Located in the traditional village of Lafkos in Pelion, the oldest coffee shop in Greece has a history of its own. This picturesque kafenio (as coffee shops are named in Greece), was established back in 1785 and has been operating non-stop ever since. The proud owner has been Emmanuel Forlidas and the family continues on his legend. Even though the challenges have been hard, they have managed to maintain the unique character of the coffee shop and still keep it welcoming to all generations.
During summer, the kafenio serves Greek coffee at the central square, under the inviting generous shades of the plane trees. The scenery is purely mesmeric, offering absolute relaxation to those lucky enough to visit the village of Lafkos. But even in winter time, the coffee shop operates indoors and a breathtaking history of well over 230 years comes alive on the walls. Pictures of prominent personalities from the past, as well as old elements from the other uses of this place (the very same coffee house had serves as a butcher’s shop and barber’s place, if you can believe that, as well as an inn), they all compose the most thrilling canvas in Pelion.
As soon as you get inside the kafenio of Emmanuel Forlidas, you will immediately be overwhelmed by a nostalgic aura. This is a place where so much has happened in the past. At the same time, this is a place that has turned into classic and it is always equally inviting to travelers from all over the world. The perfect meeting point for both locals and foreigners, to mingle and come together under the same shelter. And this is perhaps the best thing about this lovely part of modern history in Pelion!