Perama Cave
In Perama, just four kilometers from the center of Ioannina, one of the greatest caves in the world and the first to be exploited for tourism in Greece draws the attention of visitors with its size and unique formations.
It was accidentally discovered during World War II and was used as a shelter by the locals during the Italian bombings. The first systematic exploration and mapping was carried out in 1954 by the well-known speleologists Anna and Ioannis Petrocheilos, who discovered fossils of bones and teeth of the cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) in 1956. Without a doubt, it is an admirable work of nature formed 1,500,000 years ago, in the heart of Goritsa hill, dominated by impressive and dazzling decorations.
The cave covers an area of 14,800 sq.m. The length of the route that can be visited is 1,100 meters; it has 19 types of stalagmites and stalactites and varied colors and formations: the “catacombs”, the “palace of Persephone”, the “Medusa” and the “lake with the water lilies” are awe-inspiring.
The “ANNA PETROCHILOU” Information and Visitor Welcome Center is located at the entrance of Perama, where a display of paleontology exhibits and fossils is hosted. Lastly, it is worth noting that a tourist train with two carriages runs frequent routes for the transport of visitors from the entrance of Perama to the Cave.
Virtual Tour