Forgotten Islands - Kalamos & Kastos

Papanikolis sea cave: Archaeologists believe that the Cave of Papanikolis used to be the hideaway of a submarine. It is replete with many caves. Papanakolis Cave is ideally located on the island of Meganisi, which is a mere 12 nautical miles from Nydri village, Lefkada. The best way to reach the cave is by a boat cruise from Nidri and it takes approximately 45 minutes to reach the cave. This cave shot into prominence during World War II by virtue of being a secret hideaway for the submarine Papanikolis. The sheer magnitude of The cave is astounding. It is believed that the Papanikolis submarine would tuck up inside this mammoth cave after its blitzkrieg on the Italian armada. First-time visitors will live an awesome experience. The remarkable Papanikolis Cave is actually the second largest cave in Greece. It is not an authentic sea cave, but a karst cave, and is presently partially inundated by the sea. This cave was much preferred by the ships that would drop anchor inside the cave during spells of inclement weather. This cave could easily accommodate even large shipping vessels with their flagstaff.

ust a few kilometres southeast of Meganissi, Kastos is the ultimate Ionian Island hideaway, blessed with lovely beaches, peace and quiet, and a deliciously simple way of life. Measuring just 8km from north to south, and less than 1km from east to west, Kastos is a little gem of a place, inhabited by around 50 permanent residents only. This diminutive size, allied to its unspoilt beauty, makes it the ideal destination for anyone looking for a holiday away from it all.

Kalamos is not a conventional island. It is a tall mountain range which floats on the sea, its northern side overgrowing with towering, thick pine trees. It is obvious to even the non-specialist visitor that these pines are of a special species. They perch everywhere, even at the most precipitous points, sprouting from the rocks and reaching as far as the edge of the sea, as though they insisted on demonstrating their superiority over the place.