Dragon Cave of Kastoria

Local legend held that a dragon guarded a hoard of gold in the cave, which gave it the name; the reality is a limestone system of about 300 metres of galleries containing seven small lakes, ten chambers and dense formations, opened as a show cave in 2009 after years of work. Visitors ride a short lift and follow lit walkways past pools reflecting stalactites, with the guide explaining formation and the bear and other animal bones recovered from the floor. The temperature is a constant seventeen degrees. The cave sits directly on the lakeside road below the Mavriotissa monastery, so a visit combines naturally with the walk around the peninsula, and the entrance building has a small exhibition on the geology and the legend.

What you actually see

• The seven lakes - still pools reflecting the formations underground.
• The lit galleries - about 300 metres of walkway through ten chambers.
• The animal bones - remains recovered from the cave floor.
• The lakeside setting - the entrance on the shore road under the cliffs.

When to go

Year-round; the constant temperature makes it a good hot-day or rainy-day visit. Tours run at intervals and are more frequent in summer.

Honest expectations

The cave is small compared with Perama or Alistrati, and the visit is around thirty to forty minutes. Tours are guided at a fixed pace, mostly in Greek. The lift and walkways make it more accessible than most Greek caves.

Nearby

Mavriotissa monastery is just above; Kastoria's old town lies around the peninsula.