What Best to Do in Agios Ioannis in Pelion Mt

Agios Ioannis in Pelion is a popular seaside village on the eastern side of the lush-green Pelion mountain. It is a modestly organized village with a few nice hotels and apartments while on its beautiful coast, a series of traditional fish taverns, cafes, and small touristic shops offer their goods for the lucky travelers and visitors.

Agios Ioannis is spread around a small bay and has traditional houses with brick or stone roofs inside a lush green natural environment. You may wonder where exactly is Agios Ioannis in Pelion Mt is and why should you go there? I will tell you all about Pelion, which is, by the way, my favorite place in the whole of Greece!

This travel guide includes:

• Basic information on Pelion Mt
• Where Best to Stay in Agios Ioannis
• How to get to Agios Ioannis
• Quick tips about visiting Pelion and the village
• Things to do in Agios Ioannis in Pelion

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Pelion Mt in Greece

Pelion is a deeply forested peninsula and mountain with 28 traditional, beautiful villages full of old stone mansions, trees laden with pears, apples, chestnuts, planes, streams, and centuries-old bridges. Pelion is also surrounded by endless golden sandy beaches, from its two sides, the Pagasetic Gulf on its west and the Aegean Sea on its east.

Pelion Mountain is also known for its traditions, legends, seductive myths and historical battles that took place in the Pelion region. Legendary creatures like the Centaurus, warriors, and mythical heroes walked or lived in it.

Pelion is a four-season destination in Greece: You can enjoy amazing summer vacations on its western, eastern, and southern sides of the mountain. In winter, you can have thrilling skiing moments at its unique ski resort in Agriolefkes.

All year round you can explore its numerous hiking opportunities and outdoors like cycling, horse riding, kayaking, and rock climbing.

If you love history, there are hundreds of monasteries, centuries-old churches, libraries, and folklore and religious museums.

Agios Ioannis offers no less to the lucky ones that visit the beautiful village.

Where Best to Stay in Agios Ioannis

Kenta Beach Hotel (B&B, doubles from €65, Booking Rate 9.2) is a beautiful, seafront property overlooking the main beach of Agios Ioannis. If you prefer to be in an apartment while you are on your vacation then you will love Casa Fagrì – maisonette with a sea view of Agios Ioannis beach and a large balcony (self-catering, for up to 4 guests, rooms from €97, Booking Rate 9.6).

How to get to Agios Ioannis

Pelion Mt is roughly in the middle of mainland Greece, so you can reach it from everywhere by car. It doesn’t work as a day trip, and 2 days is too little if you are traveling from Athens.

Reaching Volos, the large town before you start your trip to Pelion, either from Athens or Thessaloniki is easy as it is connected through new highways (326 km north of Athens 3-4 hours of driving and 206 km south of Thessaloniki 2-2,5 hours of driving). However, Agios Ioannis is 55 km far from Volos town through a relatively narrow road with many turns. With the exception of summer, it can get foggy in some areas, so be prepared.

Here are the different ways to reach Agios Ioannis:

1. By car – The easiest way to reach Agios Ioannis in Pelion is definitely by car. This is because if you are traveling by bus, you will have to get to Volos and then take the bus that goes to Agios Ioannis which runs infrequently. We always book with Discover Cars and recommend them.
2. By KTEL buses (public) – Each region in Greece has its own website. As Pelion belongs to the Magnesia region you can find info for buses from Athens or Thessaloniki and also local buses connecting the villages here
3. By Tour – I have found this private tour of a great Greek company with new Mercedes cars leaving from Athens (they have free airport pick up and return!). Check out the 3-Day tour to Pelion here. This is the easiest and most convenient way to travel from the comfort of a new car.

Agios Ioannis Google Map

Get your interactive map of Agios Ioannis here, to drive to any of the places listed on our things to do in Agios Ioannis.

Quick Tips about Visiting Pelion and Agios Ioannis

• You should spend at least 3-7 days in Pelion which will give you ample time to explore many of the villages both the mountainous and the seaside ones
• Pelion village Damouchari was one of the 3 Greek locations where Mamma Mia film was shot. Don’t miss visiting the picturesque village and dancing at its tiny port the ‘Dancing Queen’!
• Every 24th of June the ancient folk custom of Klidonas Cledonas is celebrated in Agios Ioannis in a festive event
• Mobile phone reception might be a bit difficult in the most mountainous areas
• No need to book any restaurants or taverns unless you are with a large group of people (more than 20), better to give them notice in advance
• The beaches might be slightly cooler than Cyclades or Crete and a bit wavier on certain days
• Some useful items to have with you in Pelion Mt are good hiking boots if you are going to do hiking, a light jacket for the evening (it is a mountain after all), organic sunscreen, a white linen shirt, a fantastic CUPSHE Bikini, and a UPF sun hat.

