Hiking to the enchanting alpine lakes of the Greek mountains is a unique experience for hikers and nature lovers. Discover three of the most famous and impressive Dragon Lakes of Greece.
If we were to make a list of the most beautiful mountain landscapes in Greece, the enchanting dragon lakes would certainly be among them. These alpine lakes perched on inaccessible peaks, mainly in Epirus, at elevations above 2.000 meters, captivate any visitor lucky enough to see them up close.
The mythical «dragon lakes» are a magnet for hikers, mountaineers, and travelers who want to become one with nature, while the legends and stories that surround them fire the imagination. The best time to visit is toward the end of spring, when the snows begin to melt, as well as in autumn. Let’s explore the three most famous and striking dragon lakes in Greece.
Journey to Greece’s mythical dragon lakes
Drakolimni of Tymfi
From Mikro Papigo in the Zagorochoria begins one of Epirus’s most famous hiking trails, which leads to the Drakolimni of Tymfi, a landscape of rare beauty with stunning panoramic views of the surrounding peaks. It is one of the best-known alpine lakes in our country, set on a plateau of the Tymfi massif at an elevation of 2.050 m. You will need about 2,5 to 3 hours to reach the Astraka refuge (1950 m.) and from there about another 1,5 hours to reach the mythical drakolimni. The Drakolimni of Tymfi is known for the alpine newts it shelters in its crystalline waters, a rare kind of amphibious lizard.
According to legend, two dragons lived in the Drakolimni of Tymfi and its «rival», the Drakolimni of Smolikas, bearing enmity toward each other. The dragons are said to have hurled stones at one another, and for this reason the shores of Tymfi’s lake are black in color with white stones, while the shores of Smolikas’s lake are white in color with black stones.
Drakolimni of Smolikas
Equally beautiful is the Drakolimni of Smolikas (or Lygka), which lies at an elevation of 2.200 meters beneath the highest summit of Smolikas (2.637 m.). Its area ranges from 4 to 6 stremmata, its perimeter reaches 310 meters, and, when seen from above, it is heart-shaped. Its bed takes on a reddish hue, yet the lake generally appears blue. The trail to the drakolimni starts from the village of Agia Paraskevi (about 27 km. from Konitsa) and passes through magnificent forests of black pines, beeches, and firs.
Here, the version of the myth says that the victor in the battle between the two dragons was the dragon of Smolikas, since he did not throw rocks like the one of Gamila (Tymfi) but large lumps of salt, which his opponent swallowed and thus, terribly thirsty, he drank so much water that he died.
Drakolimni of Grammos (Gistova)
On Grammos, Greece’s fourth-highest mountain after Olympus, Smolikas, and Voras (Kaimaktsalan), right beside the borderline of the Greek-Albanian frontier and at an elevation of 2.350 meters, lies the largest alpine lake in Greece by area, Gistova. The ascent to this remote lake is a challenge for every hiker and mountaineer. Access is only on foot from the village of Grammos, which stands at 1.380 m. and is 39 km. from Eptachori in the prefecture of Kastoria. The myth speaks of a kind-hearted dragon whom the locals decided to drive away. Thus, they led him far from the village, high on the peaks of Grammos. From the tears of the saddened dragon, the lake was formed.
