Prespa Lakes, Northern Greece

The two lakes of Megali Prespa and Mikri Prespa is an area of incredible beauty and has not been discovered by tourists yet. Seperated by a narrow isthmus they could easily be one big lake, with most of Megali Prespa in FYROM and Albania.

The Prespa area is a national park and there is an information center in the village of Agios Germanos. Mikri Prespa is the home to cormorants, pelicans, egrets, herons and a number of other birds.

The small island of Agios Ahillios has ancient and Byzantine ruins and you can be taken across by ferry for 2000 drachma.


The main town and the only place you can get a bus to is Agios Germanos, an attractive village and convenient base according to Lonely Planet. There is a hotel run by the womens cooperative called the Afios Germanos hotel and the Les Pelicans on the main square. Lefteris Taverna is your best bet for a meal.

The village of Psaridis on a small inlet on Megali Prespa is a nationally preserved town of stone houses, old cedar and oak fishing boats and minature cows.


There are numerous tavernas and fish restaurants along the waterfront which serve fresh fish right from the lake. Lazaros Hristianopoulos's Syntrofia Taverna is the fave place of the Lonely Planet writers, but if you are visiting in the off season only the Paradosi will be open. As for hotels, book in advance in-season or you will wind up on Koula beach in your tent or sleeping bag if you should be lucky enough to have one.

Contact our local Greek Travel agents for room information. You can take a boat tour to visit the three holy sites of Metamorphosi, Mikri Analipsi and Panagia Eleousa all from between the 13th and 15th centuries. Also included in the tour are the rock paintings of the Panagia Vlahernitisa and the Panagia Dexiokratousa.

Used with permission from Matt Barrett's Greece Travel Guide