Fodor's Expert Review Kipouria Monastery

Perched on the far west coast and famed for its clifftop views, this 18th-century monastery is home to just a solitary monk, named Efsevios. He took it upon himself to restore the entire building in the 1990s, after only the church had been rebuilt following the 1953 earthquakes. It wasn't the first time the monastery had been razed. In 1915, during some bad weather, a passing French destroyer was said to have mistaken the smoke from its chimney for an enemy ship; the hail of its canonfire leveled the outer walls. Today, the many empty cells recall how busy it once must have been. Contained within its church are the skulls of its three founders as well as a piece of the "Holy Wood" donated by a Russian prince in the mid-19th century. Its resident monk offically welcomes visitors on March 25 and September 14, though he's not shy and you can usually find him here. A short trail nearby the monastery leads to some fine views over the cliffs.