tristate area

Prespes lakes are the highest located (800m above sea level) lakes in all Balkans, and lie in three countries. The bigger lake (the greek name is as simple as “the big prespa lake”) belongs in 2/3 to Skopja, in about 1/5 to Greece and the smallest part to Albania, while the smaller one (again the name is “the small prespa lake”) is mostly greek with very little part in Albania.

The region is considered as underdeveloped, as a result of many years of strong military presence and limited civilian access. This has changed over last decade and region became a major tourist attraction for both winter and summer seasons. Also, with its unique fauna and flora, it is a popular destination for ornithologists and botanists coming from all over the world to study wildlife (bears, wolves, pelicans). Villages like Psarades, Agios Germanos, Agios Achillis are renovated with traditional style, stone houses and narrow steep paths.

The first photo was taken from the shore of the Big Prespa, just next to monastery of Saint Eleousa, accessible only by boat from Psarades. The other is a panoramic view over the lakes taken from nearby peaks of Varnountas range, south east from the lakes.

Photo1: NIKON D70s, AP, f 1/6.3, 1/2000s, -0.3EV, f=33 mm (for 35mm), GIMP software

Photo2: NIKON D70s, AP, f 1/8, 1/640s, -0.3EV, f=52 mm (for 35mm), GIMP software