Iconic Villas

From the Blog

Melissani Lake, a timeless natural wonder in Kefalonia

Melissani Lake is a place of timeless beauty. Located near Karavomilos village, Melissani Lake is probably the most popular attraction in Kefalonia.

Surrounded by dense forestry, slope down to a natural piece of art in Kefalonia’s subterranean world and let your footsteps guide you to the cave of the nymphs. Beautiful waters with changing shades of blue as the sun sets, honey-like brown walls and countless stalactites will take your breath away and travel you to another, mythical and magical world.

In the 1962 excavations, quite a few oil lamps, plates and figures were discovered depicturing the god Pan and several nymphs. Legend has it that the Cave of Melissani was the very spot where one of those Nymphs, Melissanthi (or Melissani), drowned after being rejected by the god Pan.

Melissani Lake, a timeless natural wonder in Kefalonia

Lake Melissani has an absolute invisible specialty, which sounds pretty strange. The lake water is brackish, a mixture of sea water and sweet water. The cave is about 500m from the sea, and the water level is a meter higher than sea level, and the brackish water rises from a 30m deep cave system on one side of the cave and flows silently to the other end of the cave, flowing through narrow crevices into the sea. The water reappears in Katavothres area, on the other side of the Island. This was discovered by dye tracing experiments in 1959.

Melissani cave-lake gives off a rum appeal, as inside the ‘B’-shaped cave is a lake that has a small island, as well as trees and forests surrounding it. Its two chambers, one sun-lit and the other dark and ominous covered with stalagmites, algae and moss, create a unique and unforgettable picture.

Read also: Drogarati Cave, an extraordinary natural wonder in Kefalonia