Volos and the train that could

Megan and I had been saturated with island living and serene peaceful anchorages after our time in the Sporades, and we were hankering for some big city lights. So we upped and headed for the big smoke of Volos.

Pavlov's own little ray of sunshine.

Volos is the third largest city in Greece and is a major port town for the Thessaly region. It is about halfway between Thessaloniki and Athens. In ancient times, it was named Iolkos, and was home to Jason and his Argonauts. You can see a recreation of the vessel purportedly used to return the Golden Fleece below.

Jason, looking for crew?

Major port facilities in Volos

Usually, we moor up to the town dock, using any vacant space, and we did so at Volos. Megan and I then strolled out, and had a very pleasant meal at a traditional Tsipourodikhi, a restaurant that serves a variety of ouzo (tsipouro) along with mezes, small seafood dished. The food was fantastic and very cheap. Around 2030, we returned to the dock to find a very angry Greek skipper and his yacht squeezed in next to us. It turns out that these were private moorings, and we'd stolen one belonging to Nereida, a famous John Alden designed charter ketch. Even though we were both now moored safely, the Greek skipper maintained his rage and insisted we leave immediately even though it was dark. We did so and moored up alongside on the main breakwater. This structure is 800 metres long and we were the only vessel moored there. Pavlov felt kind of lonely!

Nereida, the Alden ketch whose place we stole.

Volos was an interesting city, with wide boulevards, lots of shops and cafes and home to the University of Thessaly.

University of Thessaly main building

Volos boulevard at sunset, as the colour fades from the day.

Volos is located in the Pelion, a mountainous peninsula that juts into the Aegean Sea. The Pelion is reputedly the home of the Centaurs those frisky half-horse / half-men creatures, who were both ravagers of young virgins, and dispensers of healing and wisdom. Chiron, a famous centaur, was the tutor to Jason, Thesseus and other Greek heroes.

Bronze of a centaur

The mountainous area was quite inaccessible and was never conquered fully by the Ottoman's. It serves as a breeding ground for resistance for the Greek war of Independence.

Cafe owner at Ana Lehonas

A narrow gauge railway, built in 1892, was the first attempt to provide some infrastructure to this area. Previously, donkeys were used to provide transport in the region, which is threaded with paved donkey trails. Part of this rail line still operates between Ana Lehonas and Milies, so we purchased tickets for a return trip.

Station at Ana Lehonas

A narrow gauge diesel replaces the old steam locomotive

Fellow passengers

A local bus took us up to Ana Lehonas. We boarded the 4 carriage train with a lot of grandparents with kids. Looks like trains still have their appeal with youngsters.  It's quite mountainous terrain, and the track winds its way up the hills, with stone and iron bridges and rock parapets to span the empty spaces.

Looking over the bay of Volos from the train

A stone bridge

Crossing the bridge 

Rock cuttings and steep falls 

The mountain village of Gazea

There was a halfway stop after about 30 minutes, at the town of Gazea. The total time from Ana Lehona to Milies is 90 minutes.

Entering Gazea station

The Schoema traction engine

View from Gazea station

One of several tunnels enroute

High cliffs over the bay of Volos

Iron bridge just before Milieas

Don't look down, Charlie Brown

Entering the station at Milieas

Mileas station

The train departed at 1000, and arrived at Mileas at 1130. It was interesting to watch all the men work to reverse the train on the manual turn table.

Switchmen reversing the train

Around she goes

No lack of horse power here!

The return trip doesn't begin until 1500, plenty of time for a walk into the village of Milies, and a leisurely lunch at the local grill house. This type of Greek restaurant specialises in grilled meats, which roast in the ovens outside the restaurant, filling the whole valley with tempting food smells.

Greek grill house, with outdoor tables and ovens.

Public spring 

Sleeping off lunch

Still sleeping off lunch

We had a relaxed return journey and a great day out. Still, city living has to come to an end sometime. Megan is off to the skin specialist for a cancer check-up on Monday, then we'll head out for the Evvia channel and the famous draw-bridge at Chalkis.