Volos punches above its weight for a mid-sized Greek city. The archaeological museum alone is worth the trip — its collection of painted funerary stelae from the ancient city of Demetrias is one of the most quietly powerful things you will see in Greece. Beyond the museum, the city offers a scattering of worthwhile sights: a fine art centre dedicated to one of the twentieth century's most distinctive painters, an unusual entomological museum, and the old railway station with its narrow-gauge history.
The pedestrianised seafront promenade is the spine of daily life, lined with cafes and tsipouradika and best appreciated in the evening when half the city is out walking. From there the Pelion foothills are visible across the Pagasitic Gulf, a reminder that the city's greatest asset lies just beyond its edge. Most visitors treat Volos as a base for the peninsula, but the city itself deserves at least a day of exploration before you head for the hills.