Drogarati Cave: the stalactite hall near Sami

What Drogarati Cave is like

Drogarati is a dry limestone cave by the main road from Argostoli to Sami, near the village of Chaliotata. Unlike Melissani, it has no lake: the attraction is one huge hall full of stalactites and stalagmites, some of them slender and almost translucent, others thick columns where the two have joined.

According to local accounts, the entrance was opened by an earthquake some centuries ago, and the cave was explored by the Hellenic Speleological Society in the early 1950s before opening to visitors in 1963. The main chamber was named the Hall of Apotheosis by the speleologist Anna Petrochilou. The visit is short: most people spend about half an hour inside.

The stairs and the walk inside

From the ticket office you walk down a sloping passage with stairs and landings into the cave. The passage was once part of the cave itself until its roof collapsed. At the bottom, a path loops around the main hall, which is about 65 m by 45 m and about 20 m high, with a small pool of water to one side.

The steps are lit but damp, and can be slippery, so wear shoes with grip rather than flip-flops. Remember that every step down is a step back up, which can be tiring for small children and anyone with limited mobility, and the stairs make it difficult for wheelchair users. Do not touch the formations, which take thousands of years to grow.

Temperature: bring a layer

The air inside stays at around 18 °C all year, with humidity of up to about 90%. After a July afternoon at 30 °C outside it feels cold at first, so a light jumper or long sleeves are welcome, especially for children. It also makes the cave a good choice for the hottest hours of a summer day or for a cloudy morning when the beach is less inviting.

Concerts in the Hall of Apotheosis

The great hall has remarkable acoustics, and it has been fitted out to hold concerts for about 500 people, with the musicians framed by stalactites in a recess of the wall. The Greek singer Maria Farantouri is among the artists who have performed there, and the hall has mostly hosted classical music and opera singers.

Concerts are occasional rather than a regular programme, and no 2026 dates had been published when we checked. If you would like to hear music underground, ask at the ticket office or check the Municipality of Sami's announcements before your trip.

Drogarati Cave tickets and opening hours

Drogarati is run by the Municipality of Sami together with Melissani. In 2026 an adult ticket costs €6, or €4 if you show a ticket from Melissani, so visiting both costs €14. The reduced ticket is €3 for children aged 6 to 18, students, over-65s and large families, and children under 6, people with disabilities and permanent residents of the municipality go free. Tickets are sold at the entrance.

The two caves keep the same hours, which change through the season. In 2026 they opened daily from 09:00 to 18:00 from 3 July, and from 13 October from 10:00 to 15:00, with last entry at 14:30. The municipality announces every change on its website and in the local press, sometimes at short notice, and the caves may close or open on limited days in winter, so check before you go. See Melissani Cave for the earlier spring hours.

Getting there and combining it with Melissani

Drogarati is signposted off the main road from Argostoli to Sami, about 24 km and 30 minutes from Argostoli and a few minutes' drive from Sami. There is parking by the entrance. KTEL buses between Argostoli and Sami use the same road, but services are infrequent, so a car or a tour is far easier; see car hire in Kefalonia.

Melissani is about 6 km away by road, and many island tours visit both caves with the Myrtos viewpoint in a day. If you go on your own, do Drogarati in the morning and Melissani around midday for the best light, then swim at Antisamos or another of the east-coast beaches. To be based close to the caves, look at Sami and Agia Efimia in where to stay in Kefalonia.