Nature

 

 

Caves

 

The Caves of Diros (27330 52222)

 

Nobody can deny it is literally the most beautiful cave the world over. It is in Pyrgos of Diros, in Laconia. Thousands of its visitors leave in awe of Nature’s decorations in Caves “Glyfada or Blyhada”, “Katafygi” [Refuge] and “Alepotrypa” [Fox’s Den].
Its exploration started in 1949 by a couple of speleologists of the Greek Speleological Association. Its development and exploitation started in 1958 while in 1979, when its newly added parts were discovered, it was measured to be 6km in its fully mapped length.
Its central room ends in a lake, 6m deep. The rooms of the cave were used as homes in the early period of the Neolithic age as a wealth of findings testify.
The cave Vlyhada is beyond imagination as its decoration from stalactites and stalagmites made of carbonic calcium in the bowels of the earth took millions of years to design. The tour with the boat in the lake parts of the cave is a ride you will not want to ever end and you will be indelibly impressed by the fossilized bones of panthers, hippopotamus, lions and creatures of another era.
The cave of Alepotripa is in the Neolithic Museum of Diros, which prides itself also in a rich series of findings (tools, marble figurines, stone axe) shedding light on the life of the Neolithic man. The biggest part of the guided tour is done on boat.
Visiting Hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 9.00 – 15.00, Monday is closing day.

 

 

The Cave “Agios Andreas” of Kastania (27340 22950)

 

A local shepherd found the cave in 1956, half an hour’s walk from the village Kastania, very close to the little church of Saint Andrew.
Entering the cave, you go down a spiral hall and find the “First Chamber”, full of small and big stalagmites and pillars. On its left you see the “Red Chamber” and next you enter the huge “Chamber of Water”. The names of the chambers are indicative of the forms and the images created by the natural forces in the passage of time: “Chambers of the Bushes”, “Chamber of Mushrooms”, “The Royal Staircase”, “Chamber of Firs”, “Chamber of Candles”, “Staircase with the Water Lillies”, “Chocolate Chamber”.
The total length of the halls in the cave is 250m and the tour comes up to 500m, making the guided tour last half an hour.
Taking photographs is not permitted.

 

  • Cave of the Eggs
  • Cyclops’ Cave
  • Cave at Fini
  • Cave Precipice at Armitsa
  • Precipice of Vatheia ata Havalas
  • Lykoura
  • Cave of the Soldier
  • Varathro Albanos 
  • Precipice of Vatheia Mouzi
  • The Hole of Vorias
  • Pigaza
  • Vree
  • Babola
  • Pigadi
  • Rock-climbing area of Lagada, Mt Taygetos (27310 22574

 

 

Wetlands

 

The Evrotas River Delta

 

Evrotas estuary and the coasts of Laconia bay is the place chosen by the sea turtle “caretta-caretta” (Chelonia mydas and Dermochelys coriacea) to lay their eggs every year.
Two hundred nests every summer appear in the central seafront of Evrotas and in the beaches of Vathy, Mavrovouni, Selinitsa and Valtaki.
There is a Field Station of volunteers of the ARCHELON Association, whose members have actively been involved for the effective protection of the nests in the peripheral coastline of Laconia Bay as well as in programs for the study and the protection of reproduction of the sea turtle.

 

  • Strongyli Lake 
  • Lagoon Gerakas