by jipp05

CA1 1LA, England, United Kingdom

January 30, 2011

by Jan*

Wolverhampton, United Kingdom

January 30, 2007

Melisani Lake is a visit not to be missed, it has a romantic feel to it and the scenery is quite breathtaking. There are boats waiting to show you around the lake. The oarsman who don't appear to speak English are quite entertaining and create a wonderful atmosphere as they row you around the lake all singing at the top of their voices in competition with each other and the sound echoing all around the cave. They will take photos of you with your own camera free of charge if you ask them. No matter how hot the temperature is outside, it is always cool and damp inside the cave. The lake is said to have been officially found by Austrian divers although the locals were already aware of its existence as a shepherdess is believed to have gone missing and fallen in and drowned whilst looking for sheep. It was during the 1953 earthquake that the cave roof fell in opening the lake to the skies. During July and August between 10.30am and 1pm the sun rays cause the waters to turn various shades of blue reflecting onto the walls creating an awesome view.

Phone: +30-6740-22997

by GB from Devizes

Devizes, United Kingdom

October 28, 2005

We park up and pay our 4€ each at the kiosk. We enter the main chamber via a sloping walkway that has been hollowed out of the rock and leads down to the tiny landing stage, where a boat is ready to leave with a few passengers aboard. The oarsman helps us aboard and then quickly skulls the 4m boat out into the middle of the first chamber. The colours of the water are mesmerising and surprisingly warm, around 19C.

A little background: Melissani Cave/Lake was formed around 30,000 years ago. It is known to have been used as a shrine to Pan, and artefacts have been uncovered that confirm this. It was opened to visitors in the 1960s and rivals Drogerati as the prime attraction on Kefalonia. Seawater from the sinkholes at Katovothres, near Argostoli, flows beneath the island for 20km at a rate of 1km per day to surface in the lake. This then drains slowly into the saltwater “duck pond” at Karavomilos, just half a kilometre away.

Originally, the entire lake was covered, but the roof collapsed during the 1953 earthquake. This deposited a vast rubble cone into the lake at an offset angle that has the effect of varying the depth of water inside from just 2m to an incredible 30.

Back to the tour: The oarsman now rows out towards the far side, where an impossibly narrow looking channel leads to the vast second chamber. He expertly guides the boat, which is no more than a few centimetres narrower than the gap, through the channel, and we enter the still-roofed main chamber.

This too has a large rubble cone, continually forming as the roof gradually loses large rocks and boulders. The cone will continue to grow until such a time that it meets the roof. This is what eventually blocks up cave systems for speleologists.

Our captain rows us to the far side, where he practises a bizarre form of Greek “yodelling,” sending pigeons and formerly dormant bats scurrying into the damp air in a state of alarm, before it’s time to return to the landing stage and let the next boat through.

There is something magical about Melissani. For what you get, 4€ is very reasonable. The scenery is awesome and quite breathtaking. The water is so blue and still that you’d swear you were gazing at a canvas. The oarsman will take your picture with your camera if required, and for this, we give him a few Euros as a thank you, especially for his navigational skills. Don’t miss it.

by fatjaz

London, United Kingdom

December 28, 2001

This cave was first explored in 1951, but due to an earthquake, part of the roof has caved in. As the sunlight steams into the large cave, the lake produces a kaleidoscope of colours.

There are some very friendly Greek boatmen, who take you out onto the lake and around the little island. As you gently bob along, the sight around you is magnificent. The boatmen are good fun too - one sings songs, another tells jokes, one is deadly silent.

The cave is very cool and the water is icy cold. The overall experience is magnificent, and a must do on the island.