Greece - Korina Miller [195]
Orientation
The waterfront street of Argonafton is, for half its length, a pedestrian zone; running parallel to it are the city’s main thoroughfares of Iasonos, Dimitriados and Ermou. Ermou and its side streets make up another lively pedestrian precinct, anchored by the church at Plateia Agiou Nikolaou, populated by dozens of apparently devout skateboarders. Plateia Riga Fereou is at the northwestern end of the main waterfront area, near the train station. The bus station is 500m further along Grigoriou Lambraki, opposite the tourist information centre. Drivers dreaming of parking in the city centre should wake up and head for the car park at the quay (€1 per hour).
Information
BOOKSHOPS
Papasotiriou Books ( 24210 76210; Dimitriados 223) Has a good collection of English titles, newspapers and maps.
EMERGENCY
Tourist police ( 24210 76987; 28 Octovriou 179) Locals also refer to the street name for 28 Octovriou as Alexandras.
Volos General Hospital ( 24210 72421; Polymeri 134) Near the Archaeological Museum.
INTERNET ACCESS
Web ( 24210 30260; Iasonos 41; per hr €3; 24hr) Internet shop. Many waterfront cafe-bars have free wi-fi.
LAUNDRY
Q-Laundry ( 24210 31216; Filelinon 5; 8.30am-8.30pm Mon-Fri)
MONEY
There are several bank ATMs on Argonafton, Iasonos and Dimitriados.
POST
Post office (cnr Dimitriados & Agiou Nikolaou; 7.30am-8pm)
TOURIST INFORMATION
Volos Information Centre & Hotels’ Association of Magnesia ( 24210 30940; www.travel-pelion.gr; cnr Grigoriou Lambraki & Sekeri; 8am-8pm; ) Just opposite the bus station. The helpful multilingual staff at this modern facility offer hotel information, town maps, and bus, train and ferry schedules along with helpful travel tips for the Pelion Peninsula and two fast internet computers free of charge.
Sights
The excellent Archaeological Museum ( 24210 25285; Athanasaki 1; admission €2; 8am-8pm Tue-Sun, 1.30-8pm Mon) houses area finds from Dimini and Sesklo, along with an impressive collection of painted grave stelae from the nearby Hellenistic site of Dimitrias, including a mother-and-child image expressing stenohoria (sadness).
The superb Makris Folk Art Centre ( 24210 37119; Afendouli/Kitsou Makri 38; admission free; 8.30am-12.30pm Mon-Fri, 10.30am-2pm Sun) is an intimate house-museum that also features 25 paintings by Theophilos Hatzimichael, mostly small murals that were carefully removed from buildings around the Pelion Peninsula, where the artist often traded his art for a warm meal. The museum is maintained by the University of Thessaly.
From 1926 until 1975, the Tsalapatas Rooftile and Brickworks was part of the cultural fabric of Volos. In 2006, the restored plant opened as the handsome Tsalapatas Brickworks Museum ( 24210 29844; old town; admission €3; 10am-6pm Wed-Mon 1 Mar-15 Oct, 10am-5pm 16 Oct-28 Feb) with brick-making machinery, grinding mills and massive kilns on display.
Sleeping
BUDGET
The nearest camping grounds to Volos are side by side at Kato Gatzea, 17km away, on the west coast of the Pelion Peninsula.
Camping Hellas ( 24230 22267; www.campinghellas.gr; camp sites per adult/tent €6/4; ) This place shares the same beach as its neighbour and is equal in most respects.
Sikia Fig Tree Camping ( 24230 22279; www.camping-sikia.gr; camp sites per adult/tent €5.50/3.60; ) This is a well-managed facility with a decent restaurant, minimarket and beach bar. Book ahead if you plan to come in July or August.
Hotel Roussas ( 24210 21732; fax 24210 22987; Iatrou Tzanou 1; s/d from €29/35; ) This small and friendly no-frills waterfront hotel near the Archaeological Museum has simple and spotless tile-floored rooms with balcony, though street-side rooms will catch weekend traffic noise.
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