What a splendid visit. The beautiful garden has so many unique touches along with flowers such as 5' tall calla lilies and many colors of roses. It overlooks a small brook remaining from the heavy rains this past winter. The bookstore is small stand-alone beige structure. It's chock full of different-themed akathists (booklets of standing prayers). Sister Marie graciously helped me pick the perfect booklets as gifts for my family. I also got a brochure that concisely explained how the Greek Orthodox Church evolved from the beginning of A.D. year 1. Additionally, I got a lip balm with calming lavender and calendula made by nuns from another monastery. Sister Marie is an absolute delight, compassionate, and kind. She mentioned that beautiful renovations are under way to finish building with plans to host the public overnight by autumn. The option of a quiet retreat might be possible by then. When I was there, a gal had driven all the way from Mountain View (about 2.5 hours drive) to replenish her parish with a Holy Assumption wine order she placed online for pickup. I also bought freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies--they remind me of the ones my gramma used to bake. The bookstore also had many gift items including honey, beeswax candles, books, lavender oil from flowers hand-picked by the nuns, and religious items. I'm still buoyed today by my uplifting and heart-warming visit yesterday to this monastery. Thank you, Sister Marie. read more

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I haven't been to the monastery in Calistoga yet (planning on it soon) but I have tried a variety of honey's from the Nuns who have brought honey from Holy Assumption to different events that I've attended. As a huge honey fan (I use honey in my coffee and I drink coffee all the time) I can't speak more highly of the quality and price of the honey that you can get from the monastery. I've tried a few 1lb jars of different flavors including blackberry, wildflower, orange blossom and clover. One time they even had a buckwheat honey that was almost black it was so dark. At first I thought something was almost wrong with it when I opened it up and it was incredibly thick, but it turns out that that's how buckwheat honey is. The darker the honey, the more the buckwheat. They all tasted great and I couldn't be happier with the price. Last time I saw the nuns at the yearly Bazaar at St. Peter and Paul I purchased a gallon of clover honey! I'm talking 11.5lbs of delicious honey cultivated by those who have dedicated their lives to an ascetic path, I didn't even know I could get honey by the gallon let alone get it from Nuns! For 75 dollars it really is the deal of a lifetime, and if you're a fan of honey and/or supporting a local monastery consider making this the place where you get your yearly gallon of honey. The Nuns also make fantastic wall crosses and necklaces that I would highly recommend if that's the thing you're interested in. read more

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The Holy Assumption Monastery is a wonderful place to go and visit. It is quiet, serene, and is in a beautiful setting. Their chapel is gorgeous with all its beautiful icons. They have the most beautiful little gift shop where you can buy olive oil of all flavors, cooking oil, honey and so many other Russian religious articles and some homemade crafts. They have the most delicious cookies. Chocolate Chip and Snickerdoodles are my favorite. I make a trip from Napa to there about every couple of months just to pick up some of their great cookies. They also have other fine baked goods. Check their website. You need to take a visit up there if you have never been there. Please call ahead for the times their gift shop is opened. God bless those sisters. read more

Holy Assumption Monastery had a booth offering baked goods. the sisters all wore "habits" (think that is the proper word) locale: calistoga farmers market (1/3/15) offerings, meringes, chocolate cookies, rosemary ? eats: merigue, orange zest, chocolate (.75) -very sweet merigue, fillings not so flavorful chocolate chip cookies (1.5@ or 6/$6 -chewy texture with very choccolate chips within cookie 5 stars for the cookies crumbs: -samples freely offered -friendly, quick service -have no idea why they were at farmers market. read more

Visited here a few months ago and it was an interesting experience. I contacted the monastery before coming to ask when would be best to arrive and also their website says they are used to visitors. Although when I went it was a rather awkward experience as it seemed they didn't know what to do with me and I got the impression they couldn't understand why I was there so I felt like I was imposing and didn't stay very long. The sisters are very gracious and friendly however and I was shown around and the history of the place was explained to me. It's a lovely place, with one of the best retaining walls (a huge concrete koi pond) I've ever seen. The chapel is amazing and I highly recommend going to see it, I unfortunately missed the service that day. Their little store is full of neat things and I bought some of their honey and books. The monastery is an Eastern Orthodox monastery under the western diocese with it's roots in the Russian Orthodox church. But anyone can go visit, it doesn't matter what your faith is. And all the sisters are American and are not foreigners (as many assume of the Orthodox church in general) so don't let that keep you away. Orthodoxy is a beautiful thing more Americans should experience. read more

Holy Assumption Monastery is a reminder of the Russian presence in Northern California. The chapel itself is a replica of the one at Fort Ross. It's a quiet, contemplative place. It has vespers early in the morning and in the early evening. The monastery sits peacefully beside the Napa River. There is an aviary and animals. In a residential neighborhood, it's a silent refuge. The chapel is a place of simplicity and beauty, filled with icons. There has been talk of this monastery eventually housing Russian and Greek nuns. The nuns now run their own gift shop, make their own honey and olive oil, as well host guests at lunch. Lunchtime is inspirational and contemplative. Holy Assumption Monastery is an unusual destination in the North Bay. It's Eastern Orthodox, but it isn't affiliated with a Bulgarian, Russian, or Greek Orthodox denomination. It's named Assumption, more of a Catholic term than the Eastern Orthodox Dormition. Holy Assumption Monastery is a place of solitude and silence. read more

Their gift shop sells delicious honey, and very beautiful icons, and lacquer boxes. I can't wait to be back.

An amazing place of solitude and reflection. I was able to visit frequently on friends and family day that they have once a month. You can email to be requested to be added on the email list Mother Melania sends every month. They have a little store that sells their home made treats and there's also books for farther reflection. I would recommend this place to those that need a calm and peaceful experience. There's a little place on the side of the river where you could journal as well. read more