Saint (Agios) Gerasimos Monastery the Patron Saint of Kefalonia, proudly stands here with a history spanning more than 500 years. Hundreds of Pilgrims from all over Greece gather here twice yearly (on the 20th October and 16th of August) to celebrate the saint and pay homage to his relics.
Each year, during August, two big Robola Wine celebrations (Panigyri) take place in the area dedicated to the production of Robola wine, organized by Omala’s local associations at Fragata and Valsmata. At these Panigyri you can enjoy local traditional dances and music, while tasting goat stew and sampling free Robola wine!
In this area you can find the Robola Cooperative Winery which has been in operation since 1987. The winery is a contemporary, but small-scale, wine factory where it is worth taking a tour and sampling the wines. There are also a few private wineries in the area.
Visit the Zoodochos Pigi (life-giving source) monastery and stream above Arginia where if you are lucky, you can see the wild horses of Ainos that come here to drink water. There is also a fabulous trail here.
Each August, around the feast of the Assumption on the 15th, snakes appear at the church in the tiny settlement of Arginia to rest on the icon.
The village of Old Valsamata is an interesting glimpse into the past with its abandoned church, tower and houses with overgrown shrubs and trees poking through the remains. The village of Fragata offers a pleasant atmosphere with great views of Ainos and the surrounding valley.
The Management Body of Mt. Ainos National Park is responsible for the protection and conservation of the National Park. The offices of the management body are located in the Koutavos Environmental Centre in Argostoli. The forest flora includes many varieties of wild flowers, and other wonders hide there, like a large variety of orchids, of which are endemic, just like the violet of Kefalonia. You will also find mushrooms, and its fauna consists of various species of reptiles, bird’s such as the woodpecker, blackbird and hawk, as well as mammals.
As impressive as this forest might be you will also be amazed by your encounter with the small semi-wild horses (Equus caballus) which you will see mostly at the SE side of the mountain. Almost as rare as the golden-toothed goats are the wild horses of Ainos!
