Cave of Alistrati
Cave of Alistrati
5
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
About
The Cave of Alistrati near the town of Serres is considered one of the largest and most beautiful caves not only of Greece but of Europe. The total length of its passages is approximately 3 km, of which 1 km is accessible by the disabled. According to Greek mythology, the Sphinx made her appearance at the position "Petroto" of the Gorge of Aggites that traverses the Alistratis area. Myth also mentions Pluto,the god of the Underworld; when he kidnapped Persephone, the daughter of goddess Demeter, he brought her to this natural ravine where a Gate to the Underworld existed. The area that mythology mentions is situated near the touristic site of the Cave of Alistrati; this area also features a few other caves. At a distance of 250m from the south side of the cave's entrance, one finds the railway tracks connecting Serres to the town of Drama.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

See what travelers are saying
  • KPR1955
    Deeside, United Kingdom1,745 contributions
    Alistrati Cave Visit
    Absolutely brilliant. the guide was attentive and responded well to all our questions, it was well presented and the spectacle of these huge caverns was awe inspiring. The visit is purely by guide and you will walk about 1500M inwards and then the same in reverse. you will see many examples of different types of stalagmites and stalactites within the caves. Pity they did not allow us to take photos inside.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written June 23, 2023
  • hcoumoussis
    Athens, Greece48 contributions
    Well worth my visit.
    Alistrasti Cave is beautiful 1 km walk through its galleries of stalagmites and stalactites with their impressive formation, age and size. The pure white forming draperies are rather unique as I have not seen them anywhere else. Downside is that the tours are only in Greek (so I have heard). A simple walk along a corridor. No climbing up and down steep stairways.
    Visited April 2022
    Written October 6, 2022
  • sashkow
    Sofia, Bulgaria1,296 contributions
    In the sea of beaches this cave is a bright spot
    Every day at the endless number of beach sites could be brainwashing. This cave is nice opportunity to get out of the monotony daily life of a tourist. It is beautiful and magical route to the inner earth even for kids.
    Visited August 2020
    Traveled with family
    Written August 20, 2020
  • Caterynas
    Kyiv, Ukraine46 contributions
    Boring tour and guide
    Amazing cave to visit but lots of things need to be implemented. - Photos are not allowed and when we asked why, the reply was "because we were told that it is not allowed" :) amazing reply - the tour inside is boring and we were hurried by the guide all the time. Why then not to give 1 hour for a group, why there is no option for a private tour, WHY the tour is soooooo boring, with such tours the kids will never want to visit something like this again. The management of the Cave museum or Greek ministry can have tours for their employees to the same places in Europe and be amazed how it is done, how the information is presented, the communication with the group, the stories, and lots of other things.
    Dear Could you please tell us the time of visit?
    Written August 12, 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited May 2022
    Written May 16, 2022
  • Νίκη Σ
    1 contribution
    Unpleasant
    The cave is amazing! However the guy for the tickets and the tour guide were very rude , for no apparent reason. I was very disappointed by them , as well as the stupid robot, Persefone. She is practically useless in there, creepy and i couldn't hear what she was saying. The tour lasts one hour, the first half you just wait for Persefone and then you must hurry because there isn't enough time. No photos allowed and no one informed us about this app for the cave.
    Visited December 2021
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 19, 2021
  • Daniella S
    Sofia, Bulgaria3 contributions
    Spectacular but not nice guidance
    The cave was spectacular, very ancient, with lots of cave formations. It is definitely a good attraction to visit. I give por rating because of the guide who ruined our experience. We were a family with 3 small kids and didn’t speak Greek. So the guide told us that she doesn’t have time to explain in details in foreign language so we should read it by ourselves. We entered the cave I made a picture and was immediately scolded that it’s forbidden. The guide in my language said that only pictures with flash light are forbidden. I excused myself. 10min later I was rudely scolded again because I stopped for 2 seconds to look at something. So we couldn’t stop, we couldn’t make pictures and we couldn’t explain what we see to the kids while in the cave. That made the experience unpleasant. Afterwards we did the train ride in the canyon which was kind of waste of time.
    Dear Daniela Could you please tell us the time of visiting?
    Written August 12, 2022
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2022
    Traveled with family
    Written August 9, 2022
  • J C
    Dilbeek, Belgium200 contributions
    Absolutely worth the visit! Even if you have seen many caves before!
    You have been to several caves already? Do not thinkit is worth going to another one? Well, think again. This cave is definitly worth visting. Not only beause you may see there formations not seen in most other caves, i.e.not going down as gravity would require, similar to corals, to broccoli, orto snow crystals. It is because of the WOW effect due to the number and impressiveness of the formations. The guide was very nice, although we were a group of only 2 she did not hurry, and the tour lasted an hour. A tip: when coming back from the ca. 1 km walk the lights are dimmed due to ecological reasons (to minimize the impact on the cave) . When going to the end of the trail, look back to ake the view then.
    Visited April 2022
    Written April 30, 2022
  • Evangelia Zigkiri
    Thessaloniki, Greece2 contributions
    Don't miss Alistrati's Cave
    Alistrati' s cave was a breathtaking monument!! As soon as you enter you realize that we are talking about a wonder!!! Proper lighting where it should be, safe to be walked, all together give you the impression that you are clearly walking to another world. The place speaks for itself, great history, well preserved stalactites and stalagmites, an experience that cannot and shouldn't be missed. Last but not least, how can I forget our wonderful guide Dimitra, it is of profound significance to have someone who, not only is qualified, but also is an expert. Dimitra has it all, she kindly answered all our questions, in a fully detailed way, all the time kind and with willingness to provide us with all the necessary description of the place. Thank you lovely Dimitra
    Visited August 2021
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 30, 2021
  • Aris K
    18 contributions
    Amazing
    Visited with friends. In comparison to other caves in Greece, this one is I think one of the most beautiful in terms of cave formations. The tour takes about an hour or so to complete so it’s not overly long or tiring. Added bonus is that the whole thing is very accessible and quite children friendly.
    Visited March 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written March 25, 2023
  • Artemis K
    Spain11 contributions
    Amazing
    Amazing place, highly recomended. It is without doubts the most spectacular cave we had visited. The guided tour is also nice. All the workers of the place were really nice. There is a beautiful exterior area to have a refreshing drink ir coffee.
    Visited July 2020
    Traveled with family
    Written July 18, 2020
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

