Horto, Pelion
The Pelion peninsula in Thessaly, central Greece, is midway between Athens and Thessaloniki, and is one of the most naturally beautiful regions in Greece. It combines the evergreen slopes of Mount Pelion (1,610m) with a stunning coastline.
An enchanting blend of sea and mountains, probably the reason why Gods, according to mythology, chose it to become their summer residence, when they felt they needed a break away from Olympus.
The mountain is one of the richest areas in healing herbs in Greece, which explains why it was here that Chiron, the wise centaur, trusted Asclepius to raise the new born “snake”, still the symbol of medicine nowadays.
The peninsula’s inspiring beauties stimulated humans’ imagination to mix history with myth, as in the case of Jason with Argonauts, while Pileas and Thetis, Hercules, Hera, Achilles and many others have been for a period of time residents of this legendary mountain of the Centaurs.
Horto, also known as Horton or Hortos, is a tiny, picturesque seaside village on the shores of the Pagasitic Gulf with a population of about 150.
Nowadays, when mass tourism has turned many beautiful Mediterranean coasts into places stuffed with holiday apartment complexes, noisy bars and marinas with luxurious yachts, this area has remained relatively untouched, thus having no less to offer than a chance to regenerate.
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Moreover, despite its being so small, Horto has much for a visitor to discover:
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-It is worldwide known for the Summer Music and Art Festival, organized by the Aggelinis Chatzinikos Foundation, going on for more than 30 years. The Festival is held for appr. 2 months every summer with concerts, workshops and various events.
-Hortodia, a multicultural Choir, rehearses weekly in Horto during winter/spring. The choir is composed of permanent residents as well as people who spend long periods of their time in the area. It is an active presence in Greek cultural life and has also performed abroad.
-Numerous paths spread all over the slopes of the mountain, thus giving the chance to walking groups to enjoy them. A very active such group, the Friends of the Kalderimi, organises weekly walks and offers a lot to the maintenance of the paths by cleaning and keeping them in good condition.
-For those who are attracted to Sports of the kind, 2 Diving Centres are open from May to October in the nearby area.
-Animal Protection Associations are active all around Pelion, helping the stray animals and offering a lot to their welfare.
-A boat trip in the Pagasetic Gulf offers a chance for you to see Pelion from the see -a most pleasant experience.
-The Little Train of Pelion is also a sight not to miss.The chief engineer of the project was Evaristo De Chirico, father to the well known painter and sculptor Giorgio De Chirico, who was born in Volos.
-Meteora, a widely known and beloved destination for holidaymakers in Greece is not very far from here. You can visit it in a one day trip.
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Please click here to find information about how you come to Horto.