Drakolimni ( el, Δρακολίμνη, "Dragon Lake") is the name of several alpine or sub-alpine

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

s in northwestern Greece Epirus region: the ones in mountain Tymfi and Smolikas are the most widely known. According to local folktales the lakes used to be inhabited by dragons who fought each other by throwing pines and rocks and thus created the peculiar landscape and gave their names to the lakes.

Drakolimni of Tymfi

The first lake resides at an altitude of 2050m above sea level, on the mountain range of Tymfi, in Vikos–Aoös National Park. It is overlooked by the nearby peaks of Ploskos (Greek: Πλόσκος) and Astraka (Greek: Αστράκα). At 5 hours walking distance from the village of

Papingo Papingo ( el, Πάπιγκο, also transcribed as Papigko, Papigo) is a former community (1919-2010) in the Ioannina regional unit, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform (the so-called Kallikratis Law) it has become part of the ...

, the lake is a popular trekking destination in the Vikos–Aoös National Park. The lake is inhabited by a species of alpine newt.for a relevant study of the University of Liege, http://www.etho.ulg.ac.be/denoel/site-pindos-en.html

Drakolimni of Smolikas

The second lake resides on the west slope of Smolikas, the second highest mountain of Greece. Smolikas lies a few kilometers north of Tymfi, only separated by the gorge of the river Aoos. This lake is also inhabited by alpine newt.

Footnotes

{{Zagori region Mountain lakes Lakes of Greece Landforms of Ioannina (regional unit) Zagori Landforms of Epirus (region)