Greece · Western Greece

Papas Lagoon

Directions

Λιμνοθάλασσα Καλογριάς (Αράξου)

The Papas lagoon, also called Kalogria or Araxos, lies north of Araxos village in the north-western corner of the Peloponnese, near Cape Araxos, where the Gulf of Patras meets the Ionian Sea. With the Strofylia forest, the Prokopos and Kotychi lagoons, Lake Lamia and the Mavra Vouna hills, it belongs to one protected ecosystem under the Ramsar Convention and Natura 2000.

History

The lagoon has served as a natural fish farm for centuries, and sea bass, mullet and eels are still fished here. By tradition it owes its name, the Pope’s lagoon, to the sea bream sent from here as a gift to the Pope.

Nature

Migrating and wintering waterbirds use the lagoons, with egrets and glossy ibises among them. The stone and Aleppo pines of the Strofylia forest, some over 200 years old, stand on dunes close by, home to foxes, weasels and eagle owls, and loggerhead turtles lay their eggs on Kalogria beach.

Visit

Swimming

No reliable information

Tips

Araxos is about 29 km south-west of Patras and Kalogria beach about 45 km, some 40 minutes by car. Many paths cross the different habitats of the area, there is a bird observatory on the lakeside, and you can climb a dune for the view over the beach, the sea and the forest.

Kalogria beach is about 9 km long, with sand and gently shelving water, organised in part and quiet elsewhere.