Kalymnos Caves

The Caves of Kalymnos, in the Dodecanese: Kalymnos has a rich collection of caves that are of immense interest to speleologists and archeologists. Most of them were discovered by oceanographer Anastasios Christomanos and they are located in the southwestern part of the island of Kalymnos. They are overhung with massive stalactites and stalagmites and have a lot of humidity inside. Of particular interest is the fact that some of these caves show evidence of worship of Zeus, the presiding deity of the Greek Olympian pantheon.

The most prominent of the Kalymnos caves is the cave of Kefala or Trypa, which can be visited by boat. Then, there is the Cavern of the Nymphs, situated at the foot of mount Flaska on Kalymnos as well as the richly-decorated cave of Skalia, close to the village of Skalia on the north side of the island. The caves of Therma, located at a distance about 1 km from the capital city of Pothia, are famed for their radioactive springs that are believed to possess remarkable curative powers and recommended for many illnesses.

Besides these caves, there are also many less known caves that dot the landscape of the island, but most of them have either not been explored or are closed to visitors for fear of getting lost. You can see many caves in the rocky mountains close to the areas of Emporios, Myrties, and Skalia.

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