To the northwest lie the flat agricultural plains of Larisa that are the drained remnants of huge lakes. To the west lies the large port town of Volos and, beyond it, Volos airport. To the southwest is the Pagasitikos Gulf, sheltered by the Pilion and its curling tail. To the northeast, across the Aegean Sea, the Halkidiki peninsula and the cone of Mt Athos are visible in certain weather conditions. The high winter rainfall has kept much of the woodland intact, with dense areas of sweet chestnut and, on the higher slopes, beech trees.
Olive trees are, because of the severe winters, only found near sea-level.
Later the area was a Greek educational stronghold during the years of Turkish occupation. Notables from Pilion include the national poet R gas Fera os, an active supporter of Greek Independence, executed by the Turks in 1798, and familiar from the recent 200-drachma note. During the occupation, many locals moved to Egypt, then part of the Ottoman empire, and became involved in the cotton industry there. Nowadays, cotton can be seen growing in the plains of Volos and Larisa, including the fields around Volos airport. Accommodation and guided walks are available in the east Pilion area from Jill Sleeman at the Old Silk House, Mouresi.