| They are the abodes the gods coveted and stole | | | | cave, is the reason why many believe that Perama is |
| from humans. The place where Zeus, Hermes and | | | | Greece's "sacred" grotto. Even though no miracles |
| Pan were born and raised. | | | | have been reported so far, the cave is a wonder of |
| Once upon a time, there was man. He did not have | | | | nature. |
| houses like ours. He found shelter in the dark of world | | | | It is one of the most beautiful grottos in the Balkans. |
| of caves. Caves inhabited by demons, dragons, elves | | | | The visitor has the impression of being in a |
| and fairies, which according to some, still hole up in the | | | | three-storey palace made of stalactites and |
| remotest parts. They are endless. Even when you | | | | stalagmites. During the tour, one encounters many |
| think that you have reached the end of your | | | | stairs and countless bridges. It is located at a distance |
| exploration, a new passage opens up, daring you to | | | | of 2km from loannina, on the road to Metsovo, on the |
| continue. | | | | inner side of the Goritsa Hill. |
| KATAFYGI, AGIOS DEMETRIOS, SELINITSA, MANI: | | | | SPELAIO DRAKOU (CAVE OF THE DRAGON) |
| THE CAVE TEMPLE | | | | (KASTORIA): THE CAVE OF GOLD |
| The fact that the cove's entrance looks like ruins from | | | | A terrible dragan guarded the entrance to the Greot |
| on old temple and that human bones were found inside | | | | Cove of Kostorio, which, according to beliefs, was a |
| reinforces the belief that this grotto was a place of | | | | real gold mine. No one, however, dared come close to |
| worship. The walls, the ceiling and the ground are | | | | this point for fear of the beast, which exhaled fire from |
| adorned with complex clusters of stalactites and | | | | its mouth, as well as poisonous vapours. But the first |
| stalagmites. Its most characteristic "jewel" is a small | | | | king of Kastoria, Castor, defiantly entered the cave, |
| disk dangling from a wall, 3m high. It is located in | | | | accompanied by men bearing torches. When the |
| Messinian Mani, in the region of Agios Demetrios. It | | | | torches went out, a terrible voice filled the darkness: |
| remains unexplaited. | | | | "He who grabs a handful of mud from beneath his |
| ALISTRATIS CAVE, SERRES: THE CAVE OF | | | | feet will regret it, but he who does not will also regret |
| PEACE | | | | it." The bolder among them took some mud and ran |
| The cave's name is derived from the fact that, a long | | | | outside, only to discover that the mud they were |
| time ago, wild doves built their nests around the | | | | holding was wet gold dust. In addition to its wonderful |
| opening of this small abyss. The cave is filled with | | | | decoration, the cave features small lakes. |
| white and red stalactites, creating a rarely seen, | | | | It is located on the Peninsula of Kastoria Lake, at a |
| magical setting. Deep inside, there are many pillars, | | | | distance of 3km from the town. |
| which give the impression that the grotto is divided into | | | | SENTONI: THE CAVE OF THE NYMPHOLEPT |
| myriad chambers. Visitors have different names for | | | | According to legend, many years ago, a young girl |
| the stalagmites, such as "Tower of Pisa", "nuclear | | | | went into the cave to explore its mysteries. Fascinated |
| mushroom", "granny", "crib", "cauliflower" ... The cave is | | | | by its beauty, she went deeper and deeper, until lost. |
| inhabited by an endemic animal known as Alistratia | | | | Days passed and her parents looked for her in vain. |
| Peroni -Alistratia for its habitat and Peroni after the | | | | Eight days later, she was found dead deep inside the |
| man who discovered it! The cave is located about 6 | | | | cave, with a sweet smile painted on her face. The |
| km from the village of Alistratis Serron, in the region of | | | | villagers believed the girl was a nympholept (bewitched |
| Petrotos. | | | | by nymphs). The myth is not far from reality. The |
| GLYFADA OR VLlHADA DIROS: THE KING OF | | | | 3,400-sq.m cave, filled with chambers with complex |
| CAVES | | | | stone formations, huge pillars made of small |
| In Diros, all cove myths become readily believable. "For | | | | stalagmites, and tall, white Doric-like columns, offers a |
| years, fairies and sirens worked inside the cove. The | | | | unique experience to visitors. It is located exactly at the |
| former carried the decoration, while the latter song | | | | entrance of Zoniana Village, 53km from Rethymno, at |
| continuously, charming the fairies into making it more | | | | the feet of Mount Psiloritis. |
| and more beautiful", on old lady, from Laconian Mani, | | | | MARA, DRAMA: THE CAVE OF THE NYMPHS |
| recites. "The chamber of miracles" continues to this | | | | Its charm is behind the legend that claims it is the |
| day to offer a unique sight to visitors. The cove of | | | | abode of nymphs, these beautiful creatures that, |
| Diros is considered one of the world's most beautiful | | | | sometimes, mated with humans. The cave is located |
| grottos of this kind, competing only with two others: the | | | | about 20km outside of Drama, near the source of the |
| Jeita Grotto, near Beirut, and the Pariac Grotto, in | | | | river Mara. It is 3.000 m long and crosses through three |
| Fronce. It is located deep in the boy of Diros, in Mani, | | | | artificially dug water canals. All through the tour, visitors |
| on the west shores of the Laconian peninsula, in the | | | | walk either on the shallow bed of the subterranean |
| district of Oitilas. | | | | river or on its sandy bank. It is located in Eastern |
| PERAMA, IOANNINA: THE CAVE OF THE CROSS | | | | Macedonia, in the district of Prossoutani, 25km |
| The unique, cross-shaped stalagmite, found inside the | | | | northwest of the city of Drama. |