Why you need to experience the magic of Katavothres

Kefalonia is home to one of the most astounding natural phenomena in the world, Katavothres – a must-see place that should be included in any trip to the island.

Beautiful Katavothres is situated around three kilometres from Argostoli along the road to Fanari, and here you can witness a wonderful geological quirk of nature unlike no other. Sea water pushes through cracks in the many shoreline rocks, only to immediately disappear underground. This magical phenomenon has been the subject of countless geological research projects and scientific discussions.

In 1963, purple dye was added to the water by a group of Austrian geomorphologists to try to track the sea’s progress through the rocks. The group was surprised to find the dyed water emerging 15 kilometres away at Melissani Lake. This journey had taken almost two weeks, and the dyed water was found to still be semi-salted. One popular theory as to why the water appears and then disappears suggests volcanic activity, as warm water moves differently to cold water. However, as there are no thermal springs evident, this theory has not yet been proven.

As with many unexplained phenomena, the theories are many and varied, but this adds to the magic and mystery of beautiful Katavothres. Here at Amari Villa, we suggest you explore this lovely area yourself to test your own theory, before returning to relax with a refreshing drink in the privacy of your very own luxury villa in Kefalonia to ponder some more on this amazing feat of nature.