Situated in the middle of the Island and at an altitude of 5000ft, Aenos National Park is a place of beauty and tranquillity. The extent of the national forest is about 30.000 acres, which the 2/3 of them have been covered from the unique kind of fir tree, the endemic ”abieschephalonia”. Inside the national park a lot of species in danger find a shelter, for example the famous wild through creed horses.

Inside Aenos forest are found various broadleaved trees and bushes, as sage-leafed pear (Pirusamygdaliformis), Crataegus(Crataegus sp.), etc. Splendid thickets, that cover total surface 646 hectare, are developed mainly in the mount “Roudi”, that constitutes separate piece of the core of National Park. In the taller rocky Alpine regions, thorny firewood Astragaluscephalonicus and Astragalusaugustifolius dominate. Important is the spread of Phlomisfruticosa.

The fauna of the National Park is very important for the island. It includes several species of mammals, as the fox (Vulpesvulpes), the badger (Marches foina), the hare (Lepuseuropaeus) etc, as well as an important number of fowl fauna species as the rock partridge (Alectorisgraeca) and the eagle (Circaetusgallicus).

Recently the blackwoodpecker (Dryocopusmartius) was discovered, a species of woodpecker that is not answered in other island of Mediterranean
The highest top of Ainos is ‘Megas Soros’, where you can view clearly Zante, Lefkas, Peloponese and seaside mainland Greece. You can also view Ithaca clearly.

Aenos makes a perfect place for contemplation, for which many travel the world over, to see time and time again.

Makers of fine quality handmade farmhouse cheeses, this farm is a working dairy and their milk produces some of the best fresh and matured cheeses in the country. All of which can be sampled amidst the peaceful, rolling, rural views.

Melissani Cave has a collapsed roof and contains a lake. It can only be explored by boat with the help of a guide. It is believed to have taken its name from the word melissa or honey bee. Legend has it that the cave was dry in ancient times and in contact with the earth surfaces by narrow passages which bees used quite freely to swarm the cave.

Huge stalactites made of pure honeycomb filled the cave in those days but subsequent earthquakes have changed the structure of the cave and opened access to it. This is just one legend of many but it is certain that the cave has been around for some time since excavations in 1963 found some interesting ceramic objects. These included three oil lamps, a sculpture of a seated Pan and a magnificent large plate with a relief sculpture of five nymphs dancing around Pan to the music of a flute. This and the other objects found are on display at the Archaeological Museum in Argostoli.

Some of these finds are believed to be from the fourth and third centuries BC. The cave is entered by descending 20 steps to a landing stage. A trip around the lake takes about fifteen minutes and the boatman rows across the lake often through a pool of sunshine where the sun is dazzling through the hole in the roof of the cave, to enter a narrower channel where oars are abandoned in favour of a rope fastened along the cave wall. This section of the journey in the darker tunnel is short and then it is the reverse journey back to the landing stage. Deep and clear the waters of the lake are fed from the Katavothres Swallow Holes.

The Swallow Holes of Katavothres. The entrance to the swallow holes lies just north of Argostoli, towards the tip of the peninsula. Sea water disappears down the holes with such force, that in the nineteenth century, an Englishman built a water wheel to harness the energy. It was only in 1963 that a team of Austrian geologists, with the aid of 160 kg of soluble red dye, were able to determine with certainty the path taken by the water. The flow is easterly beneath the island, collecting rainwater percolating through the mountain mass en route. Some of the flow emerges in to the lake in the Melissani cave whilst the rest discharges in to the sea near Karavomilos.

Drogarati Cave is estimated to have developed over 150 million years although it was only discovered last century. As a place for people to visit it has been open for some 30 years and has hosted many operatic events due to its outstanding natural acoustics. Some 123 steps lead down the entrance shaft to a platform that gives the first view of the stalactites and stalagmites within the illuminated cavern. Further steps lead down from the platform to a walk-way circling the lowest level of the cave. Angled lighting on the best formations brings out the textures and rich colours and helps to illuminate the path around. It has a constant temperature of 18 degrees Celsius so is cool and damp and suitable footwear is advisable as the wet rock and steps can be slippery.

Choose among some of the most stunning beaches of Greece. Myrtos, Makris Gialos, Antisamos, Lourdas are some of the many you can choose from, to swim and enjoy the sun.

The perfect opportunity to combine the exploration of wine tour and a wine specialised restaurant. You will be whisked off to a hand-picked restaurant for this special occasion, overlooking the sea. There, our wine expert has selected prix fixed degustation menu, carefully pairing 3 wines from indigenous varieties to each course, increasing your understanding of a particular vintage or variety.
This is an absolute must for wine lovers!