Legendary natural lake next to the sea on the coastal zone of Athens. It is where a huge underwater cave and a labyrinthine tunnel network of unknown total length begin. Famous divers from Greece and abroad have so far explored tunnels with a total length of 3.1 km. Eight divers have lost their lives in their efforts to solve the mysteries of the lake, thus access to the cave by non-experts has been banned since 1995. However, bathing in the lake is still safe and allowed. The depth of the lake reaches 80 meters and the temperature of its brackish water varies from 22 to 29 degrees Celsius. It is a wetland of special natural beauty, part of the NATURA network and protected by the RAMSAR treaty. The water of the lake is healing, so it attracts many visitors, who enjoy a therapeutic bath in the enchanting environment. Inside the water live small black fishes, of the Garra Rufa family, who surround the bathers and exfoliate them. Until some decades ago, visitors of the lake were mainly elderly aristocrats from Athens, but during recent years it has attracted bigger and more modern parts of the population. It is also preferred by visitors from mainland European countries, who trust and practice alternative healing therapies.
