Zagora
Zagora - Behind the Mountain
The greatest asset of Zagora is its location. It lies on a green hillside in East Pelion at an altitude of 500 metres and has a panoramic view of the Aegean Sea. The word "Zagora" is of Slavic origin and means "behind the mountain". And indeed, Zagora keeps a low profile, exuding tranquillity and authenticity, in complete harmony with nature. At the same time, it is a vibrant community whose main economic activity is the production of apples, the famous "Zagorin".
Thanks to its particular microclimate, the area does not experience extreme temperatures during the summer months, while in winter it often snows. The four seasons are captured here in all their beauty. The area is part of the Natura 2000 protected ecosystem and is ideal for walking, hiking, swimming and other activities throughout the year.
Zagora is an ideal place to get away from the demands and stresses of modern life. It is ideal for visitors seeking tranquillity, authenticity and concentration, and for people who wish to combine an unforgettable natural environment with wellness activities.
Zagora - Town of Enlightenment and Trade
Zagora is the largest village in Eastern Pilion that has developed both intellectually and economically since the end of the Middle Ages. Very early Zagora became an important place of trade, education and enlightenment in Greece.
During the 17th century, agriculture and trade flourished, while the local wool and silk industries flourished until the mid-19th century. In order to trade, a considerable fleet was created to export local products to Constantinople, Smyrna, Alexandria and the ports of Northern Europe. Wealthy Zagorian merchants were established in many foreign cities (a large number in Alexandria, Egypt), and those who remained in their homeland maintained branches and representatives in important commercial hubs of the time, such as Amsterdam and Odessa. Contact and communication with the metropoles of Europe also brought the ideas of the Enlightenment to Zagora.
In 1702 the "Hellenomousieio", a school - a centre of enlightenment, was founded. Patriarch Kallinikos IV, with the financial support of wealthy local merchants, rebuilt the school, which was attended by such Enlightenment scholars as Anthimos Gazis, Gregorios Konstantas, Regas Feraios and Philip Ioannou. In 1762, the merchant Ioannis Prigos sent from Amsterdam a total of about 1,000 remarkable books and manuscripts of the time, founding the historical library of Zagora. Thus, through trade, Zagora became an important centre of enlightenment in Greece. Many of the merchants' villas, the school of Rigas Feraios, the churches and monasteries, and the historic library are now among the sights of Zagora.
Zagora - The apple town
Today Zagora is known for its apples and chestnuts as well as for its cooperative. The oldest agricultural cooperative in Greece, it plays a decisive role in the development of the entire Pilion region. "Zagorin" was the first agricultural cooperative in Europe to obtain PDO apples, in 1996 for Starkin and in 2011 for Pilion apples. It was also the first in Europe to introduce the trademark label on its fruit in 1996. It was founded in 1916 by 199 producers. Today its producers number 800. They cultivate 12,000 hectares and produce between 12,000 and 18,000 tonnes of apples a year. They pick the apples by hand, because the terraces cannot be worked by machine, and sort and pack them in their standard factory. They store the harvest in their refrigerators and distribute it themselves. The apple trees dominate the landscape of Zagora and invite you to take a walk through the plantations overlooking the sea. Without the cooperative, Zagora would probably have the same fate as many other villages in Greece that are becoming deserted. But in this unique way it preserves a community full of vitality.