A village in the foothills of Mt Kissavos that, until the mid-1970s, was primarily known for its silk production, Metaxochori became home to an artistic community in the 1990s and has been attracting the interests of visitors ever since. It’s a small village, just north of the town of Agia on the way to the seashore in the east of the Regional Unit of Larissa.
Well-known from the early 19th century onwards for the production of silk and cotton fabrics, Metaxochori attracted a prosperous new class of settlers thanks to its flourishing economy and trade. Those families built magnificent stone houses, many of which are still standing today. Years after the textile trade faded, the village was rediscovered by artists from Athens and Thessaloniki who bought those houses and restored them to their earlier splendor.
© Angelos Giotopoulos
© Angelos Giotopoulos
As you walk through the narrow lanes of Metaxachori, you’ll spot a number of these wonderful stone buildings, such as the house of the Swiss banker and philhellene Eugene Favre, or the house of Theodoros Hatzimichalis, a local dignitary and academic, which was built in early 1800 and once housed a candle-making facility.
It’s also worth visiting the two-storey stone building that was once home to the Girls’ School; the building has been restored, and today it hosts events of the village’s cultural association as well as a small collection of folk art.
© Angelos Giotopoulos
© Angelos Giotopoulos
If you prefer longer walks, you can take the 02 National Trail that connects Mt Olympus to Mt Pilio. The route most people follow is from Metaxochori to the village of Anatoli at an elevation of 960 meters on the slopes of Mt Kissavos. This a relatively easy hike of 6.8 kilometers, but it has a steady incline with an elevation change of approximately 700 meters.
Just outside the town of Agia, you can visit the Yiam Flavor Lab, a culinary enterprise run by Avra Panousopoulou (Agia, Tel. (+30) 24940.222.25). The company produces marmalades, preserves and other foods, and visitors are welcome to take part in the production and to purchase some of her delicacies.
