Almost permanently bathed in the colours of the sunset, with the exception of cloudy winter days, Lake Vistonida is Thrace's hidden gem, encapsulating the beauty of autumn in a natural destination.
Between Rhodope and Xanthi, where the northern Aegean carves the Balkans, Lake Vistonida with the emblematic church of Agios Nikolaos is the autumnal surprise that few know about, but many more deserve to discover.
Known in Turkish as Buru Gyol, Lake Vistonida is named after the mythical king of Thrace, Vistonas, and the eponymous Viston people who inhabited the area in ancient times.
As people between myth and reality, the Vistons had as their king an otherworldly demigod who, according to all mythology, was the first king to force his subjects to get tattoos as a sign of prowess and bravery.
Of course, today, the Vistons may have been lost in the course of history, but they left behind a magical lake with incredible landscapes, horizons and views.
For centuries, the shallow Lake Vistonida—its maximum depth is 3 metres—has been a bone of contention. It is sometimes considered a lagoon because its salinity fluctuates greatly from point to point.
This strange natural phenomenon is caused by the area's geomorphology, with the rivers Kosynthos, Kompsato, or Xiropotamos, and Travos, or Aspropotamos, filling the northern part of the lake with fresh water while the southern part looks more like a sea.
This coexistence of sea and freshwater results in the creation of a brackish ecosystem that hosts different species of flora and fauna, creating a rich mosaic of life ideal for birdwatchers.
Perhaps, however, its sunsets are the most enchanting thing on the horizon of Lake Vistonida, apart from the rare animals it hosts.
Enigmatic that captivates the eye - and the camera - with a dull autumn sun reflecting on the calm dark waters, the thick marsh reed beds and the bare branches of the trees, the evenings here on the lake resemble a painting.
The area persistently flirts with melancholy shades between orange when the sky is clear and grey when the sky is cloudy.
Thanks to dozens of species of animals and plants, the lake is classified as a natural habitat. In its shallow waters and lakeside areas, there are rare species of flora and fauna, including flamingos and other migratory birds that use the lake as a stopover.
Here, you will see newts, dwarf geese, and cephalopods finding refuge in the calm waters.
In the middle of the lake, Agios Nikolaos emerges. According to tradition, it was created either during the Byzantine or Ottoman years, no one can say with certainty exactly when.
The church is connected to the land and the smaller chapel of Panagia Pantanassa, which even houses a copy of the famous image of the same name from the Vatopedi Monastery, through a floating wooden bridge, making the lake waters even more mysterious.
How to get there?
Access to Porto Lagos is easy via the provincial road that connects the area to Komotini, around 25 minutes to drive.
The distance from Thessaloniki is around 2.5 hours, making it an accessible alternative for exploring eastern Greece.
Yianni Koutroudi is a columnist for Travel. Translated by Paul Antonopoulos.
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