Lying between the Aegean Sea and the Pegasitic Gulf, the Pelion mountain range is stunning in its nature and beauty against a backdrop of sea and sand. Its highest peak is Pourianos Stavros at 1624 meters.
The mountain range is about 44 km long and 10-25 km wide. Thick vegetation, oak forests and fir trees in abound, with a particularly dense oak forest in the central area and evergreen forests at lower altitudes on the northern slopes. The mountain range is also home to chestnut trees, willow trees, plane trees and poplar trees, but Pelion is most known for its over 1000 species of healing herbs. This is where three-fifths of healing herbs on the planet grow, including thyme, sage, Greek mountain tea and hemlock, each with various healing properties. There are a number of anti-anxiety, narcotic and psychoactive herbs, making Pelion a true powerhouse of medicinal herbs.
Varied fauna includes many species of mammals, amphibians, invertebrates and serpents. The forest hides many badgers, hedgehogs, foxes, jackals, wild boars and ferrets. Sadly, some species of bear and wolf have become extinct and others are becoming so. Turtles, lizards, adders and vipers are also part of this landscape. Many indigenous bird species also exist (check the section on birdwatching in magnesia). Sea caves and caverns are a shelter and reproduction area for the Mediterranean seal.