Greece · Crete

Lake Kournas

Directions

Λίμνη Κουρνά

Lake Kournas is Crete's only freshwater lake, in the Apokoronas municipality of the Chania regional unit, close to the border with Rethymno. The village of Kournas sits on a hill above it, and a nature preserve lies on the south-western side. Today the lake is better known for its terrapins and for tourism than for the eels it once held.

How it formed

Kournas is a lake on Crete in the municipality of Apokoronas in Chania, and the only freshwater lake on the island.

History

In ancient times the lake was called Koresia, after the ancient city of Korion, which is thought to have stood in the area and to have had a temple of Athena. The lake used to contain eels, but today it is better known for its terrapins and for tourism.

Bottomless?

Locals say the lake is bottomless, but its deepest point is about 22.5 m. In the village of Kournas, which was the seat of the revolutionary government in the 1866 uprising, there is a cave decorated with stalactites.

Nature

The lake is part of the Natura 2000 network and is home to rare turtles, herons, cormorants and goldfish. The turtles are best seen early in the morning. The lake fills with mountain spring water in winter, and in summer the level drops and leaves a golden sandy strip.

Gallery

4 photos

Photo: Шнапс · CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: oli09x · CC BY 3.0

Photo: JTE Dimandix · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: MariaVanRhodes · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Visit

Getting there

Nearest settlement: Kournas

Swimming

No reliable information

Tips

Tavernas and pedalo rental shops stand along part of the shore, and the village of Kournas overlooks the lake from the hill. A nature preserve lies on the south-western side, so respect the rules there, and ask locally about the season and access to the shore.

Swimming and pedalos

The turquoise water is warm and good for swimming, and many visitors spend two to four hours on a pedalo ride and a swim. In summer, especially at weekends, the lake is busy, so come midweek. The mountains trap the heat, so August is very warm: bring a hat and sunscreen, and cash for the tavernas.

Getting there and nearby

The lake is a short drive from the Chania–Rethymno road, or can be reached via Georgioupoli, which has a long sandy beach and the chapel of Agios Nikolaos standing in the sea. Argyroupoli, the ancient Lappa, has springs, waterfalls and old mills.