Cave of the Lakes

The cave was known to antiquity, Pausanias mentions caverns near Kleitoria, but was rediscovered in 1964 by villagers following their goats and opened to visitors in 1981. What makes it unusual is its hydrology: an underground river runs through it, and in winter and spring it fills a chain of thirteen lakes arranged in steps on three levels, separated by natural stone dams up to four metres high. Roughly 500 metres of the two-kilometre system are open, walked on a raised metal bridge above the water, with stalactites, curtains and columns lit along the way. In summer the upper lakes dry out and reveal the dam formations themselves, so the cave offers two quite different visits depending on season. The temperature stays around sixteen degrees year-round.

What you actually see

• The stepped lakes - thirteen basins on three levels, full in spring.
• The stone dams - natural barriers between the pools, visible when dry.
• The formations - stalactites, columns and flowstone along the route.
• The raised walkway - a bridge carrying visitors above the water.

When to go

March to May for full lakes and flowing water, the most striking version. Summer shows the dry dams and the geology instead. Tours run at set times and the cave can close for maintenance.

Honest expectations

Only a quarter of the system is accessible, and visits are guided at a set pace, usually thirty to forty minutes. It is damp, cool and occasionally slippery; photography without flash is limited by the light. Combine it with the drive to Kalavryta rather than travelling for it alone.

Nearby

Kalavryta and its rack railway lie east; Mega Spilaio monastery is on the same mountain road.