Nature & Environment

Η Μεσσηνία είναι αρκετή για να σε πείσει πως υπάρχουν ακόμα μέρη που μοιάζουν με παράδεισο, η γη των Λακεδαιμονίων – Λακωνία – είναι μια αποκάλυψη για κάθε ταξιδιώτη, η Αργολίδα γεμάτη μοναδικές ορεινές εναλλακτικές διαδρομές αλλά και μαγικές παραλίες, η Αρκαδία ένας προορισμός που κάθε φυσιολάτρης οφείλει να εξερευνήσει, η Κορινθία και η Αχαΐα συνδυάζουν την αλπική φύση με την ξεχωριστή ακτογραμμή, ενώ η συνύπαρξη των απέραντων ακτών, του ποικιλόμορφου και πυκνού δάσους, των σπάνιων υγροβιότοπων και των ιαματικών πηγών της Ηλείας μόνο ως εύνοια της φύσης μπορεί να χαρακτηρισθεί…

CAVE OF DIROS

Almost at sea-level, Vlychada (or Glyfada) Cave of Diros is one of the most beautiful lacustrine caves in the world. It’s located on the west coast of the Laconian peninsula, at Diros Bay.  Its existence was known since 1900, but it was first explored in 1949 by John and Anna Petrochilos, founders of the Greek Speleological Society. The cave covers an area of 16,700 m2 and since 1949 about 2,800 water passages have been explored. A 2.5-km-long winding passageway is the main route for sightseeing. During a 40-min boat trip, the visitor comes across an intricate network of passages and galleries, decorated with gleaming stalagmites and stalactites, whose reflection in the water accentuates their natural beauty. The guided tour into the cavern of Vlychada takes place by boat and on foot – part of it is on land.

STROFILIA FOREST

In the northwestern part of Peloponnese (42km west of Patras) lies Strofilia forest – a line of pine trees, occupying a coastal zone of about 22 km in length and with an average width of 1500 m, that separates Prókopos lake from the Ionian Sea. Prokopos Lake, Kotychi Lagoon and the Strofilia Forest, a national park of 2,200 hectares are protected under the Ramshar Convention and the Natura 2000 network. This unique ecosystem of unprecedented beauty and high ecological importance incorporates the values of Greek nature: pines, sand and the eternal blue of the sea – Strofilia forest is set by the famous Kalogria beach

LAGOON OF GIALOVA

One of the most important wetlands in the Balkans and southern stop-over station for migratory birds, the Gialova lagoon is declared as Important Bird Area (IBA), providing refuge for 275 bird species – you may participate to the organized tours by the Greek Ornithological Society to observe them. It also features a significant ecosystem and faces  the famous, because of its shape of the Greek letter omega (Ω) (as its sand forms a semicircular strip of dunes) and aquamarine waters, Voidokilia beach – included in the 20 best beaches in the world by the Sunday Times.

THE CAVE OF THE LAKES, KASTRIA

In the village Kastria of Achaia (60km from Tripoli) lies this rare creation of Nature. Apart from its labyrinth of corridors, its mysterious galleries and its strange stalactite formations, the “Cave of the Lakes” has a string of cascading lakes, inside the cave, forming three different levels that make it unique in the world. In winter, the cave is transformed into a subterranean river with natural waterfalls; in summer part of the cave dries up, revealing a lace-work of stone-basins, and dams of up to 4 m. in height. The developed part of the cave is currently 500 meters long. The visitor enters through an artificial tunnel which leads directly to the second floor, while passage from lake to lake is possible by small man-made bridges.

POLILIMNIO WATERFALLS

Polylimnio near the village Kazarma (32km from Kalamata) is a hidden paradise of 15 small lakes and waterfalls, surrounded by olive groves and vineyards, at the end of a small path (5 minutes walk) through dense vegetation and picturesque wooden bridges. Small canyons and gorgeous waterfalls turn a hike of medium difficulty 3 kilometres long into a unique and unforgettable experience – ending with a refreshing plunge in the – named after its heart-like shape- green lake Kadoula…

VIROS & RINTOMO GORGES

In ancient times, the Vyros gorge -one of the largest and most impressive Greek gorges –was part of the royal road that connected ancient Sparta with Kardamyli. It is about 20 km long, located just outside Kardamili, and it is surrounded by many different signed routes, all of which pass by scenic villages with Byzantine chapels and stone buildings. The Rindomos Gorge, located just outside Kalamata at the start of the Messinan Mani, is equally beautiful and challenging for anyone who wants to traverse its 19km length. Its first historical mention was by Pausanias (160 AD), while it awes with the folds of its rock, its fissures and its vertical slopes.

NEDA GORGE & RIVER

The Neda river, only one of two rivers in Greece with a feminine name, forms the natural boundary between the prefectures of Ilia and Messinia. It has its springs in mountain Lykaeon, carving out a narrow gorge bearing the same name, down to the sea, 32 miles away. An almost mystical landscape, with waterfalls and natural pools spread between wooded hill slopes under the shade of huge plane-trees, oaks, fig-trees and thick bushy vegetation is a haven for adventurous trekkers – though organized walks are the best option as crossing the Neda can be tricky. A large cave of exquisite beauty, called Stomio, through which the water of the river flows until it meets the tributary Pamissos, is located a few kilometers west of Ancient Figalia. The white little chapel of Panaghia (Virgin Mary) literally hangs off the cliffs and a little further up there is a niche between the rocks where the miraculous icon was found according to tradition.

VASILIKI FOREST

The beautiful forest of Vasiliki, oval in shape and home to rare species of trees, is considered one of the most important forests in Greece.   Located at the southern part of the Taygetos mountain range, it covers 11,000 acres of forest area at an altitude of 1.400m. The eternal black pines – up to 500 years old with more than one meter diameter of their trunks – are considered to be the remnants of the ancient forests of Taygetos where, according to the legend, in ancient times nymphs played. The best time to climb to the top of Mount Taygetus, is during July 19-20 for the fete of the Church of Profitis Ilias, an age-old celebration that attracts not just dozens of locals but mountain aficionados as well. They spend the night, to get up at dawn to catch the tips of the mount  reflected on the surface of the Gulf of Messinia – a legendary sight..

LAKE KAIAFAS

Located approximately 26 km south of Pyrgos, Lake Kaiafas is an outstanding ecosystem and a wonderful scenery separated by the sea with a thin slice of land, known since the ancient times for the healing attributes of its thermal springs. The asphalt road around the lake and the scenic trails that reach the shores are ideal for cycling and walking, and facilities for water sports like boating, kayaking and water skiing are available as well. Between the lake and the sea unfolds a forest with pines and stone, while the characteristic of the landscape are the sand-dunes leading to the deep blue waters, spangled with sea-lilies and low plant.

LAKE STYMPHALIA

Located between Ziria (Mount Kyllini)  and Mount Oligirtos , Lake Stymphalia is one of the most significant wetlands in Greece. It has a depth of 10 meters and stretches over an area of 7.700 acres during winter and 3.500 acres at summertime. The land is closely related to one of the most popular mythology heroes; Hercule’s sixth feat consisted of killing the Stymphalian birds, the man eating birds with bronze beaks which haunted the lake. Designated as a protected site for fauna and flora under the EU’s Natura 2000 programme, the lake is teeming with amphibians, birds and plants, considered a breeding place for 133 species of rare birds and fowl. It is also home to a unique species of fish called Pseudophoxinus which sinks itself into the muddy waterbed of the lake during dry periods and creates a kind of slippery envelop around it for protection.