Stop at Stunning Kaspia Cave On Your Arcadia Trip

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The poster child cave of the Peloponnese is Kastria Cave, with its subterranean lake complex, river and waterfall. But if you’re visiting Corinth or Nafplio, that might be a bit further than you want to travel.

If so, then Kaspia Cave is a good alternative. It’s just under an hour west of Nafplio, in picturesque countryside.

I went in November, which was actually a great time to go. The weather had been dicey, but the cave was a good all-weather activity. Since caves tend to keep a steady temperature year-round, it probably provides some welcome cool in the summer.

Anyway, you can take a little road trip from Nafplio or Corinth (also around a fifty-minute drive).

I actually combined it with a drive through the mountains and stone villages up to Stymphalia. The Environment Museum there is interesting. And if the weather’s decent, you can have a very pleasant stroll around the wetlands.

🏺See this post about things to do in and around Corinth for more ideas.

I did stop the car to take this BTW, the road was empty!

Cave Opening Times

Anyway, back to the cave. It’s open every season and runs tours every hour and half-hour throughout the day.

It’s open from 9am until 3pm and is closed on Tuesdays. The first tour is at 9:30am.

When I arrived, a tour was starting within ten minutes. But it was being conducted in Greek and already had a coach load of thirty people in it.

So I waited for the next tour forty minutes later. There’s a cafe on the balcony, so you can have a drink and a snack while you wait.

When it was time, the guide came and got me, and I was joined by a family with two young children. It was nice that it was just us. The cave was so big that we didn’t encounter the other tour group at all, and the experience felt really calm.

The Tour

The tour lasted about an hour, but the time passed quickly. We started outside, and the guide told us some history and mythology about the cave and the river that runs past it.

Then she took us round and explained the different natural materials that created the different shapes and colours in the cave.

The lady pointed out the various stalagmites, stalactites and columns and the animals or characters they looked like.

Santa Claus!

It was quite interesting for the adults and the children. We all had fun deciding what the shapes looked like. And we were suitably fascinated by how insanely long it takes for just a small amount of the stalactites/mites to form.

I thought the tour was paced well, and we had time to stop and look at everything properly. Probably we were a bit lucky too, to be in a small group since it was the off-season.

The path through the cave was even and well marked. You still need to watch your footing as there are steps and, in some parts, natural formations in the middle of the path.

The cave is attractively lit and I think there was atmospheric music playing, too. The tour guide has a torch to highlight various aspects as you walk around.

Human Remains

As well as there being some animal bones from creatures who’d got trapped in the cave, there are also human bones! You’ll see some sculls and other bones left from people who were sheltering there and didn’t leave.

I wasn’t expecting that, and it came close to the end of the tour, but luckily, it didn’t feel creepy.

Getting to Kaspia Cave

Kaspia Cave is at the foot of Mount Mainalo in Archadia. If you’re driving there, then I’d just put it into GoogleMaps or your car’s SATNAV to find it.

🚗 I have info here about renting and driving a car in Greece.

The roads are fine and there is plenty of parking at the cave when you arrive.

In the summer, there are wine tours/tastings that include a trip to the cave with hotel pickup and drop-off. If you’d prefer to see the cave that way, you can check for details on GetYourGuide or something similar. (Dates are released closer to the summer.)

📱Here are mobile apps I recommend having for Greece.

Kaspia Cave FAQs

Can you take photos?

Yes. While flash photography isn’t allowed, you can take pictures without the flash. Video recording isn’t permitted.

Are there toilets?

Yes, there are toilets in the visitor building at the cafe. They are Western-style, clean toilets.

Where do I buy Kaspia Cave Tickets?

You buy them in person upstairs at the cafe building when you arrive.

Can you pay by both cash and card?

Yes, you can pay for your tickets with Euros or bank cards. (Although you’ll need to check if American Express/Diners are accepted.