Things to do in Prespa
Things to do in Prespa start with water and birds: two lakes, an island with a Byzantine basilica, a village on the shore, medieval hermitages, old churches and a restored mill. This guide gives a short answer for each and sends you to the article that goes deeper. It is written from Agios Germanos, where our four homes are. It prints no distances, journey times or opening days, because those change and are best checked at the source.
The lakes and their birds
Prespa has two lakes, Lesser Prespa and Greater Prespa, in a transboundary basin. According to the Society for the Protection of Prespa, the area holds the largest Dalmatian pelican colony in the world, with about 15% of the estimated global breeding population, and more than 40,000 waterbirds use the lakes in winter. Lesser Prespa is internationally important for its waterbirds.
On Lesser Prespa, the tourism portal of the Municipality of Prespes describes a small uninhabited islet, Vidronisi, whose trees, reeds and rocks are full of birds' nests. People are not allowed to go there, because any human presence would disturb the birds' rest and endanger their chicks.
Read more in the Prespa lakes and birdwatching in Prespa.
The island of Agios Achilleios
Agios Achilleios is one of the two inhabited lake islands in Greece, according to the tourism portal, with a settlement of just 11 houses. The portal describes an impressive three-aisled basilica with a wooden roof, which it dates to the end of the 10th century (religiousgreece.gr dates the church to the 980s), the churches of St Georgios, St Demetrius and the Twelve Disciples, and the monastery of Panagia Porphyra, from the early 16th century.
You can reach the island by a floating footbridge or by the typical boats of the area. The bridge is described as the first floating pedestrian bridge built in a Greek lake, and it serves mainly pedestrians and cyclists. For the Byzantine side of the story, read Byzantine heritage in Prespa.
Psarades and the hermitages
Psarades is the unique Greek village on the shore of Greater Prespa, the portal says, and it is a designated traditional settlement, the first in the Municipality of Prespes, ahead of Agios Germanos. The main occupation of its inhabitants is fishing, along with stock-breeding and tourism. The church of the Assumption is said to have been built in 1903 by craftsmen from Korytsa.
From Psarades you can visit by boat the hermitages of Panagia Eleousa, the Ascension and the Transfiguration on the shores of Greater Prespa. The Transfiguration hermitage sits in a shallow cavern over a small beach, and the portal dates it to the 13th century, with some reservations. Ask locally about boat trips before you go: we name no operators and print no times.
Byzantine churches and monasteries
Byzantine and post-Byzantine buildings are part of the landscape here: the basilica and the monastery on Agios Achilleios, the hermitages on the shore and, in Agios Germanos, a church from the beginning of the 11th century with painted decoration from three periods. Byzantine heritage in Prespa brings them together.
Agios Germanos: the church, the watermill and the information centre
Agios Germanos has an 11th-century Byzantine church that welcomes visitors. A restored watermill stands nearby; the owners say it is the only watermill of the area to survive, and visitors can enter. The tourism portal also lists an Information Center in the village square, with a permanent exhibition and a map of the area with hiking routes and bird-watching points. Our village guide covers the lanes and the church, and the watermill of Agios Germanos has its own article.
Prespa beans and the table
Beans are farmed around the lakes, and they have their own guide: Prespa beans. There are many tavernas and cafés in the area. What is open changes with the season, so check before you come.
Through the seasons
Prespa changes with the year, and so does what is open. For the cold months, read Prespa in winter. We give no weather figures here.
Before you go
Check opening days and boat arrangements on each place's own page, since they change. For the journey itself, see how to get to Prespa.
Quick answers
What is there to do in Prespa?
Prespa offers two lakes and their birds, the island of Agios Achilleios, the village of Psarades and its hermitages, Byzantine churches, and a restored watermill near Agios Germanos.
Which Prespa villages are designated traditional settlements?
Psarades and Agios Germanos are both designated traditional settlements. According to the Municipality of Prespes, Agios Germanos was the second in the municipality after Psarades.
Can I walk to the island of Agios Achilleios?
Yes. A floating footbridge, which serves mainly pedestrians and cyclists, connects the island with the shore, and typical boats of the area also go there.
Can I land on Vidronisi?
No. The tourism portal says people are not allowed there, because any human presence would disturb the nesting birds.
Is there an information centre in Agios Germanos?
Yes. The tourism portal lists an Information Center in the village square. Opening days change, so check before you go.
Four homes in the village
Prespes Luxury Homes has four homes in one renovated stone building in Agios Germanos: Home 1 for up to 2 guests, Home 2 for up to 4, Home 3 for up to 4 and Home 4 for up to 5, and up to 15 guests in all. Every home has heating you control room by room, hot water all day and a welcome basket with breakfast treats. Homes 2, 3 and 4 also have a fireplace; we provide firewood, and a person helps you with the fire. Meet the homes or ask about availability.
