Millions of years ago an enormous lake stretched across the entire Mygdonian Basin in Greece. Lake Volvi and Lake Koronia, nestled in the lowest part of the basin, are all that is left of the ancient lake. However, the lakes are still impressive with tens of thousands of acres of water. The lake has fantastic recreation opportunities and is less than an hour from the port city of Thessalonika with
any amenity a visitor might need or want. Lake Volvi covers 16,803 surface acres. Also known as Limni Volvi and occasionally Limni Bolbe, the lake has a maximum depth of 75 feet and is 12 miles long and six to eight miles wide. It receives its water from a variety of streams, and its outflow is the Richios River which flows on into the Strymonian Gulf. Lake Volvi is also connected to Lake Koronia by a channel and separated by a strip of land. Known in the 1950's for its exceptional fishing, Lake Koronia has been shrinking ever since and has experienced increasing eutrophication (excessive nutrients in the water). Lake Volvi, on the other hand, is growing. Lake Volvi is known for its exceptional perch fishing, and there is more than enough water for boating. The lake is near the Aegean Sea, and with the Mediterranean climate, it never freezes making it a popular year round destination. It is surrounded by the Volvi, Vertiskos, Kerdyllion, Chortiatis, Cholomondas and Stratonikos mountains and sits in a pastoral agrarian area. Several villages border the lake including Redina and Madytos, and there are self-catering holiday villas, cottages, and vacation rentals available. Be FIRST to add a photo to Volvi Lake, Thessaloniki! Add Volvi Lake Pictures! The Thessalonika-Kaval national road runs along the northern shore of the lake, and Limni Volvi is 25 miles north of the city of Thessalonika in the Prefecture of Thessalonika. The historic port city was established in 315 BC by Cassander, the King of Macedon. It was named in honor of his wife, Thessalonica, who was also the sister of Alexander the Great. Thessalonika was ruled by the Romans, Byzantines, and Venetians and then conquered by the Ottoman Empire. Greece finally captured the port in 1912 during the First Balkan War. Today Thessalonika is a thriving city with museums, night clubs and restaurants mixed in with architectural evidence of its rich history. Visitors can stroll past early Christian and Byzantine monuments, lunch on fresh seafood at a local restaurant, and enjoy spectacular views of the port city from the top of the White Tower. The tower was built during the reign of the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and has become a visual symbol of the city of Thessalonika. All the amenities of the city are easily accessible from Lake Volvi. With the culture, history and beautiful sand beaches of Thessalonika and the charming agrarian roots of the villages around Lake Volvi, the lake has something for everyone. Add the fantastic Mediterranean climate and Lake Volvi becomes a great year round Greek destination. The areas surrounding Volvi lake are very interesting and have rare ecosystems, hydro-habitats, hydrophilous plants and trees. More than 200 bird species such as storks, egrets, flamingos, herons, etc, which are protected by the International Convention Ramsar, spend the winter in these regions. At Scholari, a village near the lake one can see the age-long plane trees where egrets nest. Near Nymfopetra village it is worth admiring the limestone formations among the wheat and to***co plants, a complex of rocks with plenty of holes and which the locals name nymphopetres (bridal stones), as they claim that the stones symbolize a wedding procession, which turned into stone for some unknown reason. Several fish species can be found at Volvi lake.
