The city had a vibrant Jewish community in the early 20th century: from ca. 500 in 1896, it rose to ca. 2,000 in 1930, before falling drastically to 882 members in 1940, because of emigration to the great cities of Thessaloniki and Athens or abroad.
Volos is also well known for its assortment of mezedes and a clear, alcoholic beverage known as tsipouro.