Lake Doxa is an ideal destination for day trips and holidays as there are many activities to do, such as horseback riding, cycling, swimming in the lake, etc. You can visit the local taverns to try the local recipes from fresh produce.

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The lake is located 20 meters below the ground, with a length of about 160 m and the water has a depth of 10 m to 40 meters depending on the prevailing conditions. The tour of the cave of Melissani is done by boat and starts from the uncovered part of the cave, where the light falls into the water and creates beautiful turquoise shades that enchant my visitors. Continuing in the covered part of the cave, visitors can see the 20,000-year-old stalactites with strange shapes that adorn most of it.

The Cave of Melissani is associated with two myths. A legend wants Melissanthi to commit suicide in the lake out of grief because Pan did not respond to her love. Another legend wants the shepherdess Melissanthi, who lost a sheep and as she was trying to find it, she stumbled and fell into the lake. In the center of the lake is an island, where archaeologist S. Marinatos discovered findings that certify the worship of the cave to the god Pan and the Nymphs. That is why you call it the Cave of the Nymphs. These finds are a clay figurine of the god Pan, a clay disk depicting nymphs dancing, a clay plate with a procession of nymphs, and a small tile with a relief female figure. The findings are today in the Archaeological Museum of Argostoli.

In this lagoon cave, we meet another rare phenomenon. The water that penetrates the limestone rocks, erodes them and creates pits through a process called karstification. In 1963 it was found that the lagoon cave communicates with the entire karst network of the island and was even confirmed by control with colored water that flowed from the sinkholes in Argostoli, at the other end of the island.

The cave is open to visitors, May to October from 08.30 in the morning until 19.40 in the afternoon every day.

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Dragonlake of Tymfi is located in an alpine meadow of mountain Tymfi, at an altitude of 2,050m. , its shape is elliptical and its area is estimated at 8 acres. It is a popular destination for climbers and hikers, while it is known for its alpine newts, a protected amphibian that looks like a salamander and the locals call it Little dragons and which is hosted in the waters of the lake. It is a 1-hour walk from the shelter in the col of Astraka and 4 hours walk from Mikro Papigo.

There are various myths and legends about the Dragonlake of Tymfi, with the best known being the one who wants to live there, a dragon who tried to exterminate the dragon that lived in the Dragonlake of Smolikas. From the stones that flew at each other, the banks were formed. The bank of Tymfi is black with scattered white stones while Smolikas is white with scattered black stones. While there is an interpretation of the myth that says that, from the stones thrown by the Dragon of Tymfi were created the white rams and from the trunks thrown by the dragon of Smolikas were created the black sheep.

Another legend says that the Dragonlake of Tymfi had no bottom and that a great treasure was hidden there, but in reality, the depth is 3 to 5 meters depending on the prevailing conditions. There is a theory that during the Turkish occupation a Bey had put a diver from Preveza to dive to measure the depth of the lake and find the treasure. When he came out after an hour he was terrified and said not to try to do the same again.

Today Dragonlake of Tymfi is the ideal destination for those who love nature and have an appetite for walking while attracting photographers for impressive images.

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The diversity of local vegetation and the abundance of fauna, combined with the elements of the modern history of the area, compose a special landscape. In the homonymous settlement of Doirani, next to the bank, one will see the abandoned wagons of the old railway station and the Cemetery of the British Soldiers on the hill behind the settlement of the First World War.

The huge grain crops and the wetlands around the lake are used as pastures while the area is characterized by intense livestock and agricultural activity since after the reduction of fish production the boats have been abandoned on the shores of the lake by fishermen.

The climate of Lake Doirani is Mediterranean with hot summers and wet winters. The lake is located on the border between two tectonic plates in an area with a particularly seismic area. Its depth is about 4 meters.

In the waters of the lake grow plants such as myrtle leaves and river neighbors and reeds that compose the aquatic vegetation of the wetland while in the lakeside forest we find the white willows or white poplars that create a magical landscape. The fauna around the lake is also impressive since the Greek part of the Lake has been included in the list of Special Protection Zones.

About 36 species of rare and protected birds use the area to nest, a park during migration, overwinter, or search for food, including the world-endangered Pelican and Lagoon. Some of the seabirds that we will meet in the Lake are the diphtheria, the kryptotsnikias, the baltokirkos, the diplosaino, the chalkokata, the bekatsini, the avoceta, the “lord of the swamps” etc.

Improper exploitation of the lake has led to the extinction of many species of fish that lived in the lake. In the past, there were 18 species of fish, mainly the carp, the goulianos, the platitsa and the perch which, together with the pike, the red-winged, the glin and the circus, abounded in its waters and were tradable. Other species were the eel, the tilinari, the piglet, the murmuritsa, the virgina, the butterfly, the mosquito fish, the gold needle, the ferro needle, the gypsy fish, etc.

In the Forest of Mulberry, which is located north of the settlement of Doirani and has been designated a Preserved Monument of Nature, with the nickname “Thousand Trees“, many mammals find shelter, such as weasels, foxes, badgers, ferrets and hares. Amphibians such as the bald eagle and the crested newt are some that can be found.

During your stay at Lake Doirani do not forget to eat at the local fish taverns but also to visit the old border railway station Doirani, which has been renovated and operates as a bar.

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The gorge of Asopos is a narrow passage between the mountain slopes of Oiti and Kallidromo and leads the waters of Eastern Oiti to the river Sperchios and through it to the Gulf of Maliakos. Thus, along the gorge, a wetland has been created, of great ecological importance, while the trees such as willows, plane trees, holly trees, and the low vegetation that you can see, fill the landscape with color and make it enchanting

The most famous route followed by hikers starts from the large and imposing railway bridge of Papadia and ends at the bridge of Asopos, where it is located at the end of the gorge. On this route, you are accompanied by the waters of the Asopos river. The Railway Trail was created at the end of the 19th century when the railway line Kato Tithoreas-Lianokladi was built. The railway lines offer images of infinite beauty. In this part, the greatness of nature competes in beauty with human intervention

At Kouvelos, an impressive rock-mountain, which dominates the gorge of Asopos, one can see the archaeological site of the Castle of Oria, where the remains of the ancient city and the wall that probably belong to Ancient Trachina are preserved. On the outskirts of Oiti and Kallidromo was ancient Heraklion, one of the five cities of the kingdom of Achille

The gorge of Asopos is a popular destination all year round but mainly in Autumn and is usually a meeting place for hiking clubs and nature lovers.

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Lake Tsivlou is located in the Municipality of Aegialia, on the slopes of Helmos and at an altitude of about 700 meters, just two hours away from Athens. Its depth is about 80 meters but this varies depending on the weather conditions prevailing per season. It is a destination for all seasons since the landscape is magnificent. Tsivlou lake is surrounded by forests of black pines, firs, and aleppo pines, but also mountains, which make the lake look like a blue meadow.

The fauna of the lake is rich in freshwater mullet trapped by the Krathi River but also in carp mosquito fish, trout, and crayfish placed there by the inhabitants of the surrounding villages without conducting any study. Due to its young age – not even 100 years old – that makes it one of the youngest lakes in Europe, the flora has not developed much, except for some reeds but also a peculiar hydrophyte that prevails in its seabed.

The inhabitants of the village of Sylvaina, which was lost at the bottom of the lake, created a village of the same name near Akrata. If you look at the Lake from above you can easily understand the location of the village that was lost. On the internet one can find testimonies of creepy residents from the moment of the landslide and destruction while the deafening noise caused, looked like a bombing.

Nowadays, the lake is an ideal place for walking and relaxing and is a place to visit if you find yourself in Achaia

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