Vizitsa could be an open-air museum of Pelion architecture as about twenty restored three-story mansions from the late 18th to the mid-19th century survive. Built with local stone and slabs, with hayatia (covered balconies), odades (reception rooms), wooden floors, wood-carved decorations, and with elaborate courtyards, whether walled or not, smaller outbuildings such as an oven, a house for the overseer, and a stable, the mansions of Vizitsa uniquely emphasize the culture and the unique tradition of the place. The painted map in the outdoor parking lot will inform you about their location and how to find them.

The "critical" moment for maintaining the architectural character of the settlement was in 1976 when the Hellenic Tourism Organization (EOT) included, with the consent of the owners, several of the buildings in a restoration and preservation program, turning them into traditional guesthouses, which took the names of their old or newer owners such as Kontou, Karagiannopouly, Vergou, Kyriakopoulos, Dimou, Geroulanou.

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Square for an award

From the outdoor parking area, an uphill cobblestone path leads to the "heart" of the village, its wonderful square, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in Pelion. The plane trees offer ample shade during the warmest months of the year and scattered fountains contribute to their coolness, while taverns and cafes will cover your most "earthly" needs. The square was declared a monument in 1967 and the rest of the settlement followed in 1976. Stone alleys spread out radially that will lead you to the various neighborhoods of the village, but also even further, to the verdant slopes that surround it. 

Returning to the parking area, you must not miss a visit to the church of Zoodochos Pigi. The church, a stone-built, three-aisled basilica, has a long and "turbulent" history. It was built in 1725, destroyed by the Turks in 1821, rebuilt just two years later, but suffered serious blows from the earthquakes of 1864, 1955, and 1957 and finally closed. It was restored in 2001 and has been operating normally ever since. The ancient wood-carved iconostasis in unusual blue tones is impressive, as are the small domes, which hide inverted jars that improve the acoustics.

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Very close to the church you will find the store of the Agrotourist Women's Cooperative of Vizitsa - "Esperides", where you can purchase delicious handmade treats, spoon sweets, tsitsiravla, pickles, pies, syropiasta, trachana, stafidopsoma, amygdalopites, tsourekia, etc.  In their welcoming workshop, you will learn their secrets. The women of the cooperative often undertake to "set up" tables, presenting the famous Pelion cuisine to official guests. They always make their village, but also the whole of Pelion, look good!

Brief historical review

Although Vizitsa is now one of the most well-known destinations of Pelion, it was once a "humble" district of Agios Georgios Nileias. Its first inhabitants are estimated to have settled here around 1650 AD. and must not have been more than 30 families. Fearing pirates, they remained on the unseen side of the mountain, and only when that fear subsided did they spread further east. With the opening of the central road in the 1970s, the village expanded southwards reaching a number of houses that today exceeds 300.