Lake Plastira

Lake Plastira is one of the most beautiful sights in inland Greece, an artificial lake cradled at around 790 metres above sea level in the Agrafa mountains of western Thessaly. It was created in the early 1960s when a dam was built on the Tavropos river, realising a vision first put forward by the Greek general Nikolaos Plastiras, after whom it is named. What could have been a purely functional reservoir has instead become a beloved landscape of deep turquoise water framed by dark fir forest and rolling highland pasture.

The lake stretches around 12 km long and up to 4 km wide, and a scenic road runs almost the full way around its shore, roughly 40 km, passing through a string of small stone villages. Neochori, Kalyvia Pezoulas and Belokomiti among them offer guesthouses, tavernas serving mountain fare, and viewpoints out over the water. Driving or cycling the loop is the classic way to take it in, with plenty of places to stop for a coffee overlooking the lake.

Beyond the shore road, the lake is a hub for gentle outdoor activity. You can hire kayaks and pedal boats or take a short cruise on the water, walk or mountain-bike the forest trails, and in the surrounding hills there are horse-riding and hiking routes into the wilder Agrafa. Small chapels, waterfalls and old monasteries are tucked into the folds of the mountains around.

The usual base is the town of Karditsa on the plain below, about 25 km away, from which the road climbs steadily into the mountains; many visitors also stay in the lakeside villages themselves. It is a year-round destination with a strong autumn and winter following, when the fir slopes turn and the air sharpens.

Cool, green and quietly spectacular, Lake Plastira is a reminder that some of the finest scenery in Greece lies not on the coast but high in the mountains of the interior.