Prespa National Park

Prespa National Park

Prespa National Park covers a surface of 27750 ha and is the biggest National Park in the Balkans. It is located in southeast of Albania and on the border with Macedonia and Greece.

In the territory of the Park there are 12 villages. The Prespa National Park is part of the Korçë district. The entrance point to the Park is in Zvezda which is 25 km away from the border with Macedonia.

Prespa National Park is one of the first National Parks created in Albania after the change of the political regime in 1992.

What makes the park special is and unique are a high biodiversity, beautiful landscapes, traditional and cultural treasures of the region and being a transboundary area.

The most impressive animal to be seen is the Dalmatian pelican, because it is an endangered species. In Prespa National Park you can find the largest colony of the Dalmatian Pelican in the world.

And of course, apart from 1130 different plant species there are animals like brown bear, wolves, foxes and wildcats.

Videos of Prespa Lake and Prespa National Park

Highlights of the seasons

Prespa is beautiful at every season. With the three types of landscapes, lake, mountains and meadows, Prespa is the perfect place to visit.

It is the spring season when nature wakes up and starts painting the park landscape in various colors. Then wildlife ends its hibernation, too. The meadows look like a rainbow with the colors of the different flowers. The Lake gets more crowded by the middle of March with the arrival of the Pelican and other migratory birds.

The summer is warm and pleasant. Discover quiet places where you can swim and enjoy the sun near the lake shore, on the beautiful bays. Take a boat trip around the lake and do some sightseeing, visit the cultural monuments along the shore.

Summer is perfect for a hike up in the mountains with one of our guides to explore the nature, the diverse fauna, the variety of plants and trees. While hiking you might find signs of the wildlife in the Park, footprints and scats of the brown bear, wolf, wild boar, fox, or roe deer.

In autumn nature in Prespa is taken over by the golden rush, with all the leaves turning yellow and gold. This gives to the landscape a warm hue, and makes is easy to distinguish the wood types in the forest during a hike.

The migratory birds start leaving the lake and the nature changes its colors, but the fresh air and the picturesque landscape remains beautiful in every season.

The winter is cold and white, but sensationally beautiful. Snow lies over the whole territory of the Park. The white landscape is in contrast with the deep blue lake colors reflecting like a mirror under the winter sun. Even in winter there are plenty of things to see, such as winter birds gathered in groups by the lake shore. In the caves the ice forms become stalactites.

What else can visitors do here?

Hiking in Prespa is fun and relaxing since there are several excellent guides.

You also can experience the lake when traveling by car, motor bike or bicycle and visit the historical monuments, churches, the monastery of St. Marena near the village of Tuminec and the Island of Maligrad.

Never leave Prespa without tasting the traditional cooking, the fish specialties, the homemade pie, and other traditional dishes.

There are also other attractions that can be visited, like the Treni cave (Small Prespa), Trajan Castle, the prehistoric living area near the lake and different churches in the mountains.

Special events and festivals

There are various festivities in Prespa National Park that are interesting to see and join to become closer and be part of the tradition of the region.

The Wine Festival

The Wine Festival is organized in winter by the National Park. Wines produced by the local population are presented and tasted, and the title best wine of the region is awarded.

Taste the local and traditional food prepared by the skilled housewives of the region! You can also enjoy the beautiful atmosphere with good traditional music.

The International Park Day

A day that shouldn’t be missed since it’s a perfect day to go and enjoy the nature together with the Park administration.

What is interesting to visit are also the traditional and religious festivities.

30^th of July, St. Marena day

The biggest event in the region. People from all nine villages and from further afield come and celebrate at the only monastery of the region.

Everyone is traveling by boat to the monastery, enjoying the beautiful sightseeing and a pleasant boat trip, listening to good music, being part of the open-air festivity and tasting previously prepared lunch under the branches of the century-old tree.

More videos from the area

Text and photos: Prespa National Park & Cveta Trajçe