World Lake Day Aug. 27, 2025

Nature has its tricks, and Sørvágsvatn is one of its best. World Lake Day is the perfect occasion to explore this optical illusion in the Faroe Islands, an autonomous administrative division of the Kingdom of Denmark. Also called Leitisvatn, this lake on the island of Vágar appears to float far above the ocean. In reality, it sits less than 30 metres above sea level. As the largest lake in the Faroes, Sørvágsvatn has a surface area of about 3.4 square kilometres and feeds the Bøsdalafossur waterfall, where its waters pour dramatically into the sea.

© Anton Petrus/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Aug. 27, 2023Jeju Island, South Korea
40 years of recovery
Aug. 27, 2024Young black caiman, Tambopata National Reserve, Peru

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Dec. 1, 2023Lake Minnewanka, Alberta
This bird is peak beak
May 28, 2024The Monastery of Roussanou, Greece
Hide-and-go-seek world champion
May 1, 2024Lei Day
Jul. 26, 2025International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem
Butterfly, fly away
A pair of high achievers
Something to ‘bee’ thankful for
Jun. 20, 2025Summer solstice
Ride the wave
May 20, 2025World Bee Day
Remembering D-Day
Oct. 7, 2025Fall colours below Mount Sneffels near Ridgway, Colorado, United States
Oct. 12, 2025Village of Saranac Lake, New York, United States
Nov. 7, 2025Polar Bear Week
This clever bird passes with flying colours
Isn’t this view mesmerizing?
Sep. 1, 2024River Thames, London, England
Dec. 26, 2023Happy Boxing Day!
Nov. 20, 2025World Childrens Day
Protecting the gentle giants
Oct. 22, 2023Astoria-Megler Bridge, Oregon
Jan. 27, 2025Zoroaster Temple, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, United States
All is calm
Celebrating art in the city
Where can you find this cute creature?
In the tropics, land greets sea warmly
Nov. 27, 2023Río Negro, Amazon basin, Brazil
Jun. 26, 2024Banggai cardinalfish with sea anemone