mainly in Aghios Georgios and Aghia Kyriaki. A number of them have been gradually converted into deluxe guesthouses for some of the approximately 10,000 visitors that visit Zagora annually. New houses are also built in the traditional style, with slate roofs and ornate doorways, while their rich flower gardens never fail to impress.
The Basilica of Aghios Georgios, built in 1765, is representative of modern Greek baroque, built by stonemasons from Moldova. Aghia Kyriaki, on the other hand, built in 1740, has splendid internal decor and a gilded, wood-carved altar screen.
Horefto, 7 km from Zagora on the coast, is Pilio’s longest sandy beach (2.5 km), with crystal-clear waters and tavernas shadowed by tall plane trees. One version regarding the etymology of the village (the root of the word is related to “horos,” or “dance”) is the dancing on the feast day celebrated by the Chapel of Aghios Ioannis Prodromos on August 29.
The old exporting settlement, of which a number of stone houses still stand, was immortalized as “The School of the Sea” by poet Georgios Drosinis. A verdant path from the northern side leads to smaller isolated beaches, such as Parisaina and Analipsi, some of which attract nudists. Small boats will take you further along the coast.
Six kilometers north of Zagora is Pouri, reached via a scenic route through a chestnut forest. It is a picturesque and quiet village, with minimal tourist development, perched on the mountain slope on three levels at an elevation of around 450 meters. Almost all of the two-floor stone houses -- with slate or red-tile roofs and flourishing gardens -- have unlimited views of the sea. Some of its elegant mansions are centuries old. A cobbled alleyway leads from the lower part to the wonderful central square, which has an impressive old basilica and has been dubbed “the balcony of the Aegean.” Down on the coast are the scenic beaches of Ovrios (8 km) and Elitsa.
For nature lovers, it’s worth walking to the springs of Lagonika and seeing the arched stone bridges of Poros and Diakoumis in the nearby ravine. Halfway between Zagora and Pouri is the Kalokairinos stream, which descends from the Megalovrahos waterfall -- Pilio’s highest.
The Lagonika ravine separates Pouri from Palia Mitzela -- a coastal settlement destroyed by the Turks in 1828. It is accessed with difficulty -- one option being by boat from Horefto in the summer months. Pilio’s terrain is wonderfully scenic but rough and requires a good map and car.
What to see & buy
The Church of Aghios Georgios, for its impressive architecture and decor; the rich library, founded in 1760, with some 15,000 volumes, including rare publications dating to 1495; Ellinomouseio, Zagora’s historic school, which is in need of maintenance; the village of Makryrahi, the tranquil “village of flowers” south of Zagora known for its climate; buy preserves from the women’s cooperative and pasta products from Alkiviadis Georgoudis’s workshop; in Pouri, visit Popotech, an arts-and-crafts workshop.
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