The limestone cave of Drogarati is located three kilometers from the city of Sami and is located about 120 meters above sea level. The age of the cave is difficult to determine, but it is estimated at about a hundred million years. About 300 years ago, as a result of an earthquake, part of the wall collapsed, opening a passage inside. It goes 95 meters deep, and the temperature inside is constantly kept at 18 degrees Celsius.
Drogarati is considered one of the most beautiful caves in Greece. It is the only one with such a large hall — 65 m x 45 m at a height of about 20 m. According to echolocation data, Drogarati is connected by underground passages with the system of other caves in the region, but these corridors are impassable.
Drogarati can accommodate up to 800 people at a time, which, combined with excellent acoustics, makes it ideal for “live” concerts.
The natural beauties of Drogarati, as in any underground cave, are stalactites and stalagmites, beautifully illuminated. Regular earthquakes on the island have caused some damage to them, but many are tens and hundreds of thousands of years old. The interior of the main hall of the cave has a specific shape: in the center there is an elevation, which is like a natural platform, and the platform below is flat—bottomed and spacious enough to serve even as a natural dance floor. All this combined with a large capacity (Drogarati can accommodate up to 800 people at a time) and excellent natural acoustics makes the cave ideal for “live” performances and musical events. Unlike many other caves in Greece (for example, Melidoni in Crete), there are no dramatic events of wartime associated with Drogarati, so these events are arranged here. These are mainly opera and classical concerts. In particular, at one time Maria Callass and Luciano Pavarotti performed in Drogarati, as well as famous Greek artists — M. Faranturi and operatic soprano Irene Karayanni.
It is most convenient to combine a visit to the cave with a trip to the Melissani cave: both lie approximately on the same route.
In the second half of the 20th century, Drogarati became a tourist attraction open to the public. Today you can get here all year round and every day from morning to evening. The entrance to the cave is safe, suitable for children and people with disabilities. It is quite damp and cool inside; the humidity reaches 90%. There are also bats here — however, in small numbers: there are too many tourists here. Some (mice, not tourists) are caught and for some reason demonstrated at the entrance to the cave.