Volos.
Your next chapter?

Overview

Volos (Greek: Βόλος) is a city of 86,000 people (2021) in Thessaly, almost midway between Athens (326 km) and Thessaloniki (219 km). Volos is an industrial city with a large port, but there are a few hidden gems here that you might find as you pass through to islands or Pelion.

Understand

History 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 the 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 of the 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 times to visit the city itself, Winter is the time to be on the Pelion mountain villages, and Summer should definitely be dedicated to the numerous beaches of the region on the Pagasetic gulf and the Aegean Sea.

Being privileged to be situated on the foothills of Mount Pelion, the mythical mountain of the centaurs, and bounded by Goritsa Hill to the Southeast, Volos sports nice weather all year long, with the sea and mountain breezes dominant in all city areas.

Tourist information Volos tourist office has plenty of useful information about Volos, including a free town map and a free Volos travel guide. Volos tourist office is located opposite the bus station in Palea district.

Get in

Volos Airport is in Nea Anchialos, about 30 km SW from the city.

The Volos Airport Official Page has a full updated timeline.

It also operates weekly charter flights during the summer, directly from Amsterdam, the UK and Germany.

There is a bus connecting airport and Volos Bus Station . Buses are waiting to pick up travelers after a plane lands. Travellers of charter flights are transferred to their accommodation by their tour agency.

If you have a car, the airport parking area charge is free.

There are buses that originate in Serbia or Hungary and go to Volos, and also buses that start from Athens and stop on the highway close to Volos (at Velestino exit). This exit is far away from both the airport and Volos, so it is not recommended.

Generally, intercity coaches ("KTEL" buses) (KTEL Volou) are by far the most convenient way to travel around Greece, as well as for intra-regional travelling. This is doubly true for travelling to Volos from Athens, where the train takes four to five and you have to change in Larissa, as opposed to the bus that needs 4 hours to connect directly from Athens. However, the train station in Athens is better accessible by the metro than Liosion Bus Terminal.

Volos is also connected with daily direct routes from Patras, Ioannina, Larissa, Trikala, Karditsa and from many more places in continental Greece via Larissa. Interurban Bus Terminal is opposite the Volos Info Center near the City Hall, the Railway Station and the Port, on a major hub. If you buy the return ticket, it is cheaper than buying two separate tickets, though the return leg must be completed within one month.

Trains (OSE) connect Volos from other cities in Greece via Larisa. The train from Athens, takes approximately four hours and involves a change at Larissa. Most locals travel from Athens by intercity coaches. If you are travelling from Thessaloniki or elsewhere in the northern parts of Greece then trains are often quicker than a bus. The historic , built in the 1880s, is located just west of the city centre.

There are ferry services to Skiathos, Skopelos, and Alonissos.

Get around

Details on buses, can be found online here

For going further away around Volos, you can use the Interurban Bus Terminal ("Yperastiko KTEL"). Details on buses, can be found online here

Taxis in Volos, as everywhere in Greece are comparably cheap. Groups of three or four could consider using a taxi to go sightseeing around Volos, Pelion [for example.

Most of Volos is quite flat, that makes it very easy for cycling, and a lot of locals do cycle. Especially the waterfront is the best area for cycling. Generally, cycling is a recommended way to move around. Volos has a network of bicycle lanes, however the lines are often blocked with parked cars and hardly anybody use them.

Several streets at the center of the town have been pedestrianized, mainly around Ermou Street and St. Nicolas church. Along the pedestrianized streets there are a lot of cafe places. The waterfront is also an excellent area for walking. When the weather is good it's packed with people walking around and enjoying the sun.

See

Athanasakeion Archaeological Museum of Volos. This is one of the best smaller museums in Greece and should on no account be missed.

Brickworks Museum N. & S. Tsalapata. It is a rare example of surviving industrial plant in the Greek area. It belongs to the Network of Thematic Technological Museums of the Piraeus Bank Group Cultural Foundation (PIOP). The Brickworks Factory was founded in 1926 by brothers Tsalapata. The total area amounts to 22,000 m². In this factory manufactured various types of bricks and tiles. It employed, on its peak operation, 250 people and the installed capacity in machinery reached 300 horsepower. The Brickworks Factory N.S. &. Tsalapata shut down to 1978. The grinders, presses, the koftires the clay tanks, wagons and furnace Hoffmann reconstruct the production process.

Volos Town Museum. A museum about Volos town history.

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).

Archaeological site of Ancient Dimini. Ancient Dimini was a neolithic village which has been excavated and uncovered. Of particular interest are the well preserved House N, where a pot was discovered beneath the floor with the burnt remains of a child (an ancient resident as opposed to a more recent one!) and the Tombi grave, similar to that at Mycenae, which is buried deep into the ground near the fortified town, but with a caved in roof. Shade is sparse, so make sure to visit early in the morning. Adjacent to these ruins, and to be opened soon (although how long this has been the case is not said!) are some Mycenaean ruins, which include a large palace. These ruins, whilst not open yet, can be viewed from behind a limit, and are expected to be part of the as-of-yet-undiscovered ancient city of Iolkos, the home of Jason (of Argonaut fame!) There is an interesting audio guide tour available for free in both Greek and English.

Archaeological site of Ancient Sesklo. Sesklo is a more impressive site in terms of its location, but is less impressive in terms of the remains. It's far larger, and is perched on top of a hill from where it can see all around the local area. It was either a local trading partner, or the main rival to nearby Dimini. Archaeologists aren't sure. Worth a visit, but it's not as interesting as Dimini.

Do

Swim There are acceptable beaches towards the southern end of the city at Anavros. To get there, follow the coastal promenade south from Argonafton St or park in the roads behind the city hospital.

