NATURAL ATTRACTIONS

From the point of natural attractions the forestry area of Lailias in the mountain chain of Vrontou has a great aesthetic presence and is of great botanic and sociological importance. It's a beech and pine-tree forest that covers an area of 30.000 square kilometers, a unique paradise near the city of Serres (25 km away), related to thousands of traditions and stories. The forest shelters large mammals and birds both rare and common. The very few brown bears find shelter in the northern steep part of the forest. Animals such as wild fowls nesting in tall pine-trees and deer, wild-boars, others, predotory animals and pertridges constitute to the wonderful world of the forest's findings. Rare vegetable types, unique in the field of science, find shelter there: five types, five subtypes, five varieties, one form and one hybrid are recorded here for the first time as new for science.

In the center of the forestry region of Lailias there is a marvelous, unique palaeobotanic museum, Sfagnonas. Sfagnonas is a swampy place situated in the mild and figid areas of the Northern Hemisphere with main prosperous type deciduous plants, mosses which, the very long and without oxygen decomposition created the 'turf'. This area has been declared a perceivable monument of nature and with the authorization of the Ministry of Agriculture research takes place on the post-glacial evolution of the Forest.

Lailias forms a rare example of harmony between the wild scenery and the wonderful beauty of nature. The extremely tall trees, the steep ravines, the craggy and huge rocks and generally the captivating site enchant the mountain and countryside adorers. During the winter the forest is surrounded by the real alpine magnificence, as it is covered by a thick layer of snow..

Although, the site that attracts most interest of the visitors is Katiga. You can get there via a picturesque path starting from the heart of the forest. There you can admire the huge rock of Katiga which is at the edge of a deep ravine. According to tradition, many years ago a beautiful princess, Katiga, fell from the rock, when her loved one left her.

The captivating beauty of Lailias has been praised lavishly by the Turkish traveler Evlia Tselembis since 1668, who devoted a whole chapter to the "praise of the great resorts of Serres" in his rambling book. This resort, he writes, is well-known in Roumeli, Arabia and Persia. "It is a place with great climate, a real paradise, the best of all. In this resort, during the summer months, people have the need of a coat, because sometimes it snows and the cold weather is more intense than it is during the winter months.".

Lailias didn't leave the French Consul and traveler Cousinery unmoved, who when he visited Serres in 1814, dedicated many pages commending the fascinating forest.

During the Turkish domination, 2 thousand eldeers from the Prefecture owned summer houses in Lailias and bays used to send their harems to pass the summer months. At the time, there were about 40 mosques, inns, many monasteries, schools and thousands of different buildings. In other words, it was a town in itself. Some time later, the inhabitants of Serres built up a picturesque village in Lailias, exploiting a significant resort. However, the Second World War depopulated the area.

At the top of Vrontous mountain, Ali-Babas, there is a cool, pure water spring, which is used in the making of a very special kind of Turkish delight, called "Akanes Lailia".

Even today, there is a mountain hut in Lailias which is fully fitted out with modern equipment. The mountain hut was built by the Division of the Greek Mountaineering Association of Serres. Both the Skiing Center of Lailias and the mountain hut contribute towards the enhancement of the winter sports and skiing and they are also the main focal point of attracting many Greek mountaineers and nature-worshippers.

In the flat and semi-mountainous area, important hydro-biospheres are developing which are of great international significance and acceptance. The most essential hydro-biosphere is the one in Kerkini lake. It is a miracle of nature which came about by man's technical intervention on the natural characteristics of Strymon river. The water extent, which varies from time to time from 54250 sq. km to 72.100 sq. km., works out to be useful in two ways: as a technical work of great agricultural utility and as a hydrobioshpere for thousands of water fowls. This wonderful biosphere is recouped by the International Convention of Ramsar and presents numerous admirable elements. Thousands of birds, both rare and protege, riverside forests, water-lilies in a large area, fish variety and fantastic panoramic view from the mountains of Beles and Krousia give it a characteristic tone. The main water provider of the lake is Strymon river. Additionally, there is Kerkinitis river from Krousia that flows into the lake.

The lake was created where Kerkini lake was by making embankments on the eastern and western sides and a dam was constructed near the village of Lithotopos, which started functioning in 1932. After the construction of the dam, the form of the initial hydrosphere changed completely. The human intervention usually retracts or takes negative action against the natural processes. Kerkini lake is a rare example, where the gentle human handling had the exact opposite result.

As time went by, the lake's capacity was reduced because of the substances that were washed up by Strymon river. So the rising of the embankments and the construction of anew dam was necessary, which was started in 1982.

A small hydro-biosphere which accommodates a substantial number of aquatic birds that live on the water's edge every year is Strymon's Delta, in Amfipolis. Unfortunately, it sustained a disastrous impact due to the construction of a petrochemical factor's erection, when the public opposition prevented the construction. However, it got damaged by the huge road works, that were constructed at the junctions in Nea Egnatia Motorway.

