Lake Kaiafas

Kaiafas is a coastal lagoon separated from the Ionian Sea by a strip of dunes and umbrella pines, fed by sulphurous springs that emerge at the foot of Mount Lapithas. Two caves in the rock face, known as the Anigrides Nymphs' caves, hold warm mineral water and have been used for bathing since antiquity, when the springs were credited with curing skin diseases; a spa complex built around them still operates, with a small island of hotel buildings reached by causeway. The beach on the seaward side runs for kilometres of clean sand backed by pines, and is one of the quieter long beaches of the western Peloponnese. Herons and terrapins live in the lagoon, and the smell of sulphur drifts across the water when the wind is right.

What you actually see

• The lagoon - still water between the mountain and the dune belt.
• The nymph caves - warm sulphur springs inside the rock face.
• The dune beach - kilometres of sand and pine on the seaward side.
• The spa causeway - the bath complex on its island in the lake.

When to go

Late spring and September for warm sea and open spa facilities. The thermal baths operate seasonally, so check ahead. Summer weekends bring Greek families to the beach.

Honest expectations

The spa buildings are dated and the treatment side is medical rather than luxurious. Sulphur smell is noticeable near the springs. Facilities on the beach are limited outside high season.

Nearby

Ancient Olympia lies inland to the north; the Neda gorge and Bassae are southeast in the mountains.