Kerkini Lake is one of the most beautiful and important natural places in Greece, while it is located 40 km (37.28 miles) from the city of Serres and 100km (62.13 miles) from Thessaloniki. The area has been declared a National Park under the international Ramsar Convention and is one of the ten Greek wetlands of international significance.
Kerkini Lake was created in 1932, when the dam was built in the area of Lithotopos, to hold the river Strymon and later used as water storage to irrigate the plains of the county. In 1982, due to the reduced capacity of the lake because of debris from the Strymon, a new dam was constructed. Today the lake Kerkini is a huge environmental project which gives birth to a variety of birds and mammals, while at the same time it is a source for the economic development of the region.
In the area, there are dozens of hostels and hotels with modern amenities (fireplace, jacuzzi, indoor and outdoor pools) and the visitor can find numerous traditional taverns with local delicacies. Here, there are also facilities for archery and paintball, while there are opportunities for hiking, cycling, and horse riding in the various trails.
A highlight activity is without any doubt taking a tour on Lake Kerkini with the typical boats of the lake called "Plavi", with this activity the visitor can take photographs of countless beautiful birds which are many protected species that live here.