Aggitis Cave

The Aggitis, or Maara, cave is different from the region's other show caves because it is a river cave: the Aggitis river runs through it for around thirteen kilometres, and the visitor route follows a walkway along the water for about five hundred metres under a ceiling that is wide and relatively low, hung with stalactites that reach down toward the surface. The setting is unusual, with the sound of moving water throughout and the light of the entrance receding behind. Outside, the river emerges into a green valley used for picnics, and the ancient Greeks knew the site; a Roman-era wall and later structures stand near the mouth. Excavations have turned up Neolithic material, indicating long use of the entrance area.

What you actually see

• The underground river - the Aggitis flowing through the whole cave.
• The walkway - a path along the water beneath a stalactite ceiling.
• The entrance valley - the river emerging into a green picnic area.
• The old structures - Roman and later walls near the cave mouth.

When to go

Year-round; the cave stays cool and the river runs in all seasons, though high water after storms can shorten the route. Tours are more frequent in summer.

Honest expectations

Visits are guided and short, around forty minutes, and the ceiling is low in places. The interior is damp and the walkway can be slippery. It is less spectacular in formations than Alistrati but more atmospheric for the water.

Nearby

Alistrati cave lies west along the same river; Drama and Mount Falakro are north.