Discover the serene Lake Ziros near Filippiada, Preveza, a little paradise that many don't know about. The lake's scenery is enchanting and the place is ideal for those who want to enjoy outdoor activities.
The Lake Ziros isn't among the most famous of Greece's lakes, but its beauty rivals that of the lakes of Central Europe and North America. You'll find it 2 km west of the old national road Arta - Ioannina, opposite the community of Pantanassa, Arta.
It's a small and idyllic lake in the eastern part of the regional unit of Preveza, fringed by a dense lakeside forest. Its tranquil waters and lush vegetation offer visitors a sense of complete serenity. In both summer and winter, the area is unique and lends itself to many outdoor activities like hiking, cycling, swimming, and canoeing.
The magical lake that was once a cave
The formation of Lake Ziros seems to be due to the region's tectonokarstic activity. Geologists believe the lake was once a lake cave, but its roof collapsed about 10,000 years ago. To its west rise the Thesprotian Mountains, and very close to its east flows the Louros River, to which it's connected underground. A little further north lies the famed Kokkinopilos, a group of red clay hills of great geological and archaeological interest.
On the shores of Lake Ziros, the «Agios Alexandros Children's Town, Lake Ziros» («Ziroupoli») was built by Swiss architects in 1947-1949 for the care of orphaned children of World War II and the Civil War. From 1950 to 1975, «Ziroupoli» hosted about 800 boys, aged 6-17, and provided an economic lifeline to the area, operating as an educational center.
See Lake Ziros in the video
What to see in the area
Very close to Lake Ziros, Kokkinopilos is a different and striking landscape, one you wouldn't imagine exists in Greece. It's a group of hills 100-150 m high, a rare scene that enchants anyone lucky enough to see it up close and to hike the hills that take on every shade of red depending on the time of day.
Also, near the village of Agios Georgios, in a lush area, you'll see large and impressive sections of the enormous-for-its-time Louros Aqueduct, which was built in 31 BC, by order of the Roman emperor Augustus Octavius.
If you find yourself in the area, it's worth seeing the Louros springs as well. At the 30th kilometer of the Ioannina-Arta road, near the village of Vouliasta, lies the natural lake Viros formed by the springs of the Louros River, at an elevation of 296 meters. They call it «blue lake», and not unfairly. The combination of the verdant landscape and the deep-blue waters soothes the eye and exalts nature's beauty.
The Louros River springs from Mount Tomaros in the regional unit of Ioannina and, after a course of about 80 kilometers, flows into the Ambracian Gulf. Since antiquity it has been important for supplying water to nearby major urban centers such as Nicopolis.
