Lakes

Memories of Greek historical moments are mixed with the rare beauty of nature and the turquoise waters of an ancient lake.

These are the emotions one feels and the images that one sees as a visitor of Skra, the waterfalls and the famous "emerald lake".

Skra is only 4 km away from the borders with FYROM and it spreads on the Northeast slopes of Paiko at an altitude of 520m. Its previous name was Lioumnitsa, while the current one is due to the proximal top Skra di Legken that during the First World War was the place of the homonymous battle field (Skra - Ravine). The battle was a decisive one for the course of the Greek State and the First World War. The main feature of the village is the huge old plane tree in its central square.

Near this settlement, the visitor faces a small miracle of nature. Through a wonderful path one can reach an area with rich vegetation, where one meets the first waterfall of Skra, at the root of which there is a small cave with stalactites. A little further on the path, the visitor is stunned by the beauty of the small "Blue Lake" or "Emerald Lake", which owes its aquamarine emerald color of the water to the calcified and fossilized organisms of its bottom. Continuing on the path, the vegetation thickens and the ground is steeper. Here, one can see the second waterfall of Skra that falls with thunder over the rocks creating a stunning natural landscape.

Trout fishing, beautiful wooded trails and even the opportunity to try canoe kayak is what the Lake Metalleiou has to offer to the visitor.

The Lake Metalleiou is a breath of Life is for the region of Axioupoli, located in the place "Megalo Rema" in Paiko, a two kilometer artificial lake with a depth of 35 meters. The landscape is characterized by lush forests and natural beauty, while accessing and hiking in the area is possible through good forest roads.

On its banks there are peaceful villages, beautiful forests, captivating landscapes; a place unique and original waiting to be discovered by the visitor.

Lake Doirani is located on the Greek-FYROM borders, with an area of ​​42.8 sq km of which 15.6 square kilometers belong to Greece. The small streams that drain into the lake form its main source of water. 19 species of fish live in the lake, such as carps, scheiders, gobies, crusian carps, eels, painted combers, and a significant number of birds such coots, snipes, various species of ducks, grebes and grey herons. In the village of Doirani, on the shore of the lake, visitors can now find fishing facilities all year round. The monument in commemoration of the Battle of Doirani dominates the visitors, but there are many other attractions. The municipality of Doirani, in collaboration with the Goulandris Museum, created the Museum of Lake Doirani, which is housed in a new building next to the lake. The beach of the lake is planted with trees and there are playgrounds, basketball courts, volleyball courts, soccer courts and other facilities for visitors. In the village of Doirani there are operating customs, an EOT office and currency exchange. One can also find bars and picturesque taverns that offer snacks and delicious carp.

An important ecosystem for the region, Pikrolimni serves as a resting place for many of the migratory birds that are directed to the nearby large wetlands such as the deltas Gallikos, Axios and Loudias.It is deal for bird-watching and its fauna has a great variety that changes depending on the season and weather conditions.

Aquatic and predatory, migratory birds pass through the wading vegetation. Some of them are: teal, shelducks, mallards, swans, northern shovelers, stints, sandpipers and wigeons.Lesser kestrels and rare species of kestrels have been observed in the lake, around which hares also live.The high salinity(three times more than theDeadSea)explains the absence of fish from the lake.In Pikrolimni there is a Mud-Bath and during the summer the mud baths are taking place inside the pond in a specially developed shore.