Τρυπας Κεφαλας

Trypas Kefalas - Cave of Kefala - Kefalas - Cave of Zeus


Useful Information

Location: Near the southern coast of Kalymnos.
From Kalymnos follow road on the southern side of the harbour to Vothini, on left turn of main road turn right to Monastery of Agia Ekaterini. Follow this road to the end, then take path on the right. Blue signs.
(36.934158, 26.946104)
Open: All year Min, Wed, Fri-Sun 8:30-14.
[2021]
Fee: free.
[2021]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst Cave
Light: bring torch
Dimension: L=103m
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:  
Address: Municipality Tourist Office, Municipality of Kalymnos, Pothia, Kalymnos PC 85200, Dodecanese, Tel: +30-22430-29299. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
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History


Description

A popular trip is to hire one of the Póthia-based fishing boats and visit to the cave of Kefála just west of Vlyhádhia. This is the most impressive of half a dozen caverns around the island. You have to walk thirty minutes from where the boats dock, but the vividly coloured formations repay the effort; the cave was inhabited before recorded history, and later served as a sanctuary for Zeus, who is doubtfully identified with a particularly imposing stalagmite in the largest of the six chambers.


Text by Tony Oldham (2002). With kind permission.

Kalymnos has a lot of caves, sixteen caves are currently known. Some of them were open to the surface and used since prehistoric times. Three are currently open for tourists. Τρυπας Κεφαλας (Cave of Kefala) is located in the middle of nowhere above the southern coast. A road starts at the southern side of the Kalymnos harbour to the small harbour town Vlichadia. It offers great views on the city Kalymnos and its harbour. In the village Vothini ar road branches off to the Monastery of Agia Ekaterini, which becomes a gravel road at the city limits. Follow this road to its very end, do not turn off to the monastery or one of the lonely houses which speckle the landscape. The road finally ends on a hill above the southern coast in front of a huge house. To the left you have a great view of the sea, to the right it seems as if the road continues, but soon it becomes a foot trail. From here its only 100 m walk to the cave. The cave has open hours which actually means that there is a guard on duty who hands out helmets with headlamps. As far as we know the access is not restricted.