5.0
401 reviews
Excellent
325
Very good
61
Average
11
Poor
2
Terrible
2

Caterynas
Kyiv, Ukraine46 contributions
May 2022
Amazing cave to visit but lots of things need to be implemented.
- Photos are not allowed and when we asked why, the reply was "because we were told that it is not allowed" :) amazing reply
- the tour inside is boring and we were hurried by the guide all the time. Why then not to give 1 hour for a group, why there is no option for a private tour, WHY the tour is soooooo boring, with such tours the kids will never want to visit something like this again. The management of the Cave museum or Greek ministry can have tours for their employees to the same places in Europe and be amazed how it is done, how the information is presented, the communication with the group, the stories, and lots of other things.
Written May 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Could you please tell us the time of visit?
Written August 12, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Νίκη Σ
1 contribution
Dec 2021 • Couples
The cave is amazing! However the guy for the tickets and the tour guide were very rude , for no apparent reason. I was very disappointed by them , as well as the stupid robot, Persefone. She is practically useless in there, creepy and i couldn't hear what she was saying. The tour lasts one hour, the first half you just wait for Persefone and then you must hurry because there isn't enough time. No photos allowed and no one informed us about this app for the cave.
Written December 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Daniella S
Sofia, Bulgaria3 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
The cave was spectacular, very ancient, with lots of cave formations. It is definitely a good attraction to visit. I give por rating because of the guide who ruined our experience. We were a family with 3 small kids and didn’t speak Greek. So the guide told us that she doesn’t have time to explain in details in foreign language so we should read it by ourselves. We entered the cave I made a picture and was immediately scolded that it’s forbidden. The guide in my language said that only pictures with flash light are forbidden. I excused myself. 10min later I was rudely scolded again because I stopped for 2 seconds to look at something. So we couldn’t stop, we couldn’t make pictures and we couldn’t explain what we see to the kids while in the cave. That made the experience unpleasant.
Afterwards we did the train ride in the canyon which was kind of waste of time.
Written August 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Daniela Could you please tell us the time of visiting?
Written August 12, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

J C
Dilbeek, Belgium200 contributions
Apr 2022
You have been to several caves already? Do not thinkit is worth going to another one?

Well, think again. This cave is definitly worth visting. Not only beause you may see there formations not seen in most other caves, i.e.not going down as gravity would require, similar to corals, to broccoli, orto snow crystals. It is because of the WOW effect due to the number and impressiveness of the formations.

The guide was very nice, although we were a group of only 2 she did not hurry, and the tour lasted an hour.

A tip: when coming back from the ca. 1 km walk the lights are dimmed due to ecological reasons (to minimize the impact on the cave) . When going to the end of the trail, look back to ake the view then.
Written April 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Evangelia Zigkiri
Thessaloniki, Greece2 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
Alistrati' s cave was a breathtaking monument!! As soon as you enter you realize that we are talking about a wonder!!! Proper lighting where it should be, safe to be walked, all together give you the impression that you are clearly walking to another world. The place speaks for itself, great history, well preserved stalactites and stalagmites, an experience that cannot and shouldn't be missed. Last but not least, how can I forget our wonderful guide Dimitra, it is of profound significance to have someone who, not only is qualified, but also is an expert. Dimitra has it all, she kindly answered all our questions, in a fully detailed way, all the time kind and with willingness to provide us with all the necessary description of the place.

Thank you lovely Dimitra
Written August 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Aris K
18 contributions
Mar 2023 • Friends
Visited with friends. In comparison to other caves in Greece, this one is I think one of the most beautiful in terms of cave formations. The tour takes about an hour or so to complete so it’s not overly long or tiring. Added bonus is that the whole thing is very accessible and quite children friendly.
Written March 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Artemis K
Spain11 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
Amazing place, highly recomended. It is without doubts the most spectacular cave we had visited.
The guided tour is also nice. All the workers of the place were really nice. There is a beautiful exterior area to have a refreshing drink ir coffee.
Written July 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

WaltzingSol
UK73 contributions
Although the visit made up part of a package tour I did notice a sign near the entrance that stated only guided groups were allowed into the cave.

