kefalonia cave tours

Kefalonia Melissani Cave

Location: Sami

Situated just outside Sami, the Cave of Melissani in Kefalonia has a strange appeal. It is one of the most significant places for tourists to visit in Greece. Surprisingly, a lake lies inside the cave, with trees and forests surrounding it.

The cave is B-shaped, with two chambers or halls separated by an island in the center. The first chamber is sun-lit while the second is dark and has many stalactites covered with algae and moss. Even though big in size, they are dwarfed by the huge dome. Surprisingly, many of the stalactites resemble dolphins, the companions and messengers of the nymphs. This chamber is lit with electric lights. The roof of one of the halls caved in centuries ago, letting sunlight filter in. The depth of the lake is 20 to 30 meters. When the sun is right overhead at noon, the sunlight hitting the turquoise-blue waters creates a magical illusion and the whole Cave of Melissani suddenly feels lit with blue light. This is the best time to visit this cave; slanting rays in the morning and evening have a magical quality and guests get an ethereal feeling of boats hovering in the light!

✔ DISCOVER MELISSANI CAVE WITH A TOUR! Book an unforgettable Tour to Melissani Cave or get there with your own rental car .

Melissani is 36m high, 40m wide and 3.5 m long. A balcony was built on top of the cave for tourists to get a spectacular view of the inside from the top. The water in the lake is a mixture of freshwater and seawater. It is about 500m away from the sea and the water is 1m above sea level. The brackish water enters the Cave of Melissani from one end and flows out from the other. Water is replenished by the springs gushing underneath the 30m in-depth water inside. The Cave of Melissani leaves a memorable and lasting impression on everyone who visits it.

Myth has it that the cave was named after the nymph Melissanthi who committed suicide because God Pan did not reciprocate her love. Excavations in 1962 that unearthed many artifacts dating back to the 3rd and 4th century BC give credence to the legend, as figures of nymphs were found.

Visitors can enter Melissani Cave after walking an underground path. Then, they can step into a boat and take a tour of the cave. 

Top Tours and activities

Customized private tour.

A private tour exploring plenty of important sights of Kefalonia, including Melissani and Drogarati caves, as well as the picturesque villages of Fiscardo and Assos.

Highlights private half day trip

This half-day tour around Kefalonia is a perfect chance to check out sights such as the Monastery of Agios Gerasimos, the lake of Melissani, Agia Effimia Village, and the stunning Myrtos Beach.

Island bus tour with wine tasting

Enjoy a full tour of Kefalonia! Taste wines, visit the stunning caves of Drogarati and Melissani, and take photos of the beautiful Myrtos Beach.

How to get there

The Melissani Cave is located in Sami Village . Private transfers : We recommend using an online pre-booked Kefalonia transfer service , which provides transfer by taxi, minibus, or private VIP car and arranging a pickup directly from the airport, port, or your hotel. Alternatively, there's the option of arranging a pickup by a local driver directly at the following numbers: 0030 694 511 8866, 0030 694 530 6145, 0030 699 561 9605, or booking your taxi online .

Car rental : There's the option of renting a car in Kefalonia and picking it up directly from the airport, port, or your hotel. Using a rental car allows visitors to discover Melissani Cave and many other places of interest in Kefalonia at their own pace.

Public transport: The central bus station of the island is located in Argostoli. There are buses from Argostoli to Sami during the day. Consider that time schedules might change according to the season. Check the official timetables here . Tip: Since buses don't always stop at every scheduled stop of their itinerary, our advice to visitors is to inform the driver about their final destination, so that he makes a stop there.

Photos by Greeka Members

Photos by greeka team.

• cicipu 31 Jul 2010 Best sight in entire island This is the best sight on the entire island of Kefalonia (and for me it was the best amongst all the places I have ever visited!). No I am not exaggerating and I am sure that you will say the same once you visit the place. The cave is shaped in form of the letter B and is about 40 meters wide and 36 meters high... But who's interested in statistics... it is the beauty of the place that definitely deserves a visit. The full tour is done by boat, first making an encompassing trip around the first hall of the cave with the crack in the roof. After that the boat crosses the island on the opposite wall, where a tiny canal exists. This channel is too slender for the boat to row, and therefore there is a rope attached to the wall with which the gondolier pulls the boat. It was a very good experience. There are numerous stalactites and stalagmites in the second chamber of the cave and when the boat passes it, numerous lights lit up the place which was simply outstanding. Highly recommended.

