Kirchen & Klöster

Kapsa Monastery

Sitia, Lasithi

About

A monastery built into a cliff.

The monastery of Kapsa lies at the mouth of the Pervolakia gorge, about 7 km east of Makrigialos. It's built into the cliffs above the sea.

The monastery was founded in the 15th century and restored in the 19th century by the monk Gerontogiannis.

The monastery is built on a steep, rocky mountainside near the exit of the Pervolakia gorge, overlooking the Libyan Sea. It was probably founded in the 15th century, raided by pirates in 1471, and rebuilt in 1841 by the monk Ioseph Gerontogiannis, whose relics are kept in the church. The gorge behind it is worth a short walk.

Sitia is the far east of Crete, a quieter, less touristy area of dry hills, olive groves and vineyards. The town of Sitia has a pretty harbour, a Venetian fortress and museums, and the area includes the palm beach of Vai, the Toplou monastery, the Minoan palace of Zakros and the Gorge of the Dead. Much of the area is part of the Sitia UNESCO Geopark. The local olive oil is among the best in Greece.

Highlights & amenities

Entry: Free

Around Sitia

Lasithi, the eastern end of Crete, is quieter and greener than you might expect. Agios Nikolaos wraps around a small lake and a lively harbour, with cafés on the water and beaches within walking distance. Just north, Elounda and Plaka look across to the fortress island of Spinalonga, one of the most moving places on the island. More about Lasithi