The cave is a magnificent sight, with huge chambers of incredible stalactites, stalagmites and other rock formations. It may well be the biggest and most beautiful example in Europe as the guide proclaimed on several occasions. Underground, it maintains a constant temperature of around 20C all year round regardless of the conditions outside. The presence of bodies and artificial lighting can raise the temperature and to reduce the risk the lights automatically switch themselves on and off as the group moves between sections. As well as preserving the cave environment it also adds a bit of mystery to the tour!

Unfortunately, our guide must have been having a bad day. She rushed our group through the cave at a speed which some members found difficult to manage. When asked to slow down she replied quite rudely that we simply had to keep up. The haste with which she proceeded meant we continually bumped into the group ahead of us.

Although she paused at certain points to talk about the various rock configurations and answer questions adequate time was not given to absorb the beauty of the formations and, due to the size of the group and the limited space in the stopping areas, some members of the party did not have a chance to give to view them properly in the rush past.

The route through the cave is a single path, about a kilometre in length (just over half a mile) which reaches a dead end. Exit from the cave is simply along the same route but without the guide talking. On our tour only the emergency lighting was on for the return walk to prevent people stumbling on the path. This meant that the rest of the cave was shrouded in darkness and prevented you from seeing any of the sights a second time.

If you happen to be in the area then the Alistrati cave is worth seeing, however brisk or brusque the guide may be, but I can’t help but think I’ve had more enjoyable days out at the caves in Cheddar Gorge!
Written August 27, 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Christine C
1 contribution
Jul 2014 • Friends
So spectacular and memorable 7 years ago I took my family of five to see the cave. Entance is 8 euros , very poorly signposted as it has an identity crisis it does not know if it is "Canyon of Aggiti" or "Alistratis's Cave" so expect a run-a-round as greek highways also do not know !
Unfortunately for us we did not get a guide who had time to speak english only Greek however after paying, she ensured we knew the rules but nothing else pertaining to our visit .However we were presented with an appraisal of the features along with rules, in english, but only after parting with our money first. Have you tried to read print in almost darkness? Our party was Dutch and English we all spoke english but with only 1 copy between us all (TIGHT) it was left to one person to read the limited info to us, thus doing the work of the guide, in doing so they were asked to be quiet whilst the guide spoke to the greek people (cross talk ). We were amazed at the spectacle but understood nothing, nor were we allowed the time to really absorb the detail of the formations as it was against the rules to fall behind on the rush tour, I was repremanded in my slowness for my interest as it was outweighed by the "get the money, get em in an get em out policy". So if you want to waste half a day, your fuel ,the admission fees (80 euro) and be treated as an imbecile when wishing too enjoy the experience then go to Alistratis's cave.
Written July 27, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Borislav T
Sofia, Bulgaria6 contributions
May 2017 • Family
There is a large court right in front of the tickets booth with some benches – perfect for parents to sit while the kids run around and play.
The tickets booth also houses free toilets.

There is a small restaurant with indoor and outdoor tables.

In the cave there are constant humidity of approx. 80% and temperature at about 17C so a t-shirt and a light clothing on top are sufficient.

There is a free-to-visit canyon 10 minutes by foot from the ticket booth. The canyon can then be visited for about 20 minutes. We were not able to go there because the path to it was muddy because of the rain we experienced.

I had two major problems with the visit to the cave:
We were a group of 15 Bulgarians who spoke in English, but an old Greek couple entered the cave with us.
Both the tickets clerk and the guides noticed this, but for some reason the guide that we got spoke only in Greek – she knew a few words in English, but not enough to form coherent sentences. Hence, our paid tour in the cave could have been almost the same if we had entered without a guide.

When we reached the furthest point of the walk and it was time to go back, for some reason the lights on the cave features went down. We only had the lights at the sides of the walkway so we could see where we are going. As a result, we were able to only see the details of the cave only on the 1st part of the tour – on the way back you could only see the details closest to the walkway.

Basically it’s a really cool cave especially if you are into the details of cave features, but there are caves in Bulgaria that can easily rival this one in terms of quality of the guided tour and the contents of the cave - the second being true if you are a layman in terms of cave knowledge.
Written May 31, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Sir Thank you for your respond. You mention that there isn,t a bulgarian speaking guide.Firstly,We offer guiding in bulgarian but you have to give us a call before you come.Secondly,in order to protect the Cave we have to reduce the time of lighting into the cave and for this reason was turn on only the corridors lights in your return. Thank you again for your visiting
Written June 1, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Showing results 1-10 of 96
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Cave of Alistrati - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Cave of Alistrati

Cave of Alistrati is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM


Restaurants near Cave of Alistrati: View all restaurants near Cave of Alistrati on Tripadvisor

Cave of Alistrati Information

Excellent Reviews

325

Very Good Reviews

61

Cave of Alistrati Photos

108