Kalavryta, Mega Spilaio, Agia Lavra, Cave of Lakes

Kalavryta, Mega Spilaio, Agia Lavra, Cave of Lakes

In the begging, you will explore Kalavryta, a place famous for its striking natural beauty, its abundance in waters, its ski resort and its historical importance for Greeks. On 13th December 1943, the German 117th Jäger Division executed nearly all-male population and resulted in the total destruction of Kalavryta. There is a Memorial in Kalavryta and Holocaust Museum which you can visit if you wish.<br>After exploring Kalavryta we will visit the Mega Spilaio, a monastery that is located in a large cave in a sheer cliff, where the western slopes of Mount Chelmos drop down to the gorge of the Vouraikos river. According to tradition, the monastery is one of the oldest in Greece, reputedly founded in 362.<br>The second monastery that we visit, is the monastery of Agia Lavra, that it was built in 961 AD, on Chelmos Mountain, at an altitude of 961 meters and stands as one of the oldest monasteries in the Peloponnese. It is famously linked with the Greek War of Independence, since it was here that the revolution against the Ottoman Empire launched.<br>Leaving Agia Lavra, our next and last stop is the Cave of the Lakes, with its mysterious galleries and multicolour chambers, the imposing stalactite and stalagmite formations.The cave’s explored length is 1,980 meters. Human fossils, as well as fossils of a variety of animals (among which a hippopotamus), were found on the cave’s lower floor. What makes this cave quite unique is that has three different levels with lakes on every level, 13 in total.