The valley of Tempe, Tembi or as they call it in Greece, it is a narrow gorge between Mount Olympus and Mount Ossa, crossed by the river Pinio. In the middle of the gorge is the famous monastery of Agia Paraskevi, a place of pilgrimage and classic stop for those who take the highway between Larissa and Katerini. Despite the great and charming location, I did not find it something exceptional …
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Arriving at the monastery, the road widens in both senses of a few meters to allow cars to park [39.87909,22.58674].
For those arriving from Athens, signs written only in greek indicate the underpass to avoid crossing the highway. Once out of the tunnel you will have to go along a forced passage between tourist kiosks to get to the bridge over the river Pinio.
Once you arrive on the other side, you find yourself immediately in front of the entrance to the monastery. Small, but suggestive, however, lacks the charm of the oldest monasteries. Inside the church, in addition to numerous icons, there are also the relics of the saint that are object of pilgrimage.
Continuing towards the taverns, you’ll find a small opening in the rock, which is the entrance of the cave where there is a spring of holy water, which can be reached by passing through a narrow tunnel.
In conclusion I would say that I do not consider this a place that is well worth a detour from your route to be visited, but if you are on the toll road between Larissa and Katerini, it is a good opportunity to stop and stretch your legs.
For a brief stop you can also go down on the river bank passing by the village of Tembi. On the road you will also meet the old Ribat, or tekke, of Hassan Baba [39.86442,22.53140], a kind of Islamic monastery used to host the meetings of an order of dervishes.
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