Island of Dreamers
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Port
Sami, Cephalonia, Greece
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$90
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 4 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals included
The diverse landscapes of Cephalonia include a coastline that is a wall of sheer cliffs plunging into a turquoise sea, a hinterland mosaic of densely forested mountains, and cultivated hills and valleys. Small villages and towns emerge from the pines and the cypress trees, offset by Venetian castles and chapels.
Leaving Sámi, you'll drive to the village of Karavomylos -- home to the 40,000-year-old subterranean Lake Melissani. The cave's roof collapsed during the earthquake of 1953, creating amazing plays of light on the walls. Legend has it that the lake is named for the nymph Melissanthe, who fell in love with Pan and drowned in these very waters when he rejected her advances.
A small boat waits here to transport you across these mysterious waters, surrounded by a vast shimmering play of blue and violet colors -- the light cast by the sun filtering through a chasm 100 feet above your head. The source of the subterranean river is the area around Argostoli, the capital of Cephalonia, where it enters through small fissures in the coastline before traveling under the island to this cave.
Finally, unwind in the village of Agia Efimia with refreshments of ouzo (aniseed-flavored liqueur) and Greek meze (appetizers) at a waterfront restaurant.