Volos: The Heart of Greece’s Tsipouro and Meze

Τhe metropolis of Volos is the superior of tsipouro. Credit: Hajotthu/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0

Nestled betwixt the stunning slopes of Mount Pelio and the Pagasetic Gulf successful the Aegean sea, Volos is simply a picturesque metropolis known for its section restaurants that besides service tsipouro, a beardown distilled tone containing 40–45% intoxicant by volume, traditionally produced from grapes.

These establishments are called tsipouradika, and they service up top-quality Greek tsipouro accompanied by gourmet plates.

The coastal city, an important larboard betwixt Europe and Asia, is the sixth astir populous successful Greece, is situated astir halfway betwixt Athens and Thessaloniki.

Volos is thought to beryllium built connected the past remnants of the metropolis Iolcus, location to Jason, mythic person of the Argonauts.

Along with its ancient history, stunning earthy surroundings, and important port, Volos is celebrated astir Greece for its accepted tsipouradika, wherever the Greek tone tsipouro is served with section delicacies with the celebrated Greek generosity.

In the tiny metropolis of conscionable nether 150,000 people, determination are astir 600 of these iconic tsipouradika!

Tsipouro. Credit: Klearchos Kapoutsis/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 2.0

Tsipouro is simply a beardown Greek tone made up of 40-45% alcohol. Born retired of the poorness and ingenuity of agrarian Greeks, tsipouro is made from pomace — the stems, seeds, and skins of grapes that are near implicit from the winemaking process.

Tsipouro comes successful 2 varieties — either flavored with anise, like ouzo, oregon plain.

Tips for the Tsipouradika of Volos

In the authentic tsipouradika that enactment the streets of the seaside city, guests usually ne'er bid immoderate food.

Instead, patrons, ever successful a ample radical of friends and family, bid nevertheless overmuch tsipouro, anise-flavored oregon plain, that they would like.

As they person their tsipouro, which is ever served acold successful tiny glasses, bare guests are bestowed with a circular of delicious tiny plates of savory cheeses, vegetables, oregon seafood. As they proceed to bid much rounds of the beardown spirit, patrons are wowed by adjacent much analyzable and filling dishes, each included successful the terms of the tsipouro.

A Christmas histrion decorated with bare bottles of tsipouro successful Volos. Credit: JohnTikis/Twitter

If you’re truly hungry, defy the impulse to bid thing disconnected the paper astatine an other terms –the dishes that travel the tsipouro are delicious and filling capable successful themselves.

As the dishes are escaped lone with tsipouro, it is champion not to bid a antithetic benignant of portion if you privation to effort the delicacies that travel it.

The History of Tsipouradika

These tsipouradika, present synonymous with Volos, were founded by Greek refugees from Asia Minor who had fled to the city. These refugees, who had traditionally eaten tiny plates of delicious, savory snacks portion drinking spirits, brought this contented with them to Greece.

Local workers were successful hunt of a spot to person a portion and devour with friends aft a hard time of work, and tsipouradika, which melded the delicious cuisine of Asia Minor with section flavors and offered endless amounts of tsipouro, were the cleanable fit.

This contented has carried connected to this day, arsenic residents of Volos flock to the city’s galore tsipouradika successful the evenings aft work, enjoying delicious food, acold tsipouro, and the institution of their friends.