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Glorious Balkan lakes

4 minutes to read

Lejla Dizdarevic

Published in October 2017

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The must-see nature wonders - love at first sight

They say the image says more than thousand words. Lead by that, I can simply show you these inspiring, breath taking photos of glorious Balkan lakes and let them tell you their story. Allow me to break your monotonous work routine by introducing you to the top three must-see, gorgeous natural lakes in the Balkan region. Indeed, the choice has been rather tough, as it was a struggle to select only the hottest picks. If you are a nature lover, who would love to run away from the city pollution and enjoy in the beautiful regions, keep reading. I promise you will fall in love with them on the first sight, just as I did.

Lake Ohrid - If you want to wake up with the intoxicating smell of freshly brewed Turkish coffee, and the most idyllic view in the Balkans, then Ohrid Lake in Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is the right spot for you. Europe's deepest and oldest lake, it preserves a unique aquatic ecosystem that is of worldwide importance, with more than 200 endemic species. The importance of the lake was further emphasized when it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. The towns situated at the lakeside are Pogradec in Albania, along with Ohrid and Struga in FYROM. The lake is otherwise densely surrounded by settlements in the form of villages and resorts in both basin countries.

What you should definitely do is take a stroll through lively and chill Ohrid’s old town. Narrow streets take you past original Ottoman period architecture as well as new builds constructed in the same style. Away from the lake you can take a seat in an ancient Greek amphitheatre and make your way up to a 10th century fortress. The gorgeous town, with its adorable, friendly people and of course, great Balkan cuisine which meat lovers will adore, will most certainly make you love Ohrid even more than you thought. After spending some time in the old town, walk back to the water, and follow a well beaten path that takes you to the famous Church of St John at Kaneo. When you are there, you simply must add the photo of this church and a lake, with possibly a beautiful sunset in the backdrop. Trust me, it will add a lot of value to your collection.

Lake Bled- Almost a fairy tale-like, this deep blue Slovenian gem lake emerging from the surrounding Alps with a picturesque church on an island in the middle, has definitely become one of the country’s main sights. You can rent a rowboat to get out to the island in the middle, where it’s quite likely that you’ll see a wedding. According to tradition, it’s good luck for the groom to carry the bride up the steps so that they can ring the church bell together and then make a wish inside the church. Famous for its castle and the island church above, Bled is a beautiful little town, and an easy day trip from the capital Ljubljana, which I highly recommend you to visit as well and get to know its rich history and lovely people.

Plitvice Lakes - Last, but certainly not least, this gorgeous gem of Croatia will leave you breathless. Plitvice lakes is the UNESCO World Heritage Site and also the oldest and the largest national park in the country. The park, founded in 1949 in the area of central Croatia, is made up of a series of interconnected lakes that cascade into each other, only separated by natural travertine dams that are constantly being built up and brought down by the water and the minerals that it carries. The colors, which can be striking blues and greens, are constantly changing based on the algae and mineral content and the quality of the light. Several endemic animal species, like the lynx, also still live here. In case you don't belive me in the natrual beauty of these lakes, pictures say it all.

It is rather convenient to go and walk around the lakes, with well maintained foot paths, sight seeing buses, and short ferries. The park offers you a grand collection of waterfalls, gallery of lakes, forests and amazing diversity of animal life. The lakes are renowned for their distinctive and interchangable colors, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The sixteen lakes which are formed by natural dams of travertine are separated into upper and lower lakes. Plitvice lakes are recognized as an astonishing natural monument for the benefit and enjoyment of the people now and for the generations to come. What are you waitning for? Book your ticket and enjoy in these sights.

Hope your eyes had a rest on this beautiful imageries. Now just imagine if you actually go there, what a heaven on Earth this is. I hope you will listen to my advice and embark on this journey soon. I promise you will not regret it. Stay tuned as I will keep revealing more of this glorious hidden gems of the Balkan region.