THESSALY

Thessaly is a geographic region in central Greece. The famous Thessalian plain is girded by majestic mountains (Olympus, Othrys, Pindus, Ossa) and crossed by the Pinios river. Thanks to its fertile soil, it became the major centre of Neolithic civilisation in Greece; in the Mycenaean era, it was the seat of the kingdom of Iolkos, birthplace of Jason and starting point of the Argonautic Expedition. Local mythical traditions most prominently revolve around mounts Olympus, abode of the gods, and Pelion, home to the Centaurs, where Achilles was raised by the Centaur Chiron. Thessaly became part of Greece in 1881 and, until the liberation of Macedonia, was the breadbasket of the country. The region is Greece’s top producer of crops and livestock, but suffered extensive damage from storm Daniel in 2023. Today, Thessaly is striving to recover, relying on its rich natural and cultural heritage: the mythical Olympus, the enchanting villages of Pelion, the ravishing Plastiras lake, the awe-inspiring Meteora and the lush Tempi valley.