Melisani Cave, Kefalonia

Advantages: Natural breatht-aking beauty
Disadvantages: Tacky gift shop!

...the dusty carpark of the Melisani Lake. It feels rather odd - as you step out you can see a cafe bar, shop, swimming pool, public toilets (very clean) sunbeds and apartments but no lake. The you see the red-carpeted entrance down into a cave (we looked at each other dubiously.) As you walk down the slope you enter a very tacky gift shop - 'authentic' greek plates, sea-shell creatures, statues of Dionnisus and his enornmous..well lets just say he ...
...and down another carpeted slope you can just glimpse the opening of a cave, with glittering water at the edge. It gets cooler as you approach the water. As you reach it you see the boats waiting to take you around, manned by Greek oarsmen, each boat can hold about 8 people, we were at the end of the season so there was just 4 of us on the lake. The first thing that attracts you is the absolute clarity of the very sapphire blue water - it really is ... Read review

Advantages: Mystical, magical, underground lake
Disadvantages: You might need a jacket as it is a bit cold undergorund

I visited Kefalonia in May/June 2007 and part of an island tour we did included a visit to the wonderful underground lake of Mellisani. The 'red' carpet we walked down towards the underground lake was actually green astro-turf which did seem a little odd but the view and tour that followed had nothing artificial about it and was magical! At the end of the green carpet the boatmen were waiting for visitors to get onboard. I recommend a cardigan or ...
...are cold. You also need good grip on your shoes as the painted wooden boats can be a bit slippy. The boatmen use oars to propel the boat around the lake, some giving renditions of 'Just one cornetto' during the 15 minute trip. The boat is guided through a very narrow gap into an adjoining cave where the roof is still intact and birds can be seen nesting in the rocks high above. Out boatman offered to take photos of people on the boat but most couples ... Read review

Advantages: Beautiful
Disadvantages: short experience

I visited the underground lake in 2006, It is a beautiful an idyllic place once inside and it is worth a visit, but it is not as grand a huge as the advertising suggests. Outside is a dusty stone/hardcore car park with a small shop and toilet on it. The entrance is a set of stone steps leading underground to a narrow tunnel ,quite cramped a not for the claustrophobic. Inside is actually quite small and the tour on the boats is a very short experience, ...
...alone is so vibrant. Personally i would recommend a visit as it is beautiful and probably one of those things that you would only do once or twice in a lifetime, but don't go expecting too much - make sure you take a camera! The cost was around 5 euro each, access is by car or organised trip only as its not really accessible otherwise ... Read review