Kipoureon Monastery

On Gingerguide's self-guided Kefalonia audio tour, Kipoureon Monastery is a stop worth about ~40 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.

Kipoureon Monastery, Kefalonia
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

About Kipoureon Monastery

A small monastery of the Virgin on a rock plateau above the open Ionian Sea, on the west coast of the Paliki peninsula, famous for its sunset view from the cliffs.

The Monastery of the Virgin of the Kipoureon stands on a rock plateau some 80 to 90 metres above the sea, on the west coast of the Paliki peninsula, about 12 kilometres west of Lixouri. Its name comes from the gardens, kipoi, that the monks kept to live on. Some sources date its founding to 1759.

The church is a single-aisle basilica in the style of the Ionian Islands, with an 18th-century carved iconostasis, dedicated to the Annunciation. It keeps relics and the icon of Saint Paraskevi from a ruined monastery nearby. Once home to dozens of people, it has suffered many earthquakes and now has very few or no resident monks. It is a listed monument.

Did you know? The name Kipoureon comes from kipoi, the Greek word for gardens, after the gardens the monks kept to grow their own food on the dry west coast of Paliki.

How much time do you need at Kipoureon Monastery?

Around ~40 min works well for Kipoureon Monastery — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.

Should you stop at Kipoureon Monastery?

Yes — Kipoureon Monastery made the cut as one of 13 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Kefalonia. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.

Nearby stops in Kefalonia

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Hear the story of Kipoureon Monastery

Preview the Kefalonia tour free in the Gingerguide app.