Thessaly is the region of great plains in the middle of Greece, ringed by mountains: the Pindus to the west, Olympus to the north, Ossa and Pelion to the east. The plain is the country's breadbasket, growing cereals and cotton. In September 2023 Storm Daniel caused catastrophic floods that submerged much of it.
What to see
| Place | Why |
|---|---|
| Meteora | Six inhabited Orthodox monasteries built from the 14th century atop huge rock pinnacles; UNESCO |
| Kalambaka and Kastraki | The villages below Meteora, base for visits and hikes |
| Mount Olympus | Mountain of the gods, national park; climbed from Litochoro on the Macedonian side |
| Vale of Tempe | Green gorge carved by the Pinios river between Olympus and Ossa, sacred to Apollo |
| Pelion | Mountainous peninsula with stone villages such as Makrinitsa, Tsagarada and Milies, a narrow-gauge railway and Aegean beaches |
| Volos | Lively port town, home of tsipouro and tsipouradika; from here Jason set out with the Argonauts |
| Larissa | The capital, with an ancient theatre in the city centre |
| Trikala | Town with a Byzantine castle and an old Ottoman quarter |
Meteora
Meteora means "suspended in the air". From the 14th century monks and hermits built dozens of monasteries on the rocks, once reachable only by rope ladders or nets hauled by winches. Six remain active and can be visited by stairways: Great Meteoron, Varlaam, Rousanou, St Stephen, Holy Trinity and St Nicholas Anapafsas. Modest dress is required: shoulders covered and, for women, a long skirt, often lent at the entrance.
Getting there
Trains link Athens and Thessaloniki with Larissa and, with a change, Kalambaka; the Athens-Thessaloniki motorway crosses the region. Ferries leave Volos for the Sporades.
See also Central Greece and Macedonia.