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. You can easily go to Alykes with city bus (blue bus) number 6 from the city hall.

Most locals, however, head to beaches outside of the city on the other side of the giant cement works, to beaches at Agria (20 min by bus), or Platanidia. You can easily go to Agria and Platanidia with city bus (blue bus) number 5 which starts from the Bus Station and passes through Iasonos and Polymeri str. Generally, the water is clearer and cleaner the further away from Volos' port.

If you do have a car and you want to go to a beach, it is well worth getting out of the city limits and beyond; some of the best beaches on the Greek mainland can be found on Pelion.

Cinema There are several cinemas in Volos. Films are shown in original language with Greek subtitles, whereas cartoons are dubbed. In the summer make sure you get to one of the open air cinemas (Θερινό σινεμά).

Εxoraistiki. Summer outdoor cinema. The only one in Volos.

Other Football: Volos FC play soccer in Superleague, the Greek top tier. Their home ground is Panthessaliko Stadium (capacity 22,700) by the ring road 3 km north of town centre.

Buy

The main shopping district is along and around Ermou St.

English books can be bought at main bookstores:

Public. Ground floor has computers, cameras, phones etc, books are on the basement. The biggest bookstore in Volos

Kentro Tupou. Offers a selection of foreign language magazines and papers.

There is a good food market every Friday.

Easywash - SelfService. Self-service laundry.

Plastigga Microbrewery. Given the owner's long standing policy of not shipping to customers outside of Volos and Pilion, this microbrewery is one of the few places one can buy Plastigga beer. The Urban Ale and the Weiss are its most popular beers, although other recipes are also occasionally brewed. Interesting imports are also sold.

Eat

As with the rest of Greece, the restaurants in Volos are far more varied than appears at first glance. In Greece, the so-called restaurants (eστιατόριο) usually serve hot food that has been prepared earlier in the day and kept warm in large dishes (better than it sounds!) Beyond that there's the local specialities, the tsipouradika restaurants (Τσιπουράδικα or Ουζερί) where seafood is served, and the tavernas (Ταβέρνα) where mostly meat dishes are served.

There are also psistaries (Ψησταριά) (Grill houses) where the main dish is grilled meat, and also souvlatzidika (Οβελιστήριο or Σουβλατζίδικο) where souvlaki are served. Psistaries serve mostly meat, salads and french fries. One portion is 330gr of grilled meat.

People in Greece usually eats late in the evening (21:00 - 00:00), and so, during the day, most taverns, psistaries and restaurants are closed. However, tsipouradika and the ubiquitous Greek fast food restaurants are open all day long.

O Dervisis. You have to taste the chips, soft and tasty.

Papadis (Παπαδής). Tsipouradiko and seafood. At the waterfront.

MeZen. Good gourmet food, difficult to find an empty table to sit.

Gea (Γαία). Cheap, traditional Greek restaurant. One of the best options if you want to try Greek cuisine.

Lemonas Leonidas. Good food, good fish. Nice outdoor seating near the church

La Marimba. Romantic restaurant with a cosy courtyard with a lot of trees. Good Mexican food, albeit adjusted to the Greek palate, with considerably less spiciness! Great drinks - try their margaritas, or caipirinhas and mojitos. It might be a good idea to book ahead during the high season if you're hoping to eat here between 21:00 and 23:00.

Sogno di San. Italian style pizzas and pasta. (Evening only)

Plagios. Greek flavours with a twenty-first century twist. Very tasty food, excitingly presented and in a stylish, yet unpretentious, restaurant. Avoid weekends if you want to avoid crowds - it gets very busy on F-Su evenings, with people coming in for drinks as well as food.

Drink

Winter bars, pubs and clubs, usually close down during summer. Most of them have a different facility for the summer, usually by the sea. The most popular Coffee places are in Koumoundourou (Κουμουνδούρου) Str. and at the seafront. Another place which gathers a lot of people in the evening, mostly during the summer, is Palaia, near Krokiou (Κροκιού) Str.

PocoPico. Tiny budget choice. Open all year round.

Αββαείο. Huge variety of beers. Serves food, nice mostly German dishes, food on the expensive side. Open all year round.

Balthassar. Huge variety of beers. Has also 7 options for eating like pizza etc. Open all year round.

Brazil. Close to Agios Konstantinos church. Spacious, nice sea and Volos view. Open all year round.

Cafe Santan. Rock, Jazz, Blues Bar, one of the most famous bars in Greece. Has been around for almost 30 years and is known for its place in the Greek Rock History as most of the famous Greek rock singers have sometime played there, along with worldwide famous blues and jazz artists. Open all year round.

Posh. Electronic music. Beer , Spirits . Open all year round.

Lab Art. Live rock music every Friday and Saturday. Open in the winter only.

Isalos. Nice, classy coffee shop on the waterfront. Nicely decorated.

Perispomeni. In front of a park with a kids playground.

Bossa. Nice decoration, clean area, one of the few places that smoking is not allowed. Try hot chocolate.

Sleep

There are many hotels in Volos. Most are in centre near the sea. Car parking could be hard to find in the centre of Volos.

Philippos Hotel. Hotel Philippos is a two-star city hotel in the city centre of Volos, close to the main commercial road of Ermou and just a block away from the Port road. It has well equipped, air conditioned rooms ideal for travellers. Free Wifi.

Aegli hotel. Comfortable hotel, with good breakfast provided.

Domotel Xenia Volou Hotel. A five-star hotel near the waterfront, ten minutes walk to the south of the centre.

Volos Palace. Very nice hotel with breakfast buffet, bar and restaurant. Modern, comfortable rooms, half of which have a sea view. Helpful staff, most of whom speak English.