Overview
Churches & Monasteries

The monastery of Agios Andreas:
The monastery of Agios Andreas, named after the Apostle Andrew, was founded during the Byzantine era but was reestablished in 1579 when three spiritual sisters started a small nunnery at this place. The nunnery soon grew in numbers as many women joined in and became nuns with one of them being the princess Roxane of Romania. Joining the nunnery the princess gave all her material and spiritual property to the monastery. The greatest of her treasures was the holy remains of the right foot of the Apostle Andrew that her family has aquired from Agion Oros and can still be found at the museum of the monastery. The museum that was built in 1988 displays many spiritual treasures of the Greek Orthodox virtue such the burial shroud of the Patriarch of Constantinople Gregory the 5th and two handwritten letters that Agios Kosmas the Aetolos wrote back in 1777.

Saint Gerasimos Cave, Lassi:
In the popular resort of Lassi, 3km from Argostoli, you can visit Saint Gerasimos’ Cave;
Saint Gerasimos is the patron saint of Kefalonia. The cave, signposted from the main road (look out for the green sign), is located up a steep hill, at the side of the small chapel.
To get into the cave you must enter the doors of the chapel and take the small staircase inside (at the back) that leads into the cave opening. Within the cave there is a small hole which provides some natural light, plus icons, candles and votive offerings. Saint Gerasimos lived a strict ascetic life in this cave for five years before moving to Omala in 1560, where the Saint Gerasimos Monastery stands today. The relics of Saint Gerasimos are also housed inside the beautifully adorned monastery.

The monastery of Agios Gerasimos:
The monastery of Agios Gerasimos is in the municipality of Omala and is the holiest place on Kefalonia. It is located 11km away from Argostoli, the capital of the island. Next to the monastery are built the old and the new churches of Agios Gerasimos. The new church was built after the major earthquake of 1953. In that church are kept and displayed in a silver sarcophagus the holy remains of Agios Gerasimos. The saint passed away on August 15 1579, but his name day is celebrated on August 16. In addition to that date he is also celbrated on October 20 as his grave was found on the October of 1851 and his body was kept untouched from normal death decay. In the old church lies on the floor the entrance to the cave that the saint used as a mean of solitude. It is incredible the fact that although the entrance of the cave is not quite big, all the visitors dispite their size can fit through and visit it.

Agioi Fanentes Monastery, Sami:
The ruins of Agioi (Saint) Fanentes Monastery are located a few km from Sami on the way to Antisamos beach. Here you can admire superb frescoes from the post-Byzantine era. The miraculous icon of Agioi Fanentes (Gregory – Theodore – Leon of Constantinople) and the icon of Virgin and Child – the so called “Loutrou”- are kept in the new beautiful Church of The Holy Virgin in Sami which has exceptional modern frescoes and a superb wood carved iconostasis (templon) with beautiful modern portable icons.

This tour is about 4–5 hours