Along the way, you'll encounter the Byzantine Castle Gardiki from the 13th century, featuring an octagonal layout with eight rectangular towers. Upon arrival at Lake Korission, you'll find it spans a surface area of 427 hectares (approximately 1,050 acres) and drains into the sea through a channel that bisects Chalikouna Beach. The lagoon was formed by sand dunes that separated its basin from the sea between 140,000 and 250,000 years ago. Protected by the Natura 2000 treaty, the area includes coastal regions, a unique forest of prickly juniper (Juniperus phoenicea), often referred to as cedar, and sand dunes reaching heights of over 15 metres (49 ft). The lagoon is also home to small reed beds, groves of tamarisk, white water lilies (Nymphaea alba), and 14 different species of orchids in the dunes. Over 126 species of birds have been recorded at the lagoon, including great cormorants, Eurasian wigeons, great egrets, and greater flamingos.