Siki is a beautiful village in the Southeast of Pelion with centuries of tradition and history. It is built at an altitude of 300 meters, on a verdant ridge with unrestricted views of the Aegean Sea and the Northern Sporades. The village is located close to the city of Volos, at a crossroads between the villages of Argalasti, Xinovrisi and Neochori, next to magical beaches and is inhabited by about 400 people.
Through a historical and interesting course, Siki is gifted with all those characteristics that one seeks from Pelion; buildings with traditional architecture, places with rich history and unspoiled natural landscapes, with the beauty and aura of another era. At the same time, the ideal location of our village helps in the combination of mountain and sea activities, while the warmth and hospitality of its inhabitants, our customs and cultural activities, our festivals, create beautiful experiences and memories for each visitor.
Historical Timeline
In the more than six centuries since its developement until today, Siki has undoubtedly shown a rich culture, accompanied by a long history and tradition.
TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE
The architecture of the buildings and houses of Siki varies depending on the date of foundation. The older houses are built of stone with storage spaces, single-storey or two-storey with small balconies. Their roofs instead of tile, have stone and their doors and windows are made of wood. The great earthquake of 1954 leveled a large part of these houses and unfortunately today we have few still standing. The new houses after the earthquake were built in more modern patterns, using materials such as tile, cement and lime. With the opening of the village' s stone quarries, new and imposing houses emerged which are similar to the old ones, but retain a special feature: the colored stone cladding of Siki stone, unique in quality and beauty in the whole of Greece. The roofs of the buildings are lined with either tile or Neochori slab.
The courtyards of the village houses are paved, decorated with pots and flower beds of fragrant flowers or trees. Most houses are connected to the streets by stone steps, paved with slabs, or with lime, while in the older houses lead sections of traditional cobbled streets.
Σήμερα, περπατώντας στα γραφικά σοκάκια του χωριού, ο κάθε επισκέπτης μπορεί εύκολα να συναντήσει στοιχεία της μακραίωνης ιστορίας και της παράδοσης που αντέχουν στο χρόνο. Η ευρύχωρη πλακόστρωτη πλατεία και οι λιθόκτιστες βρύσες, οι επιβλητικές εκκλησίες και τα λευκά ξωκλήσια, η φύση και τα μνημεία της Συκής, δίνουν την εντύπωση στον καθένα πως, εδώ, ο χρόνος σταματάει. Το παραδοσιακό παντρεύεται με το καινούργιο και η ομορφιά συναντά την απλότητα.
HISTORICAL MONUMENTS AND SITES
In every corner of the village, residents and visitors can admire monuments and buildings which substantiate the village' s long history and antiquity. Siki, although a village with a small population, has numerous, well-preserved churches, beautiful chapels and one of the largest and best organized Monasteries in Pelion. This fact alone demonstrates a large population size in the past but also a material and spiritual wealth. The various toponyms inside and outside the settlement, the historical monuments and the ruins of old buildings, in connection with written sources and oral histories, demonstrate a cultural greatness with deep roots and interesting continuity.
The modern era
Today, the elements of the long history and the architectural tradition that defy time are everywhere in the village. The spacious paved square and the stone-built fountains, the white chapels and the natural landscapes, give the impression to everyone that, here, time stops. The "old" meets the "new" and beauty mates with simplicity.
THE LOCALS
The village has about 400 permanent residents. A large percentage of the locals are engaged in the extraction of Siki's natural stone that adorns buildings and structures throughout Greece and Europe, but the main working sector of the inhabitants has always been agriculture and especially, olive oil production. Many residents also maintain household-type micro-enterprises that engage in the production, standardization and sale of local goods such as olive oil, wine, tsipouro, fruites, veggetables, dairy and beekeeping products.
As happened in most villages of our country, in Siki, with the dawn of the 21st century, the population experienced a great decrease. Many young people migrated to urban centers in Greece or abroad for studies and work. However, this fact significantly benefited the village both culturally and economically with the influx of money and ideas. Today, the youth of our village are the ones who take over the reins of the local businesses and keep our traditions alive. One out of two businessmen in the village is under the age of forty, while the Cultural Association of Siki, an organization with great cultural and voluntary activity, consists of an overwhelming percentage of young people.
UNIQUE EXPERIENCES
The village today has the opportunity to offer beautiful and quality moments to anyone who visits it. During the summer months, its beaches are a pole of attraction for tourists and residents, opting for an alternative way of entertainment, in a natural, pristine environment where the human presence is discreet. At the same time, the visitor can engage in several activities in our place throughout the year, as cultural events, festivals, excursions in nature are often organized, while at the same time, there are beautiful restaurants, ideal for any kind of entertainment. In Siki, you have the opportunity to taste local tsipouro and other delicacies under the shade of the centuries-old plane trees of the square, to enjoy your coffee or drink in cafes-bars, to dine in one of the taverns, to be provided with products you need through the market, but also to obtain seafood, fruit and vegetables and other local goods through local producers. The available accommodations also offer the possibility of a comfortable and enjoyable stay
