...one of the rarest caves in the world...
Visitors in the town of Ioannina, the beautiful Epirotic capital with the thousand-year- long history, after a tour about town and after taking-in the magnificent views at Pamvotida, Greece’s most idyllic lake, should not leave without paying a visit to one of the rarest caves in the world.
The Perama Ioanninon Cave is located at just four kilometers from the town of Ioannina. It covers an area of 14,800 square meters, including 1.100 meters open to visitors taking the 45-minute-long tour. Visiting hours at the Cave are from 09.00 in the morning until sundown daily, weekends and holidays. Experienced guides will greet you at the cave entrance and will ensure that you get all information possible about this astonishing exhibition featuring nature’s sculptures.
The Perama Ioanninon Cave was the first Cave in Greece to be open to visitors, still holding first place in impressiveness, size and rarity. It was the first time that fossilized bones and teeth of Ursus Spelaeus were found in Greece (1956)
HISTORY
The Cave was accidentally discovered in 1940 during World War II, when the residents of the nearby village were seeking refuge from on-going bombings. After the end of the war, Constantinos Kasvikis, a gymnast and amateur speleologist, arrived in Perama with his team and took pictures of the cave, which were later published in the local and Athenian press. This is how the Cave was made known to Ioannis and Anna Petroheilou, who visited Perama and started a systematic exploration and mapping of the Cave.
The Perama Ioanninon Cave, a three-storey palace chiseled by nature in the heart of the Goritsa Hill 1,500,000 years ago, ranks among the most beautiful in the world. The artwork on display is among the rarest, including 19 different types of stalactites and stalagmites as compared to only 6-10 in other caves. Visitors can admire enchanting lakes with stone water-lilies floating, with tens of stalactites and stalagmites reflected on their crystal-clear waters.
The Cave exit, which is 25 higher than the entrance, opens to splendid views of the town of Ioannina, as well as the legendary Pamvotida Lake made famous with the legend of Kyra Frossyni and Ali Pasha. From there, an outdoor scenic path takes to the entrance of the Cave.
Perama, an area with rich historic and cultural legacy, presents strong tourist interest. It is famous for its silver artisans whose creations are of unique beauty. Recently, more young people have been systematically engaged in silverwork, combining tradition with modernity and blowing a breath of fresh into the artful trade of the silversmith.
In Perama you will also find hotels and tourist accommodation, restaurants, taverns and cafeterias where you will have the opportunity to enjoy delicious Ioannina pastries, the traditional tsipouro drink and ouzo, as well as local meats, pies and exquisite wines.
A visit at Perama Ioanninon Cave and our area is an enthusiastic and unforgettable experience. For more information, please contact us at tel.no.2651081650 or 2651081521 or www.spilaio-perama.gr.