A unique opportunity for animal lovers to be part of a heart-warming animal sanctuary story and make a real contribution. Stay at this privately-owned property on the slopes of Mount Pelion, mainland Greece, for a holiday experience you will cherish. All income generated through guest stays is used to support and maintain the sanctuary. What better way to say you care!
Galatea Paradeisi has spent a lifetime following her heart when it comes to animals in need. Long before settling in Pelion, she was already deeply embedded in Greece's animal welfare world — helping to establish wildlife awareness programmes, teaching children in primary schools, and volunteering at the country's first wildlife hospital on Aegina. She later became their representative on Chios, where she received injured wild animals, administered first aid, and ensured their safe transfer to the hospital. Alongside this work, she was involved in founding the Aegean Wildlife Hospital on Paros — a centre that continues to operate today.
After a life-changing operation, Galatea made a defining choice: she left paid work behind, moved permanently to her family farm on Chios, and devoted herself entirely to caring for abandoned dogs and cats. Over the years she found loving homes — many of them abroad — for countless animals. In November 2024, she relocated to South Pelion with all her animals, making it the new home of her sanctuary, Animal Defenders for Life. Here she continues to take in strays from the surrounding area, volunteers with local welfare society ZAP, and is part of a network feeding and watering animals around the area. Everything she does is funded from her own pocket — she has never taken a salary, nor sought profit from her work with animals.
Galatea is also an avid gardener and her stunning array of roses will welcome you to the sanctuary.
The sanctuary shelters a joyful, ever-changing family of rescued dogs, cats — and a handful of free-ranging chickens who answer to nobody. Guests often find themselves adopted by a curious dog on a morning walk, chosen as a lap by one of the cats, or simply watched with great suspicion by a rooster who owns the yard.
Many are available for adoption, and Galatea works with European rescue networks to find them loving homes across Europe. There is also a virtual adoption programme available for as little as €2 per animal per month. 🐾 Virtual Adoptions ↗
South Pelion, on mainland Greece, is a lush, dramatic peninsula with beautiful beaches on both the Aegean and Pagasitikos Bay sides. Mount Pelion — the legendary mountain of the Centaurs — is home to quaint mountain villages celebrated for their unique architecture. The nearby city of Volos offers all the infrastructure you might need: hospital, shops, tavernas, and a sweeping seaside promenade lined with yachts and traditional fishing boats. Volos is also the gateway for ferries to the Sporades islands of Skiathos, Skopelos and Alonissos.
The surrounding area offers nature walks and wildflowers, winter skiing at the Chania resort to the north, and summer scuba diving from the neighbouring town of Afissos. Seaside villages worth exploring include Milina and Trikeri further south, while Milies, Vizitsa, and Drakeia — to name a few — are mountain villages located on the northern side of the mountain. There are also a few great wineries dotted around Argalasti. Not to be missed is the famous little Moutzouris Pelion train that winds its way from the old Ano Lechonia train station through the mountain to Milies, and the many festivals during the summer months.
Both units are spread over two levels. Upstairs you'll find a large, airy bedroom with beautiful views and a bathroom with shower. Downstairs, an open-plan living area with guest WC and a well-equipped kitchen opens onto a patio with outdoor seating — a space you'll almost certainly share with the sanctuary animals. Both units have internet and a good mobile connection. Click here for a list of facilities.
Although the dogs usually roam free, they could be confined to a smaller area when there are guests at the property. Nights here are wonderfully quiet — all the dogs sleep inside to keep the peace — and the sky is free of any light pollution. You can literally count the stars.
The closest commercial town, Argalasti (a 20-minute drive along a characterful mountain road), has a few grocery stores, two pharmacies, two petrol stations (one with LPG), and an assortment of quaint shops. The small town square shaded by large plane trees hosts a few coffee shops and tavernas, while cobblestone streets, lined with colourful houses, invite you to explore the village at your own pace. There is also a lively farmers' market on a Saturday morning. However, the closest village — Xinovrisi — is only about 3.5 km from the sanctuary, where one can find a shady square with a taverna. The two nearby beaches, Potistika and Melani, usually offer a welcome respite from holiday crowds and hot summer days, but both beaches can become quite busy during peak summer holidays.
The sanctuary also sells its own fresh eggs, as well as organic olive oil.