What do you suggest for Volos?

[Analog187]

On the NCL Star soon and we're stopping in Volos for the last full day.  We will be in too late (noon) to get to Meteora and back.  There is only one tour offered by the ship and it didn't seem too exciting.  I tried to look at private tours but most I found were either very expensive private tours or tours involving snorkeling, kayaking or swimming.  Since it'll be November, not really interested in that.  Any other ideas?

[ISLABONITA]

Husband and I rented bikes and rode around town, according to posts I researched.   I found a blog with many ideas.  https://www.bikeorhike.gr/bike-rental.php

• Explore the harbour front – whether you walk or cycle, there are luxury yachts to admire, endless coffee bars, promenades at sunset and shady parks on the stretch of harbour between the port and the beach.
• Hire a bike to enjoy the cycling city of Volos with flat streets and seaside paths.
• Try the Tsipouro – an anise flavoured spirit which is served with plates of mezes.
• Check out some of the street art in Volos, with striking murals from Greece’s top urban artists.
• Spend the day in Makrinitsa – balcony of the Pelion with amazing views over the city and sea.
• Take the little train of Pelion from Ano Lekhonia up to the pretty mountain village o of Milies.

The harbour front divides into different sections, with the port at one end and the beach at the other. The area between the port car park and the commercial port is a good place to look at yachts and see some smaller, traditional fishing boats.

 

3. AGIOS KONSTANTINOS PARK AND ANAVROS PARK

The stretch of harbour beyond the University of Thessaly building is backed by a pleasant green space named after Saint Konstantinos, whose church also sits overlooking the sea. The broad promenade makes a great place for cycling and the trees offer some cool shade to sit among the statues and sculptures. There are a number of seafront cafes to choose from at the park, to indulge in the unmissable Volos pass-time of morning coffee.

Continuing past the church, you’ll walk through another green space, Anavros Park where there are some striking sculptures of the Greek Sculptor Philolaos Tloupas. The concrete orbs bounded by metal that shimmer in the sun, remain from the 1st International Sculpture Symposium that took place here in 1988

HIRE BIKES IN VOLOS

The stretch of harbour front that I’ve described is quite a long, albeit very pleasant walk, so you may like to hire bikes to get around while staying in Volos. We hired from a shop called Bike30 that’s close to Agios Konstantinos Park and I think the cost us a reasonable €28 per bike per day

8. STREET ART IN VOLOS

I was surprised to spot some street art murals as we explored Volos and on investigating further realised that there’s a whole outdoor art gallery waiting to be discovered. Much of it is due to projects by Urban Act, an organisation that promotes street art and organises mural festivals in Athens and other locations around Greece.

ST NICHOLAS CATHEDRAL IN VOLOS

In the heart of Volos is the square with Agios Nikolaos or St Nicholas Metropolitan Cathedral which is surrounded by streets of shops, restaurants and bars. It’s a landmark of the city and worth a look for the beautiful frescoes and peaceful atmosphere among the bustle of the streets nearby.

 

https://www.ventureashore.com/europe-mediterranean/volos-greece/volos-and-mount-pelion-tour/?cnt=US

 

Edited October 27, 2022 by ISLABONITA

[Analog187]

Thanks!

[shaunmn]

Thanks for sharing your research. We are planning to do this port without an excursion. Bikes sound like a lot of fun!