Things to Do in Agios Ioannis in Pelion

Swim in Agios Ioannis 3 Stunning Beaches

Agios Ioannis, an organized and awarded with a blue flag beach, is one of the most popular beaches in the area, with golden sand, white pebbles, and crystal clear waters. I always stroll to the end of the beach where you will find its small port and a beautiful spot to enjoy the sunrise.

A great tour you can book in Agios Ioannis is to travel by boat to the underwater caves of the area.

If you pass by the Agios Ioannis port you get to the second and my favorite beach, Plaka. Here you will enjoy the sea with a deep forest background and if you get thirsty there is a small stream with fresh, drinkable water. You don’t need to bring an umbrella as the forest behind you offers a lot of shade. Plaka is one of the best beaches in Greece with crystal clear turquoise waters.

Within walking distance from Agios Ioannis, and on the other side from Plaka, you will find the beautiful Papa Nero beach. It is a unique set of golden sand, crystal clear Aegean waters, and a lush green landscape, as is most of Pelion. The beach is organized with umbrellas and sunbeds, and small tavernas along the beach offer good seafood snacks.

On your way to Papa Nero from Agios Ioannis in Pelion – a 15-minute walk max – you will cross an iron bridge with a small river underneath it. A bit towards the Papa Nero beach you will also find the large organized camping of Papa Nero.

Visit the Churches and Monasteries of Agios Ioannis

Right next to the camping in Papa Nero and under the trees, you will find the small church of Agios Ioannis the Baptist. If you would like to discover the uphill area around Agios Ioannis village, there are a few quite old chapels and churches that you can explore and visit if they are open.

Some of the churches are and you will find them in the google map I have added in this post:

• Chapel St. John the Theologian
• Church of Agios Georgios
• Church of Profitis Ilias

Explore the Nearby Pelion Villages

From Agios Ioannis village you can visit the nearby villages and discover their historical sites and natural beauties. The Folklore Museum in Agios Dimitrios has an amazing collection of folk items if you love tradition (I absolutely love it!).

Tsagarada, which is 8,5 km far from Agios Ioannis, has a plethora of things to do and see. Go to the 1000 years old plane, the gorgeous Mylopotamos beach, or have a memorable meal at Agnanti tavern. Go to Mouresi and hike to the waterfalls, stroll gorgeous historical Zagora with beautiful Chorefto beach.

Hike Agios Ioannis

If you love hiking, you should try the circular trails of Damouchari, Mouresi, and Kissos-Agios Ioannis. Find details of the trail and many other trails on Pelion Mt here.

Did you Go to Agios Ioannis in Pelion Mt?

Did you manage to go to Pelion? What were the best things you did in the area? Let me know in the comments below, I’d love to hear whether I managed to get it onto your bucket list! 🙂

Travel Guides to the other Pelion Villages

If you’re looking for deeper information, check out my in-depth Pelion villages travel guides for a ton of details on accessing all these places.

• Travel Guide to Pelion Mount
• Makrinitsa, Pelion’s balcony
• Portaria, the stone mansions village
• Zagora, the apple village
• Tsagarada, the artists’ village

Athens Quick Reference

• Where to stay in Athens: Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens (Doubles from €629 Β&Β) & Ancient Agora Apartments (Doubles from €95 Β&Β), Attalos Hotel (Doubles from €62 Β&Β)
• Heading to the Greek Islands from Athens? Book your ferry tickets in advance with no-hidden-fees FerryScanner or FerryHopper
• Essential Things to Have for Athens Metro: An anti-theft design Backpack, a World Travel Adapter Kit
• For Beach and Greece Lovers: Microfiber Quick Drying Beach Towel that looks like the Greek Flag!
• Private transfer with an English-speaking driver from Athens International Airport to Piraeus Ferries. Check availability and prices on Viator here
• Map of Athens Metro
• COVID INFO FOR GREECE: Ministry of Tourism Official Website

My favorite Travel Resources for Greece