Greece · Western Greece

Lake Trichonida

Directions

Λίμνη Τριχωνίδα

Lake Trichonida is the largest natural lake in Greece, in the eastern part of Aetolia-Acarnania between the town of Agrinio and Nafpaktos. The Panaitoliko mountains rise to the north and north-east, and forests of maple, pine and other trees, farmland and villages surround it. The lake and its surroundings are home to a great many kinds of birds.

How it formed

Long ago the lake was much larger and covered the central part of Aetolia-Acarnania, which is now a plain. What is left lies in a basin below the Panaitoliko mountains, and several municipal units share its shores: Thermo, Makryneia, Arakynthos, Thestieis and Paravola.

History

The ancient Greek name of the lake was Trichonis. A hydrocarbon lake on Saturn's moon Titan, Trichonida Lacus, has been named after it.

Nature

Around the lake there are forests of maples, pines and other trees, as well as farmland and villages. The lake and its surroundings are home to a great many kinds of birds, and the lake is a Natura 2000 area.

Fish and the twin lake

Fish in the lake include the dromitsa, sand smelt, carp, eel and wels catfish. Just 2 km away, separated by a strip of land and joined by a canal, is Lake Lysimachia, with endemic fish and the now rare otter, and an aquarium nearby where you can see the fish up close.

Gallery

4 photos

Photo: EviFast7 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: John Vlachopoulos · CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Durutomo · Public domain

Photo: IliasBitsis · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Visit

Getting there

Nearest settlement: Agrinio

Swimming

No reliable information

Tips

The lake is largely off the tourist track: the local economy is built on farming, not tourism, which is why many travellers ignore it. Its charm is quiet.

Cycling and villages

Komoot suggests road routes around both lakes, though most around Trichonida are rated difficult, with one easy and one moderate. The village of Thermo, near the lake, has archaeological sites. Myrtia is a popular spot, and beside the lake there is a green space of 37 stremmata (about 3.7 hectares) with centuries-old plane trees. Agrinio is the nearest large town, about 5 km from Lysimachia.