At the end of World War II, the Greek government began searching for a place to produce salt. A few locations were considered, in the end, the government settled for Alykes due to its large swath of flat land and its history with salt production.

The place’s name even means “salt,” as the town that sprouted around it was presumably named after the industry. Salt production continued until 1980, when the government decided the place was no longer profitable enough to be viable, and therefore closed it.

Today, the salt flats are preserved as a habitat for wildlife. They are small enough to walk around, with restaurants lining some of its edges, making for a lovely evening stroll when the sunset reflects off the pools. You may even spot a cat colony prowling around its outskirts.