Dimitris Tosidis

Nestled in the shadow of the towering Tzoumerka peaks, the village of Melissourgi is right at the end of the road. Beyond it lie steep slopes, dramatic ravines, and rugged mountaintops, with only the distant villages of Syrrako and Kalarrytes, perched like eagles' nests on the hillsides, hinting at human presence. Here, where the road ends, tranquility begins.

A dot on he map southeast of Lefkada in the Ionian Sea, the uninhabited islet of Formikoula was an important haven for the endangered Mediterranean monk seal, for loggerhead turtles and for myriad seabirds, thanks to its craggy landscape and caves.

Serbia's Damir Rastic (L) and Ukraine's Artem Tyshchenko (R) in action during the men's 10km Sprint race at the IBU Biathlon World Cup i​n Hochfilzen, Austria. Photo: EPA-EFE/Christian Bruna.

CSKA Sofia fans light flares during the UEFA Europa Conference League group C football match against AS Roma in ​the Bulgarian capital on December 9, 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE/Vassil Donev.

Flooding resulting from strong downpours wiped out large chunks of the road network in the seaside village of Olympiada and other parts of the Aristotelis Municipality in Halkidiki, northern Greece, on Saturday.