Grammos Village – Fagou – Gistova

Lake Gistova is one of the three major alpine lakes of Greece. It is located in the eastern part of Grammos, above the village of Grammos or Gramosta and close to the highest peaks of the mountain, Perifanos and peak 2520.

From the village of Grammos (or Gramosta), we take the country road toward Lefka. At an elevation of 1,850 m, where there is a stone wayside shrine, the road forks: the right fork leads to the Barouga Pass, while the left fork leads to the Fagou meadow. We can also reach this point via the trail that leads up to Gistova.

At the fork, we take the left branch and walk along the dirt road until we reach the first prominent ridge, where there is a sturdy red tin shack.

At the hut, we leave the road and head uphill along a small ridge, following an indistinct path. Turning left, we wind through beautiful meadows with streams and orchids. From the end of the meadow, we can choose the best route among the various indistinct trail traces: we select the path with the gentlest slope, which bypasses a steep slope and leads us to the middle of the three ravines in this area. Through the gentle ravine, we reach the vicinity of the Gistova Pass, where we join the trail from the 2520 and descend into the lake basin.
When there is still snow on the mountain, it is best to stay closer to the ridge line.

We’ll find water in the area’s streams.

Although the dogs on Grammos are not dangerous, it’s best to avoid the herds—and especially the sheepfolds—by taking a wide detour outside the animals’ range of concern.

Elevation profile

Starting – ending point and maximum elevation