Kefalonia Monastery of Sissia

Location: Lourdas

The Monastery of Sissia in Kefalonia: The Old Monastery of the Virgin Mary of Sissia, situated between the villages of Simotata and Platies in the region of Livathos, sits atop a hill near Sissia Beach. It is said to have been founded during the 13th century by the Catholic Saint Francis of Assisi, hence the monastery’s name.

At first, the monastery used to be male-only and Catholic, though it gradually became an Orthodox one. It is also said that Catholic and Orthodox priests coexisted for a lengthy time period, whereas its architecture portrays the strong influence of the Venetian Renaissance and Baroque periods.

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Sissia Monastery is highly-praised due to the fact that it boasted large amounts of wealth during the Medieval days, so it featured paintings and icons made by famous iconographers of the time. Most importantly, it used to host the renowned 15th-century icon of the Virgin Mary of Sissia, an heirloom created by the infamous Cretan hagiographer Stefanos Tzangarolas!

After the catastrophic earthquake of 1953, the monastery was completely demolished. Nowadays, its ruins are preserved, and the building is under construction, whereas a new building was constructed near the ruins of the old monastery. In addition, the monastery celebrates on the Second Sunday of Easter, as well as on the 14th of July.

How to get there

The Monastery of Sissia is located in Lourdas.

Private transfers: We recommend using an online pre-booked Kefalonia transfer service, which provides transfer by taxi, minibus, or private VIP car and arranging a pickup directly from the airport, port, or your hotel. Alternatively, there's the option of arranging a pickup by a local driver directly at the following numbers: 0030 694 511 8866, 0030 694 530 6145, 0030 699 561 9605, or booking your taxi online.

Car rental: There's the option of renting a car in Kefalonia and picking it up directly from the airport, port, or your hotel. Using a car rental allows visitors to discover the Monastery of Sissia and many other places of interest in Kefalonia at their own pace.

Public transfers: The central bus station of the island is located at Argostoli. There are buses from Argostoli to Lourdas during the day. Consider that time schedules might change according to the season. Check the official timetables here.
Tip: Since buses don’t always stop at every scheduled stop of their itinerary, our advice to visitors is to inform the driver about their final destination, so that he makes a stop there.