Please Rate Vote 1 Vote 2 Vote 3 Vote 4 Vote 5  

The backbone of Pelion…

Having left a carefree wandering in every single part of the country, seeking the ultimate destination which will host in the best way the diverse desires and dreams, your delightful search will end once the compass of your instinct will lead to the unique beauty of «Mountain of the Centaurs».

Tsagarada is one of the most beautiful and famous villages of the mountain, offering a magnificent view to the Aegean Sea. A village full of elegance; offers generously, freshness, serenity and beauty.

Divided into four districts, with different color each. Firstly, Agioi Taxiarches district, followed by Agia Paraskevi district and then Agios Stefanos district. Finally, Agia Kiriaki district which is lower than the others.

The picturesque village houses nestle sparse, in the green of the mountain, surrounded by large flowery hull with wildflowers, beautiful gardenias, camellias and hydrangeas. A place truly blessed with constant all year round tourism.

Tsagarada first appears in history around 1600 AD. Maybe, somewhere close to the sea, where the ruins of the castle of the Byzantine period, there was formerly the first village, which must have the same name. In place Paliokastro, down to the beach are the ruins of the settlement that substantiate this view. But occasionally, various raiding of pirates and robbers forced the inhabitants to move to higher locations for security purposes.

Later, according to the tradition, this place in the early years of Ottoman rule, was the estate of apostate (exomoti) Evrenos Bey. But when autonomy was given by the Sultan, it became one of the villages of Chasia (Royal estate).

As to what does the name Tsagarada mean there are two versions. Firstly, in this area in the past there were many flocks called Tsagadia, and secondly that in Slavic, Tsagarada means nice location (or nice view). Tradition also tells us that the first name of Tsagarada was Kastanea.

The village consists of many mansions, made according to the local architecture of Pelion region. However, there are many other buildings that were built more than one hundred years ago, when the immigrants of the place, they built their mansions in a different rate.

Tsagarada could not be a exception of the villages, whose emigrants glorified their homeland. In our village brothers Evangelos and Sophocles Achillopoulos were born, who gave money for the establishment of the Hospital of Volos (Achillopoulos Hospital), and establishing the famous Achillopoulos Business School in Tsagarada. They also left a bequest to educate children, originating from Pelion, in foreign universities.

John Kartalis has also founded a school in Tsagarada (Kartalis Primary School) which is located in the district of Agioi Taxiarches and unfortunately isn’t in a very good condition nowadays.

Nicolaos Nanopoulos on the other hand offered money for the completion of the road that joined the train station of Miles with Tsagarada. He was also founder of Nanopoulos School of Tsagarada located at the district of Agia Paraskevi, which nowadays houses the Primary School.

Finally, Tsagarada is the homeland of Cleanthes Triantafillou, a singer known as Attik. His ability in composing and singing and his complex talent, were the key factors that made him famous in the past. Distinct character, but not very well known, was Evangelinos Sophocles Apostolides who was born here in 1804 and excelled as a professor of Medieval and Modern Greek at the famed University of Harvard.

In each of the four districts there is a church which stands imposing. Each district was named after the church that is located in district’s square. The central square of the village is in the district of Agia Paraskevi whose church was built in 1719 but renovated in later rate in 1909. The church in Agios Stefanos district was built in 1772, whereas the church in Agioi Taxiarches district was built in 1746. Finally, the church of Agia Kiriaki district was built in 1886.

Seaport of Tsagarada the famous Milopotamos with two wonderful beaches with very small pebbles, which does not stick to the body of bathers, is a beautiful Aegean corner. Above the beaches there is a plateau, which is used as a parking area, with spectacular views towards the shore, where anyone can enjoy the beautiful sunrise. A series of graphics stairs will lead you to the two beaches.

Wild beauty also has the beachfront location of Fakistra. From this beach someone can go by boat to Panagia Megalomata location, which is a cave dedicated to Panagia (Virgin Mary), whose picture is also there. Next to the cave, according to tradition, it was the secret school where monk was teaching children during the Ottoman rule.

Photo gallery