Description of the attraction
On the east coast of Kefalonia, near the town of Sami, there is the amazing Melissani Cave and its picturesque underground lake. This place is considered to be one of the most beautiful natural attractions in Greece.
The cave consists of two spacious halls, flooded with water, and an islet in the center. The approximate age of the underwater lake is 20 thousand years and its maximum depth is 14 m. The vault of one of the halls was destroyed by an earthquake, thanks to which you can now observe an amazing play of colors of light and water. On a clear sunny day, the rays of light fall inside the cave and, penetrating the thickness of the crystal clear water, create an amazing range of colors from sky blue to deep blue. The second hall is full of stalactites of the most bizarre shapes and has artificial lighting (especially for tourists).
An interesting feature of the underground lake is its waters, or rather, a mixture of fresh and sea water. At the same time, salt water enters the lake from a 30-meter depth, having previously made a path in the bowels of the earth 14 km from Katavotres (the opposite side of the island). Once in the reservoir at one end of it and passing through the entire lake, the sea waters, having made a huge loop, return to their origins.
According to local legend, in ancient times, the Melissani Cave was inhabited by nymphs. It is believed that the cave got its name in honor of one of them. However, the Greeks have always associated the most beautiful and picturesque places with nymphs. Most likely, the cave was used as an ancient sanctuary, as its solitude and divine beauty created a special atmosphere and the necessary surroundings. Over time, for many, many years, everyone forgot about this cave, and only in 1951 it was accidentally discovered. During a thorough study, many valuable artifacts were discovered (among them, clay figurines of the god Pan), which are now kept in the Archaeological Museum of Argostoli.
The cave was opened to the public in 1963 after the completion of research work. For tourists, a special tunnel was equipped, at the end of which boats await for an amazing walk through the underground world of Melissani.
