Saint Gerasimos Monastery

Saint Gerasimos Monastery tickets: which one to buy

The Monastery of Agios Gerasimos lies in the Omala Valley in the centre of Kefalonia, about fifteen kilometres from Argostoli, surrounded by vineyards, and entry is free. It is the most important religious site on the island, dedicated to its patron saint, and it is visited by Greek pilgrims throughout the year. Island tours of Kefalonia often combine the monastery with the Robola winery next door, where the island's famous white wine is made, the Castle of Saint George and the Drogarati Cave or Melissani Lake.

Driving is the easiest way to reach it, since buses are infrequent. Modest dress is required, with covered shoulders and knees; skirts and shawls are provided at the entrance. The monastery is an active convent, and visitors are asked to be quiet. Photography inside the churches is not allowed. The descent into the cave requires climbing down a narrow iron ladder and is not suitable for everyone.

Visiting Saint Gerasimos Monastery: what to see

Gerasimos was born in the Peloponnese in 1506, became a monk, lived as a hermit in the Holy Land and on Zakynthos, and came to Kefalonia around 1555, where he lived in a small cave and founded a convent for women. He died in 1579 and was declared a saint, and his body, which is said not to have decayed, is kept in a silver casket in the old church of the monastery. Beneath the old church, visitors can descend a narrow ladder into the tiny cave where the saint lived and prayed; it is a tight squeeze.

A large modern church, built after the earthquake of 1953, stands in the courtyard, with icons and a tall bell tower. Near the monastery stands a huge plane tree that Gerasimos is said to have planted, and a well he dug. Pilgrims believe the saint heals the sick, especially those suffering from mental illness. The walls of the modern church are covered with painted icons in the traditional Byzantine style, completed over several decades. Pilgrims leave votive offerings and light long thin candles in sand trays at the entrance. The courtyard garden is filled with flowers and shaded benches.

Saint Gerasimos Monastery opening hours and the best time to go

The monastery is open daily, usually closing for a few hours in the early afternoon. The saint's feast days, 16 August and 20 October, bring thousands of pilgrims and a procession in which the saint's body is carried under the plane trees, with the faithful lying down in the road so that it passes over them. On those days the monastery is very crowded. Summer is hot, and mornings are best;

spring and autumn are pleasant, and the grape harvest in September colours the valley. The winery next door offers tastings. Allow about thirty minutes for the monastery, including the descent into the cave, and combine it with a wine tasting and a drive up Mount Ainos, the island's highest mountain, covered in fir forests. The Robola cooperative winery beside the monastery offers free tastings on most days in summer.