If you visit northern Greece, don’t miss the Prespes Lakes, 2 lakes (Little and Big Prespa) surrounded by mountains. One of Europe’s most important wetlands, it is also classified as a Greek National Park. Prespa is a magnificent region to discover, where biodiversity, flora and fauna are king. It also boasts a strong cultural heritage, with its traditional stone villages, Byzantine churches, hermitages and frescoes… A place that is now focusing on ecotourism and sustainable development.
Anne-Marie, one of our loyal readers, spoke very highly of this region in the north of Greece before we visited it ourselves, and we bring you her valuable account here. Now that I’ve discovered this region too, I’ve added a few of my own impressions and recommendations to his account. So if you’re planning a vacation in Macedonia in Northern Greece, here are our suggestions for things to do in the Prespes Lakes region!
Where to find Prespes lakes?
The Prespes Lakes are located in the far north of Greece, in Greek Macedonia, straddling Greece’s borders with Albania and Northern Macedonia. In fact, there are two lakes: the small Lake Prespa (Mikri Prespa) and the large Lake Prespa (Megali Prespa).
Most of Petit Prespa is in Greece, but part of the lake belongs to Albania.
Greater Prespa is shared between the 3 bordering countries: Greece, Albania and Northern Macedonia.
A little history
It’s a region that suffered greatly from the civil war and the post-war period. Located at the end of the world, few tourists go there, and the locals are happy to talk about their painful history.
Anne-Marie was told that after the war and the Nazis, the region was repopulated with Vlachs. During the civil war, it was a Communist rear base. The area then became a no-go zone until the late 90s. The inhabitants of Prespa have lived cut off from the world for decades, and their testimonies are poignant.
What to see at Prespes Lakes
The Prespes lakes feed Lake Ohrid and have been recolonized by huge, proliferating Bismarck carp. This cross-border nature reserve has long been neglected by man. It is now a paradise for migratory birds and an ideal place for birdwatching. There are no fewer than
- 1500 plant species,
- 270 species of birds, including the rare Dalmatian pelican,
- 9 endemic fish species,
- as well as the presence of large European carnivores…
Agios Achillios islet
On the Greek side, the best place we found to admire this biodiversity was north of the small Prespa lake, at the Agios Achilleos islet. Park your car in the parking lot, then cross the long wooden footbridge to reach the island. Take advantage of this 10-minute stroll to observe the pelicans, cormorants and other birds that will be your neighbors.
Once on the island, continue your walk along the path to the Byzantine basilica of Agios Achilleos (Saint Achilles), built in the 10th century to house the tomb of Agios Achillios, bishop of Larissa. The basilica is in ruins, but a few walls and the nave remain, allowing us to imagine the beauty of the building in its heyday. This timeless setting adds even more charm to the place. You’ll also find other religious remains on the island, but this one overlooking the Petit Prespa is the most beautiful.
After the walk, head back to the houses for a bite to eat and enjoy the island’s tranquillity. We had lunch at the restaurant Agios Achilleos on the terrace overlooking the lake and had a wonderful time. What’s more, the children had a front-row seat to the black pigs and short-horned Prespa cows. We even saw a Greek buffalo enjoying a dip in the lake among the reeds!
Anne-Marie’s advice : Carp are huge and not to be recommended. Try the delicious lamb chops instead.
To find out more about the culinary specialities of the Prespa region, don’t miss Evi’s article: Prespès, a region of lakes and traditions
View of the great Lake Prespa
During our stay, we opted to stay on the Greek side. For a beautiful panoramic view of the great Lake Prespa, we recommend stopping at this viewpoint beside a pretty little church.
What to see and do around Prespa?
Agios Germanos
Agios Germanos is a picturesque village withtraditional stone houses. There’s also a tourist center with extensive documentation. Don’t miss the superb little 11th-century church with a cycle of superb frescoes. It’s next to another, more recent church with a surprisingly colorful decoration that seems to have been inspired by a boat.
It’s also an ideal destination for hikers. From the village, a path leads straight up to the summit of Varnoundas mountain, from where you can enjoy a superb view. Alternatively, an easy stroll from the church takes you to theold water mill. It has been beautifully restored, but was unfortunately closed at the time of our visit. We were still able to admire the canal system that brought water to the mill. There are also explanatory panels. To find out about all the hiking trails in the region, there’s even an app: Prespa Trails.
Agios Germanos is also the source of gigantes, the large dried beans. In fact, you can try it at Prespeion, the village’s excellent tavern. According to Anne-Marie, the best gigantes are the black ones, which are virtually unknown elsewhere in Greece!
Psarades
Psarades, which means fishermen in Greek, is unsurprisingly a small fishing village nestling at the end of a fjord on the shores of the great Lake Prespa. The inhabitants live mainly from fishing, breeding the region’s dwarf short-horned cows and tourism.
From Psarades, you can take a small boat along the shores of the lake to discover the hermitages built by monks during the Ottoman occupation. You can admire the post-Byzantine frescoes painted on the rocks in front of caves such as Panagia Eleousa. Built in a cave, it is the best-preserved hermitage in the region.
According to Anne-Marie, “if you take the boat trip from Psarades, the superb grotto on the border of Albania and Northern Macedonia, with its little chapel, is enchanting“.
Psarades also boasts a number of traditional tavernas serving fish fresh from the lake!
Where to stay at Prespes Lakes?
Anne-Marie’s tip: We stayed at the To Petrino guest house in Agios Germanos. We were welcomed like family. Very simple but comfortable, with a pantagruesome breakfast, we were given a doggy bag in case we got hungry. A family welcome, we were even asked to say that we had arrived safely on our return.
For our part, we were staying in Kastoria and easily visited these points of interest in one day.
Where to eat in the Prespes Lakes region?
Anne-Marie’s favorite: To Prespeion tavern, on Agios Germanos square. Warm welcome, local cuisine, nice place. Anne-Marie really liked this tavern.
My favorite : The Agios Achillios restaurant-café on the island of Little Lake Prespa. Very good food, a peaceful setting in the middle of nature and a beautiful view of the little Prespa from the terrace. We tried a cheese tart, gigantes (of course) and grilled fish. A treat!
And there you have it, we hope we’ve helped you see more clearly what to see and do in the Prespes Lakes region! It’s a decidedly nature-oriented region that we really enjoyed. Authentic Greece, far (very far) from mass tourism, delicious local specialities and, above all, magnificent landscapes.
And if you miss the beaches, head for the Chalkidiki region and its heavenly beaches in less than 4 hours for a warm end to your stay!
Virginie W. thanks to valuable information from Anne-Marie B. Thanks again Anne-Marie for sharing 😉
