Up above Makrinitsa, where the villages thin out and the forest takes over, the road reaches a wide mountain saddle called Chania at about twelve hundred metres. It is the closest Pelion has to a high alpine place, with a small ski area on the slopes and a scattering of cafés and lodges that serve walkers in summer and skiers in winter. The surroundings are a deep, cool forest of beech, fir and chestnut, dotted with clearings where mist drifts through the trees, and the air is crisp even in July. After the heat of the plains, it feels like a different country.
The ski centre, Agriolefkes, is small and modest, but it gives the mountain a role in the winter economy, and the road is regularly cleared of snow. In summer, the slopes become meadows full of wild flowers, with bees and butterflies, and the area is a base for walks through the beech woods. The Pelion forests are among the greenest in Greece, and they are home to wild boar, foxes, jackals and a wide range of birds, including woodpeckers and jays. The soil is deep and the rainfall high, thanks to the moisture rising off the Aegean and the Pagasetic Gulf.
For motorcyclists, the road to Chania from Portaria is a fine climb, a series of broad hairpins and sweeping forest bends, with a good surface for the most part. Gradients are steady, and the road is wide enough for comfortable riding, though in places the edges are broken. In summer the traffic is light, and cool shade from the trees is a relief. From here you can continue on to the eastern coast and the villages of Zagora and Tsagarada, where the roads descend through chestnut forests toward the sea. In winter, snow and ice make the upper road hazardous, and chains may be required, so check the weather forecast.
The best time to come is late spring, when the forest is fresh and green, or autumn, when the beech and chestnut leaves turn gold. Fog and rain are common, even in summer, so bring waterproofs and a warm layer. Evening temperatures at this height can be surprisingly cool.
In season, a small cafe and taverna near the ski area serve hot drinks and grilled meat, and the Pelion habit of a long, slow lunch under the trees is well worth following.