Drakeia, Pelion, the martyr village with the oldest square in Pelion

Drakeia is a traditional settlement built at an altitude of 500 m. on a fertile slope above the Wormwood. It was built by Epirus craftsmen around 1655 and is considered one of the oldest villages of Pelion. The Drakeia is included in "«martyr villages» 1941-1944, as in the village, on 18-12-1943, 115 Greek fighters were executed by the Germans.

A predominantly agricultural village, with the majority of residents engaged in agricultural production. The fertile hillside on which it is built is full of olive trees, which produce excellent olive oil, apple trees, firikies (PDO), pear trees, and chestnut trees.

DRAKEIA –SIGHTS

The village has two squares, which you will find in the upper and lower districts.

• The Lower square with the old plane tree, is considered the oldest in Pelion.

The Lower square is the central square of the village, ideal for a coffee or a meal, under the centuries-old plane tree. Here you will find the tavern "«Old Square»", on the square, the tavern Silky and the coffee "«Ligorema». Near the Lower square you will see it Memorial Monument, his church Saint Nicholas, his church Saint Athanasius on Mount Athos (1770), the school, the old oven (1909), with bread on the wood and the traditional grocery store, with local products.

• Memorial Monument, near the Lower square (central)

• Museum of Memory, Lower Square

It is housed in the old community store and includes historical audio documents, photographs, digital imaging, etc.

• On the Above square, with the plane trees and the beautiful view of the Pagasetic Gulf you will sit in the cafe-meze restaurant "«Balcony with a view».

• Folklore Museum of Agriculture & Culture Heritage of Drakeia

You will see traditional costumes, textiles, embroidery, carpets, old tools, the equipment of an old olive mill, etc.

It is located in the community store area and is open on Saturdays and weekdays by appointment (if you ask in the central square, at the tavern, they will serve you).

• Old Mansions (18^th – 19^th )

In 1955, after the devastating earthquake, the village suffered several disasters, resulting in most of the old houses being demolished. The "«Triantafyllou Mansion»", which is now a private residence. It has been described as "«work of art»", as it is a classic example of Pelion architecture with many northern Greek elements. A tower house with a solid stone volume, an elevated entrance, small windows and the classic sachnisia (balcony supported by beams).

In the outbuilding of "«Triantafyllou Mansion» the mural-landscape, with cities and villages of Greece (1832), is the masterpiece of the painter Ioannis Pagonis. The original mural is located in Kitsos Makris Folklore Center, in Volos, as well as the mural by Athanasios Pagonis, from his ancestral home in Drakeia.

The folk painter Ioannis Pagonis, from the Chioniades of Epirus, lived in Drakeia after his marriage to a Drakeiotissa. Both he and his son Athanasios Pagonis painted a large part of the mansions and churches of Pelion and mainly of Drakeia.

• Olive Oil Mill – Flour Mill of I. Michos (1880) – Stone Arched Bridge

DRAKEIA – FOOD

The traditional foods of Pelion are: bumblebee (intestine stuffed with heart and lungs, minced beef, rice, etc.), goat boiled or on parchment paper, spencer (local spicy sausage cut into slices and peppers), various pies, eggs with smoked greens, salad with chickpea sprouts (from wild pistachio). Tsitsiravla sprouts in brine are a classic tsipouromeze as they are quite salty.

In Drakeia you will find the following food outlets:

«"Old Square"», Kato Platia, grill - tavern with award-winning cuisine. You will find spit roasts, Pelion cuisine, tsipouro, wine. Ask to try the famous wild boar with plums, chestnuts, Pelion herb pie with local herbs and eggs with smoked herbs, tel. : 24280 96650

• «"Balcony with a View"», Upper Square, cafe-meze restaurant, tel.: 6980 335034. Tables on the square for coffee & tsipouro meze, with a view of the Pagasitikos. Ask for traditional boumbari, burgers, handmade cheese pie, etc.

• Silky, traditional tavern with award-winning cuisine, 30 m. from Kato Square, tel.: 24280 96015. In the summer it has tables on the square and in the winter a fireplace. Specialties include boumbari, boiled goat, zigouri in a pot, tsipouro mezedes, local wine, etc.
• The Mouries, coffee, tsipouro, food, tel.: 24280 96018.
• Ligorema, Lower Square, coffee, drinks, homemade sweets, tel.: 6973 305410. Nice place with old objects and a wood-burning stove. The owner collects the leaves and fruit of the elderberry tree (sambucus) from the area and makes spoon sweets and homemade liqueur.
• Koutsaridis Traditional Grocery Store, Lower Square. You will find traditional products, legumes, noodles, honey, spoon sweets, Pelion herbs, etc., tel.: 24280 96003.

The film of Greek cinema "«To our teacher with love»", was filmed in 1968 (released in 1969) in Drakeia and includes scenes from the village's cobblestone streets, the school and the old grocery store.

• Old oven since 1909, Kato Platia. You will come for wood-fired bread, cheese bread and tsoureki that they make themselves.

• Kapotou Irini Grocery Store – Bread Shop, Lower Square, tel.: 24283 00517. From here you can buy extra virgin olive oil and apples of their own production but also bread, sweets, buns, etc.

CHURCHES & FESTIVALS IN DRAKEIA

In Drakeia there are a total of 17 churches and chapels, many with frescoes by the folk painter Pagonis.

Within the village there are the following churches:

• Church of Agios Nikolaos, in the Lower Square

• Church of Agia Paraskevi (Metropolitan)
• Church of Saint Athanasius on Mount Athos (1770)

On July 5, on the feast of "«Mount Athos», a traditional festival takes place in the Lower Square, with treats. In the evening, the festivities continue in the Upper Square, with meze and tsipouro.