Further down, in a ravine, Aggitis river, flows, which originates from a channel made for the draining of swamps in Philipi of Kavala. Aquatic forests cover the sheer rocky slopes with the river that flows calmly. Sometimes the river is clean and at other times it is discolored with iron extracts or other metal oxides that find their way into the river. Sometimes the river's water is clean and at other times is discolored with iron extracts or other metal oxides that find their way into the river.

Menikion Mountain, is a place with low mossy sprouting, full of unexplored caves, stony cattle-breeders' huts, and technical works for gathering rain water. The Blue Water in Simvoli is fresh spring water appropriate for the breeding of trout. The Riverbed in the Mills of Aggistro is a unique biosphere for the brown wild trout. The Forest of Kastanohorion, is a unique chestnut forest with a wonderful decor of very old chestnut trees. The mythical Paggeo mountain with its impenetrable ravines and Philip and Alexander's the Great gold-bearing galleries, with low beech and pine sprouting, with rock paintings and archeological areas, is rising in the east of the Prefecture and is a "guard" in the North and the sea.

Also, the geological formations of fossilized fish and plants in the area of Skopia and Gazoros attract scientific interest continually.

St. Anargiri Valley, on the road that leads to the Acropolis, is a real "lung" for the city of Serres. It is a fascinating place. What makes this rural position so fascinating is the overgrowth, the greenery, the trees, plus the shadow from the leafy broad-leafed, old plane trees around the water that continually flows into the valley.

The natural beauty of the site, has been developed even more after the construction of the artificial lake, swimming pool, indoor gymnasium, outdoor basketball and tennis courts and also countless other entertainment centers which have to offer "unforgettable" moments.

In the eastern part of the city, only 2 km away, you can see the picturesque suburb of St. John, another jewel for the city. The first image that the visitors get is of the age-old, deep-shaded plane-trees and the profuse water which forms small waterfalls that flow from everywhere. The rural restaurants in the area of St. John offer moments of enjoyment.

Chrisopigi is a wonderful resort of Serres with cool springs, marvelous climate and excellent freshness. That's why the settlement which is "hibernated" during the winter months, becomes a life of activity during the summer months with people from Serres moving to their country houses. The scout and school camps offer great hospitality to their little holiday-makers.

In Chrisopigi there is a Forestall and Forestall seedbed Research Center for the produce of coniferous trees in order to be used for artificial reforestation. There is also a remarkable animal breeding farm, where you can see roes, quails, pheasants, while the forestry area has been put in shape in such a way, so that if offers an ideal environment for those who visit Chrisopigi just for a picnic.

In the area of St. Panteleimon, in Dafni Village there is also a natural lake which is very beautiful. During the summer period it attracts the attention of the people and cools them down.

Other remarkable resorts in the Prefecture of Serres are: Neo Petritsi, Ano Poroia, Ano Vrontou, Kastania, Orini with plenty of water and a wonderful climate. There is also Kerdylia Coast which was not long ago awarded the E.E.C. "Blue water flag of Europe" prize for its coast line.

A nature's unique monument with stunning speleological value and importance is Alistrati's Cave. With thousands of bats nesting in the cave's stalagmites and stalactites gives the best impression to the visitors. According to the specialists, this is a unique example of geological morphology and probably the second important cave in the Balkans.

Also, another interesting small cave, known as the Cave of St. Marina, can be found in the Village of Dafni. The inhabitants believe that during the difficult years of the Turkish domination the village population was greatly relieved at this cave while they were secretly praying, as we can see on the worn wall-paintings in the caves. According to rumors given by the elders of the village, the cave's wall-paintings, which are being repaired, were destroyed by the Turks in 1922 while they were leaving.

In the Prefecture of Serres there are indications of another 11 caves. One of those is the Cave of Eptamili, not far from Serres. It is one of the largest in Greece and it was discovered in 1965 during the excavation of the local quarries. The cave's opening is in a hill which consists of limestone and has to do with an underground river whose natural entrance has been covered with slime and boulders.

On the stores of the sewers of the cave there are decorations from stalactites and stalagmites in fine patterns, which after the opening of the entrance to the caves and with the help of the circulation of air, dried out and created a novel and pure white decoration which is found in a Greek cave for the first time. Generally, the chambers, sewers and passages are fully decorated. You can see things such as unique flower-shaped recrystalization, complexes of wonderful stalagmites, huge stalactites and so on.

The Cave of Eptamili, even if it is closed for the time being, it is considered to be a place of general touristic interest because firstly of its size and secondly because of its rare kind in the flat Prefecture of Serres. In the same quarry where the Cave of Eptamili is, there is another cave which seems to be the natural outcome of the underground river mentioned above.