Photos

The cave is placed 50 km away from Serres, 25 km from Drama and 55 km from Kavala. It is considered to be the most beautiful and most decorated cave in Greece and probably in Europe where nature revealed its power in creating ornaments and impressive rock formations.

At a distance of 250 m from the southern part of the entrance of the cave the railway line from Serres to Drama passes. Near the railway line and on the southern side of it is the Aggitis River. As a result of the waterflow of the river the limestone layers of the mountain has been corroded and the ravine of Aggitis river has been shaped.

The visitor in Alistrati apart from the cave can enjoy the river Aggitis which flows through the villages of Symvoli, Lefkothea and R.S. Aggista, forming idylic river by zones with rich plantation. Many connoisseur fishermen combine their hobbies with walks and pic-nic in the countryside.The area is suitable for rafting and Kanoye. It is a few meters further down the railways which pass beside the cave. The locals call it "Vraous".


HERE cave Alistrati

The riνer Angitis is a main element in the hydrographic network of the lowlands of Drama. It starts at the Maara springs, crosses the western side of the low-lands and having collected its waters at Philippi pours into the Strymon river. The mean annual amount of water supplied by the springs has been calculated at 3 cubic metres per second and the mean annual amount of water supplied by the Angitis, having collected all its waters, is 8 cubic metres per second.
The Maara springs at an altitude of 123m are the outlet of an underground river which crosses the Maara cave. The cave is a pipeline conduit (karst phenomenon) which is directly connected with the sink-holes of Ochyro οn the Kato Nevrokopi plateau at an altitude of 535m.
The underwater river is fed by waters from streams of the Kato Nevrokopi plateau which drain through the Ochyro sinkholes and are channelled through the underground (karst) system.
Just in front of the outlet of the water there is a waterwheel which has been there since the Turkish occupation which was used to raise water from the river and then irrigate the surrounding villages.

*see my WS another shot from canyon Aggitis river, near cave Alistratis