Maravelia Cave: The West-Coast Sea Cave on Every Porto Vromi Route
Maravelia Cave is the swim-in sea cave on the Porto Vromi circuit below Navagio. Where it is, what you see inside, and the seven boat tours from $29 whose itineraries name it.
Maravelia Cave is the one west-coast cave that appears by name on operator itineraries again and again, which makes it the easiest of the Zakynthos caves to actually book a trip to. It sits in the cliffs between Porto Vromi and Navagio, it is reached only by boat, and on the shared cruises it is usually the swim stop rather than a drive-by. This page explains where it is, what you get inside, and exactly which tours go there.
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Where Maravelia Cave is
The cave is cut into the limestone of the west coast a short run south of Navagio bay, on the stretch that every Porto Vromi boat works on its way back from the wreck. Operators spell it two ways — Maravelia and Maravegias — and at least one lists it together with the Hidden Treasure Cave, the Window of Luck, the Heart Cave and the Dolphins Cave as the “Porto Vromi blue caves”. These are the western caves. They are not the famous northern Blue Caves at Cape Skinari, and no Porto Vromi boat goes there; the two are on opposite ends of the island.
Nothing reaches Maravelia by land. The cliffs here run to a couple of hundred metres and there is no path. You arrive on a boat from Porto Vromi Maries, Porto Vromi Anafonitria, or on the boat leg of a land-and-sea day tour.
What you see inside
A high, wide mouth opening on to deep, clear water, with the same pale seabed that makes the northern caves glow — the colour is softer here but the effect is the same, a blue cast on everything below the surface. Operators describe stalactites on the ceiling and the water is deep enough to swim in comfortably. On calm mornings small boats and speedboats motor right in; on the shared cruises the boat holds at the mouth and you swim into the cave from the ladder.
Whether it is a swim stop or a slow pass depends on the sea and the operator. The three-hour shared cruise from Porto Vromi Maries advertises three swim stops on a route that includes the western caves; the land-and-sea tours list Maravelia among their boat-leg stops but their timing is tighter. If swimming inside a cave is the point, a boat-only departure or a private boat is the safer booking.
Tours that visit Maravelia Cave
Every tour in this table names Maravelia (or Maravegias) in its own itinerary. Prices and ratings are the operators’ live GetYourGuide figures.
| Tour | Format | From | Rating · reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glass-Bottom Boat to Navagio, Caves & White Beach | Pickup + glass-bottom boat | $29 pp | 4.6 · 278 |
| Above & Beyond Shipwreck & Blue Caves Tour | Pickup + speedboat | $35 pp | 4.6 · 1,035 |
| Shipwreck Beach & Blue Caves Land and Sea Tour | Land-and-sea day | $37 pp | 4.6 · 3,729 |
| Shipwreck Beach with Blue Caves Land & Sea Tour | Land-and-sea day | $47 pp | 4.9 · 5,720 |
| Shipwreck & Blue Caves Max 10 guests | Semi-private minibus + speedboat | $47 pp | 5.0 · 417 |
| Shipwreck Beach, Viewpoint, Blue Caves Day Tour | Land-and-sea day | $53 pp | 4.5 · 1,181 |
| Shipwreck & Caves Private Boat Tour with Skipper | Private, up to 6 | $233 per boat | 4.8 · 241 |
Our breakdowns: the glass-bottom boat, the $37 land-and-sea day, the most-reviewed land-and-sea day, the max-10 tour and the private skippered boat.
The shared cruise from Porto Vromi Maries, Porto Vromi: Shipwreck, Caves & White Beach Swimming Cruise at $35, does not print the name Maravelia in its listing but describes the same stretch — “some of the best blue caves in Zakynthos, Hidden Treasure Cave, Sfogio Beach, White Beach, Porto Steniti, Poseidon’s Profile and the Heart Cave” — and is the trip we would book for the cave itself, because its three swim stops are the whole point of it. Our breakdown →
Which one to choose
- You want to swim in the cave: the Porto Vromi Maries cruise, or a private boat from Anafonitria where you decide how long to stay.
- You have no car: any of the land-and-sea days — the $37 tour and the 5,720-review tour both list the cave on the boat leg.
- You want the cheapest way there: the glass-bottom boat at $29.
- You want it quiet: the private skippered boat, which also reaches the Livaritos caves and the Window of Luck that the shared boats skip.
If you are still deciding between coasts, the north vs south guide and the best caves in Zakynthos ranking put Maravelia beside the Blue Caves and the Keri Caves. The rock profile that closes most of these routes has its own page: Poseidon Cave.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Maravelia Cave?
On the west coast of Zakynthos, in the cliffs between Porto Vromi and Navagio (Shipwreck Beach). It can only be reached by boat, from Porto Vromi Maries or Porto Vromi Anafonitria, or on the boat leg of a land-and-sea day tour.
Can you swim inside Maravelia Cave?
Yes, on most boat-only trips and private boats, when the sea is calm. Shared cruises hold at the mouth and let you swim in; small boats and speedboats motor inside. Land-and-sea tours list it as a stop but with tighter timing.
Is Maravelia Cave one of the Blue Caves?
It is one of the west-coast caves that Porto Vromi operators market as blue caves. The famous Blue Caves are at Cape Skinari on the north-east coast, on the opposite end of the island, and no Porto Vromi boat goes there.
Which tours visit Maravelia Cave?
Seven tours on GetYourGuide name it in their itineraries: the glass-bottom boat, the Above & Beyond speedboat tour, both land-and-sea day tours, the max-10 semi-private tour, the viewpoint day tour and the private skippered boat from Porto Vromi Anafonitria.
How much does a trip to Maravelia Cave cost?
From $29 for the glass-bottom boat, $35 for the shared Porto Vromi cruise, $37–$53 for land-and-sea days, and $233 for a private boat for up to six people.
Is it Maravelia or Maravegias?
Both spellings appear on operator listings for the same cave. Some also group it with the Hidden Treasure Cave; one source treats the two names as the same place. Look for the route, not the spelling.
Ready to book? For the swim, take the three-hour cruise from Porto Vromi Maries; for the cheapest ticket, the glass-bottom boat featured above. Every west-coast option is ranked on the best Zakynthos boat tours page — or check availability now.
Pick Your Coast, Then Book
North for the Blue Caves and Shipwreck Beach, south for the Keri Caves and Turtle Island. Every trip we list has free cancellation on most dates — compare them side by side before you commit.
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