Kalochori Lagoon

It is not common to see human intervention in nature creating such a beautiful image. The Lagoon in Kalochori is truly unique, as the environment seems to have "counterattacked" the human activities that intended to alter it - it has been re-created, changing form. The construction of embankments for flood protection and the over-pumping of water through boreholes, combined with the weak soil composition, caused the gradual subsidence that filled the area with water in the 1950s and created a rare, now protected wetland outside Kalochori.

Just eight kilometers, ten minutes from the center of Thessaloniki, flamingos roam the shallow waters of the lagoon in search of the tiny shrimp with which they feed which is the reason why they're pink. Herons, silver pelicans, black-headed gulls, sea eagles, and ducks claim their own space, filling the calm landscape next to Thermaikos with unstoppable sounds. On the near horizon, the contrast is fascinating, with the factories, the commercial facilities but also the urban fabric of Thessaloniki that stands out as a background.

The so-called "red path", paved in red soil that crosses the lagoon and allows visitors to enjoy it from one end to the other, stretches for a kilometer and is suitable for hiking - but also cycling for the most part. Almost all year round the flamingos are at a distance of a few meters without being disturbed by the human presence, in the wetland which is a popular station for migratory birds and a pole of attraction for the ones who like to observe, nature lovers and those looking for a short escape from the city. Furthermore, the cinematic scene of the "floating village" created by the constructions of the fishermen, looks like a Theodoros Angelopoulos film, with pillars and constructions submerged in the water from the time before the formation of the lagoon.