On July 8, of the Saint Prokopios A feast is held in the Upper Square and is essentially a continuation of the Athos festival from July 5th.

• Chapel of Saint Spyridon (1780) It is located on the west side of the village towards Portaria, in the Galatas district, where the village originally developed. The wooden carved iconostasis and the frescoes by Pagonis stand out.

On August 11, in the Commemoration of the Miracle of the Saint Spyridon, a big festival is held (the church celebrates on and on December 12). After the service, chickpea rice is offered (due to fasting), by the women of the village. The chickpea rice is cooked in a cauldron in the yard, from very early, and according to custom, the table is offered by a local man, for a blessing. Then, in the church courtyard, a feast follows with traditional instruments, dancing, fasting dishes and tsipouro.

• Chapel of Saint George, with a remarkable wood-carved iconostasis and frescoes by Ioannis Pagonis.
• Chapel of Holy Cross, Anemoutsa location, with a nice view.

The wooden carved iconostasis, painted in bright colors, stands out.

On September 14, at the his festival Stavrou Fava beans, halva, tsipouro, wine, coffee, etc. are offered. In the past, locals used to go by horse, but today there is a road.

DRAKEIA – EVENTS 

• «Big Halloween», Lower Square, on the last Sunday of Carnival.

The Carnival celebration in Drakeia includes a carousel in the square in the morning, flour-making and carnival games for children. At noon, a traditional feast follows, with zournades and daoulia, dancing and treats such as halva, herb pies and hot red wine flavored with cinnamon and orange. At the end of the day, bonfires are lit and the celebration ends with the burning of the Carnival King (information: Development-Cultural Association "Drakeia").

• Olive Festival, 4-day events, 1^th Saturday after August 15th.

The Olive Festival includes an exhibition of olive products, photographic material, activities for children on the theme of olives, cooking classes with judges known chefs, such as Eleni Psychouli and Timoleon Diamantis, tsipouro appetizers and treats, (information: Developmental-Cultural Association "Drakia").

• Three-Day Remembrance Events & "Memory and Sacrifice" Road Race«, Agria-Drakeia, 10.5 km, on December 15-18, (information from the Municipality of Volos and the Regional Administration of Agria).

• Candlemas Eve – Singers' Tradition An old custom where the men and older boys of the village go from house to house saying good wishes. Each house offers money, treats, offerings for the church, etc. The purpose is charitable, e.g. the maintenance of a church. The Singers They start early in the morning for the homes of the Drakiots in Agria and Volos. In the evening, divided into 2 groups, they visit the homes located in the two districts of the village, the upper and the lower, to offer their wishes.
• May Day Party, in the Lower Square. On May Day, the Lower Square of Drakeia is decorated with a large May Day wreath and is prepared for the celebration. At noon, in the square under the plane tree, a feast is set up with Pelion zurnades, daoulia, lutes, as well as live music and songs from an orchestra.

    HIKING IN DRAKEIA

Walk along the cobblestone streets to discover the beauties of the village, the old houses, the Byzantine churches and chapels, the fountains, the old olive presses, the stone bridges.

FOUNTAIN (1912) WITH DRINKING WATER, LOWER SQUARE

Indicative routes:

• Hiking around the village, following the path from the old Doukas Olive Oil Mill to Olive Oil Mill – Flour Mill of I. Michos. Easy route through chestnut trees, apple trees, plane trees, beech trees, water and old stone bridges.

• Hiking Drakeia – Chania – Pelion Ski Center "Agriolefkes"«, dirt path next to the ravine and through a forest with chestnut trees, beeches, and white oaks (approximately 5.2 km, 2.5 hours).

• Hiking Drakeia – Chania – Pelion Ski Center, through the asphalt road. The distance between Drakia and Chania is 8 km and the distance between Chania and Agriolefkes Ski Center is 2 km.

• Hiking Drakeia – Agios Spyridonas – Alykopetra – Chania or Portaria. Uphill path with signs and of moderate difficulty. At Alikopetra there is a junction with signs to Chania and along the way you will find springs with drinking water.

• Hiking Drakeia – Agios Lavrentios, dirt road (3.7 km, 50').

DRAKEIA-ACCOMMODATION

In Drakeia, accommodations are scarce and you will mainly find residences.

A selection:

• Filoxenia Drakia, country house, tel.: 23820 83077, 6947687078.

The residence is particularly pet-friendly, and features a garden for endless play. You can have your pet inside the room without any restrictions (disinfection is done and bed linen and carpets are changed after each guest).

They will offer you a basket of handmade traditional products and a guided tour of the beauties of the village.

Also at "Filoxenia" you will find original handmade items for gifts to buy.

Offer for driverstories from the "«Filoxenia Drakia» : for 7 nights + 1 night free, that is, you will stay 8 days and pay for 7 (valid all year round).

• The cottage in Pelion, residence, tel.: 6946 503372.
• Villa Euphrosyne – Villa Efrosini, tel.: 6947 737247.

DRAKEIA –ACCESS

The Drakeia belongs to Municipal Unit of Agria, of the Municipality of Volos. It is 17 km from Volos and 10 km from Agria via the Agria-Drakeia Provincial Road.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank the president of the Development & Cultural Association "Drakia" Mrs. Athanasia Lytra and Mrs. Anastasia Lytra for the valuable information and photographic material they provided us.

We also thank Mrs. Eleni Koutsaridis and Vefa Tsalikidou for their assistance.