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Kefalonia Caves Tour

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Kefalonia caves tour! The short one!!!  Visit the most famous caves and the capital of the island .

We offer you the oporunity to visit easily, fast and comfortable some of the most famous caves of Kefalonia   with our mini vans  in a semi – private tour. You can book as group or individually and have the perfect excurion is Kefalonia.

Drogarati Cave:

The grandiosity of nature has created here a unique work of art. Once inside the cave, the visitor is instantly captivated by this remarkable workshop of the earth, where stalactites and stalagmites have been forming for thousands of years. The reflection of sunlight on the stalactites creates an unrealistic atmosphere. The cave contains a 44-m-long descending passageway that leads to a chamber of 30 x 40 m. The latter, decorated with multi-hued stalactites and stalagmites, is renowned for its excellent acoustics and is prearranged for concerts on a special platform which is along the back wall of the cave. Its domed roof is intact and is of a unique, magical formation. The Drogarati Cave is a rare geological phenomenon and attracts thousands of visitors.

Melissani Cave-Lake:

Melissani Cave is located not far from Sami. It is a lacustrine cave of unique beauty and fully developed cave, which is 3.5 km long, 40m wide and 36m high. Melissani cave constitutes a unique geological phenomenon. It was created by a mechanical and chemical process called karstikopoiisi (dissolution of rocks) during which water enters the calcareous rocks, erodes them and creates hollows. The underground Melissani lake was discovered in 1951 by speleontologist Giannis Petrochilos. A big part of its roof has fallen down revealing an amazing sight. During antiquity the lake was a place of worship dedicated to Pan and Nymph Melissani.  Visitors reach the lake by an underground tunnel and have the opportunity to explore it with a boat and a guide. Therefore, they can admire this unique natural work of sculpture created by the stalactites and the crystal blue-green color of the waters.

Argostoli city  

The picturesque city of Argostoli is built on the hills that surround the lagoon of Koutavos and the large natural harbor that is formed there. Argostoli was rebuilt after the catastrophic earthquake of 1953. It is worth visiting the Archaeological Museum, the Korgialenio Historical and Folklore Museum housed in the same building as the Korgialenio Library and the Fokas-Kosmetatos Museum. Also of particular interest is the unique Harokopio Workshop in Greece where there is an exhibition / shop with handmade embroidery, the Radio Museum and the Botanical Garden. Lithostroto pedestrian street is the main shopping street of the capital with all kinds of shops . There you can admire the church of Agios Spyridon and the interesting bell tower with the clock in Campana Square. However, the most popular walk is the one on the promenade that starts from the stone bridge and passes through the grocery store and fishing boats from which fishermen sell their fish directly. Large Caretta caretta sea turtles swim in the water and appear on the surface of the water to breathe air. A real rare spectacle.

Book this Kefalonia caves tour and and visit some of the most impressive sights of the island !!!

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Melissani Cave Lake In Kefalonia Greece

The Melissani cave lake is a spectacular underground lake in Kefalonia Greece , with an open ceiling that lights up its stunning blue water.

You can go into this ‘cave of the nymphs,’ as it’s called, and take a short paddleboat tour around the lake. It’s easily one of the best things to do in Kefalonia island!

If you visit Melissani cave at the right time of day, the ceiling lets in just enough light to make the water color go crazy, turning a transparent bright blue.

This travel guide will explain how to get to the Melissani lake, when is the best time to visit, current entrance fees, best tour packages, and everything else you need to know before you go!

Best Melissani Tours

If you’re looking for the best day tours on Kefalonia island, we recommend GetYourGuide!

They have high rated tours that visit many of the best sights like Melissani Lake, Antisamos Beach, and Assos Village. These tours usually include free hotel pickup and drop-off from most of the popular areas in Kefalonia.

We’ve used this company for lots of day tours and activities around the world, and they’re great! Highly recommended.

Book Now: Melissani Cave Lake Private Tour / Half-Day Tour / Bus Tour

Melissani Cave Lake: What To Expect

Melissani cave is explored by paddleboat. You walk down a flight of stairs and through a narrow tunnel into the cave, and then hop onto a small boat with about a dozen other tourists and a local Greek boatman.

The boatman will circle the lake and take you to the back of the cave, where you can see impressive stalagmites and other sights. It’s a magnificent cave with a cool temperature, and the lake is up to 30 meters deep in some spots.

