The lakes of Greece are considered to be a pole of attraction. Apart from the large and famous, however, polar lakes such as Kastoria and Ioannina with Lake Pamvotis or the famous Lake Doxa, there are some other lakes with wild beauty and something special. And this is none other than the fact that it takes effort and certainly a lot of walking to get there and admire them up close. They are some of the mountainous and beautiful lakes of Greece that it is a fact that not everyone can admire up close. Get a taste of what we're talking about...
Winter excursions: Two villages and a small town that will blow your mind for different reasons
Lakes of Greece: Drakolimni Tymfi
A dream location that anyone lucky enough to visit is enchanted and promises to return soon. The reason for Drakolimni of Tymfi with its special name and rare beauty. It is an alpine lake that offers its special beauty only to those who manage to reach it at an altitude of 2,050 meters. They have to work and get tired to make it. It is considered the most famous dragon lake and is located in an alpine meadow of Tymfi between the peaks of Astraka, Ploskos, and Gamila, while when you find yourself there, the phrase acquires meaning: a picture equals a thousand words.
How did it get its name? Legend has it that Drakolimni of Tymfi and Drakolimni of Smolikas were inhabited by two dragons. But because the two dragons had a rivalry with each other, when they were wild they threw stones at each other. To reach Drakolimni of Tymfi, you need 1 hour of hiking from the organized shelter in the col of Astraka and 4 hours of hiking from the village of Mikro Papigo.
Drakolimnes tis Flegas
Two twin-like lakes that offer a unique spectacle to the visitor and specifically to anyone who manages to climb to 1960 meters altitude, in the subalpine zone of Mount Mavrovouni (between Kalambaka and Ioannina). These are two beautiful, natural mountain lakes of Pindos, the dragon lakes of Flega. The impressive thing about these lakes is that even if you managed to climb there in winter, with the difficult weather conditions, you probably wouldn't see them since most of the time they are hidden under a layer of snow. Spring is the ideal time to be there and also admire the unique view of the valley of Valia Calda.
And here there is the legend that Macedon, son of Zeus or Aeolus, had three sons, one of whom was Pindus. Once his brothers envied him and decided to kill him. So he decided to climb the mountain and have only his friend, the dragon Lygo. When his brothers finally located and killed him, the dragon found him dead and from his tears formed small lakes, the dragon lakes. To reach Lake Flega you will leave your car just above the Montenegrin refuge, in a beautiful valley. From there there is a path to the lakes, the ascent of which with a break takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Drakolimni of Smolikas
This is the second lake of the myth, mentioned above in Drakolimni of Tymfi. It may be higher than all of them but it is easier to approach to admire. It is the tallest and largest alpine lake in Greece. You will be able to see and photograph it if you walk at an altitude of 2,350 meters, that is, on the ridge, right on the Greek-Albanian border. And this, like the Drakolimnes of Phlega, freezes during the winter months. In any case, winter is not suitable for such an ascent, but spring. The images you will see here are magical and certainly cannot be offered by any other lake in Greece, than those you can reach by vehicle.
Apart from the aforementioned legend, another legend says that this dragon lake was also made from the tear of a dragon who, although kind-hearted, was considered scary by the inhabitants of the village where he lived so they expelled him. To get to Drakolimni of Smolikas, there are several routes. A well-known route is followed by the village of Agia Paraskevi in Konitsa, Ioannina. Two kilometers outside the village, you will find the K2 path. Following the yellow signs of the traffic signs you will make a 4-hour walk when you will meet the path coming from Samarina. Turning right, you will reach Drakolimni of Smolikas.
