Kefalonia Monastery of Sissia

Location: Lourdas

The Monastery of Sissia in Kefalonia, Ionian: The Monastery of Virgin Mary of Sissia stands on a hill above Lourdas Beach, Kefalonia. Tradition says that this monastery was founded in the 13th century by Saint Francis of Assisi, the Catholic saint protector of animals, birds and all species of nature. This is probably how the name of the monastery derived, by its founder.

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In the Medieval times, this was a very wealthy monastery and its frescoes and icons were painted by famous iconographers. In particular, the monastery was so important that in 1676 the Venetians introduced an annual march from Sissia to the Castle of Saint George in Peratata Kefalonia to celebrate the feast of Saint Mark.

Gradually the monastery from Catholic became Orthodox. In 1953, the strong earthquake that hit the Ionian islands completely destroyed the monastery. A new building was constructed on a spot near the old monastery that now lays in ruins.

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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 5306 145, 0030 694 5118 866, 0030 697 7193 569 or book your taxi online.

Car rental: Τhere’s the option of renting a car in Kefalonia with as little as 11 euros per day and pick 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.

By 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 in 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.

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