Λιλέϊκο Μάτι

Lileiko Mati - Lilly Eye

Useful Information

Location:	At the coastal road at Lileika, 4,2 km from Paralio Astros. (37.455432, 22.751265)
Open:	No restrictions. [2021]
Fee:	free. [2021]
Classification:	Karst Spring
Light:	n/a
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Lileiko Mati, Voria Kinouria 220 01.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

Description

There is actually no way to reach Λιλέϊκο Μάτι (Lileiko Mati, Lilly Eye). Fortunately that's not necessary at all, normally it is quite easy to see from the coastal road, just stop at an outlook and look very hard on the sea. This is a submarine spring, where huge amounts of sweet water emerge from a cave opening in the sea floor, forming a sort of lilly pad like structure on the surface of the water. The upwelling water produces the Λιλέϊκο Μάτι or Lilly Eye, a circular patch of calm water surrounded by a wide ring of rippled water. Depending on the yield it may be up to 25 m in diameter, only visible, of course, if there are no wind or waves. The spring is located 290 m from the coast and the beach of the same name, at a depth of 80 m below the surface. The catchment area are Parthenio and the Mantinea plain.

You can charter a boat to travel to the location, but while you might sample the water and learn about the reduced amount of salt, you actually cannot see it. The best way to see it, is definitely an elevated outlook at the nearby coast. It's a shame that 99.9 % of all tourists drive down the highway without ever noticing this unique geotope which is so easy to see and recognize. Even if they swim at the beach nearby, which is called Λιλή μάτι (Lilly Eye).