I would almost say this is a bucket list item that every world traveler needs to see, although the boat ride is a bit short and the lake is really dependent on the right lighting in order to look its best.

Rowboats on the stunning Melissani Lake

Because of its beauty, Melissani has become one of the most popular places to visit in Kefalonia , so you’ll usually have to queue to see it. During the high season months, the line to get in can take anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes.

Even though the boat ride itself is short (about 10 minutes), it’s loaded with good photo opportunities! If you’re lucky, you can sometimes see eels swimming around in the lake too.

It’s a great little adventure! I enjoyed it so much I actually got back in line and paid to tour the cave a second time, although for most people seeing it just one time will probably be enough.  

Hours & Entrance Fees

During the summer months (May to October), the Melissani cave is open from 9 AM to 7 PM. During the winter months, the cave is only open on Thursdays and weekends, from 10 AM to 4 PM.

The entrance fee for the boat trips is 8 Euros per person for adults. Kids are half price. If you also plan to visit Drogarati Cave (which you should!), then there’s a combo ticket that includes both Melissani and Drogarati caves for only 10 Euros, which is a great deal.

These hours and ticket prices are current as of 2022, but they may change over time since this place is a popular tourist attraction.

Impressive ceiling and stalagmites at the back of the cave

Best Time To Visit Melissani Cave Lake

The color of the Melissani lake is stunning if you come at the right time of day.

Mid-day around 11 AM to 1 PM is the best time to see the cave, because that’s when the sun is highest in the sky, lighting up the colors of the lake. Unfortunately, that’s also the busiest time to visit, so be prepared to wait.

The biggest crowds are generally from noon to 1 PM, so you can avoid most of it by getting there before then. If you aren’t a photographer, it probably doesn’t matter too much when you visit. Honestly, the lake is impressive at any time of day as long as the sun is shining!

Melissani Cave Lake — one of the best things to do in Kefalonia Greece!

Can You Swim In Melissani Cave?

No, unfortunately you can’t swim in the Melissani cave. The only way to see the lake is by paddleboat. Maybe that’s a good thing, though, because it keeps the water clean.

If you’re looking for a good place to swim, check out Antisamos Beach near Sami!  

Where Is Melissani Cave?

Melissani cave is located in central Kefalonia island , near the town of Sami.

Kefalonia is easy to reach from Athens, the capital of Greece, as well as nearby islands like Zakynthos . There are daily flights and ferries for reasonable prices.

If you’re looking for more information about how to get to Kefalonia island, you can find that in my complete travel guide for Kefalonia Greece .  

How To Get To Melissani Cave Lake

Melissani cave is easy to reach on a paved road from the harbor town of Sami.

You can drive there yourself, or book a tour . It’s a 5 minute drive from Sami, or 40 minutes from the Argostoli area.

You can use the map below to direct you to the parking area for the cave.

History Of Melissani Cave

During ancient times, Melissani cave was inhabited and used as a place for worshipping the Greek god Pan and the nymph Melissanthi. According to Greek mythology, the nymph Melissanthi took her own life in the lake because Pan rejected her love.

The ceiling of the cave is believed to have collapsed during an earthquake, revealing the hidden lake inside. The cave was first explored by Ioannis Petrocheilos in 1951, and some artifacts related to Pan were found at that time, which you can now see at the Archeological Museum of Argostoli in Kefalonia.

The Melissani cave was opened to the public in 1963, and it’s become one of the most popular tourist attractions on the island of Cephalonia !  

More Kefalonia Travel Tips

Thanks for looking! I hope you enjoyed this travel guide for the Melissani cave lake in Kefalonia, Greece.

Don’t forget to check out my complete Kefalonia Travel Guide for more information about this scenic island in the Ionian Sea!

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Melissani Cave

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Caving Tours

Kefalonia is home to a number of spectacular caves, including Melissani, Agalaki, and Drogarati. Massive stalactites drape the ceiling of Drogarati Cave, which is 37 meters deep and believed to be 140 million years old. A true piece of art, Drogarati Cave has evolved over thousands of years into its current shape, which is constantly changing. A caving excursion with expert guides and up-to-date safety gear will take you deep into a mysterious underground realm full of mystery and wonder. Depending on your skill level, you may choose among caves ranging in depth from 20 to 120 feet.

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