Mount Athos

The Holy Mountain of Orthodox Christianity and a World Heritage Site, where 20 centuries-old monasteries cling to the peninsula's cliffs; men may stay with a permit, while women can admire them from a boat offshore.

Mount Athos (the Holy Mountain) occupies the Akti peninsula, the easternmost prong of Halkidiki in northern Greece. About 50 km long, it ends in a 2,033 m summit that plunges straight into the Aegean. It is a self-governing Orthodox monastic community, listed as a World Heritage Site in 1988; 20 great monasteries, along with many sketes and hermit caves, are scattered along its coast and through its forests, where Byzantine-style monastic life has continued for a thousand years. The entry rules are unique: only adult men holding an entry permit (Diamonitirion) may enter, and daily places for foreign non-Orthodox visitors are limited. You must apply months in advance to the Pilgrims' Office in Thessaloniki and separately book each monastery you plan to stay at by phone or email; stays are usually limited to 4 days and 3 nights. Once inside, follow the monastery schedule, wear long sleeves and long trousers, and do not photograph monks without permission. Women and visitors without a permit can take a sightseeing cruise of about 3 hours along the coast from the gateway town of Ouranoupoli, viewing monasteries such as Simonopetra and St. Panteleimon from the sea, then visit the Byzantine tower and the beaches of Ammouliani island. Getting there: long-distance buses from Thessaloniki take about 2.5 hours to Ouranoupoli; permit holders take the ferry from here to the port of Dafni, then a minibus to the capital, Karyes. The best seasons are Apr–Jun and Sep–Oct; in winter, boats may be cancelled when the sea is rough.

Top sights

• Great Lavra Monastery – Founded in 963 by St. Athanasius, the oldest and highest-ranking monastery on Mount Athos, located at the southeastern tip of the peninsula.
• Vatopedi Monastery – A grand monastery on the northeast coast, ranked second, famous for its Holy Belt relic and rich collection of Byzantine art.
• Simonopetra Monastery – A seven-story monastery built on a rock about 330 m above sea level. Its wooden balconies clinging to the cliff are the most striking image…
• Iviron Monastery – An east coast monastery founded in 980 by Georgian monks, housing the famous Portaitissa (Virgin of the Gate) icon.
• Karyes & Protaton Church – The administrative capital of Mount Athos and seat of the Holy Community. The Protaton Church preserves late-13th-century frescoes by Manue…
• St. Panteleimon Monastery (Rossikon) – The Russian monastery on the west coast, with green onion domes and a vast complex that makes it the easiest monastery to recognize from th…
• Hilandar Monastery – A Serbian monastery founded in 1198 by Serbian ruler Stefan Nemanja and his son Saint Sava, a cradle of Serbian culture and religion.
• Dionysiou Monastery – A monastery built in the 14th century on a cliff 80 m above the southwest coast, its fortress-like appearance making it a highlight of the…
• Osiou Grigoriou Monastery – A monastery built right against the seaside rocks on the southwest coast, whose reflection in the brilliant blue water makes for one of the…
• Agiou Pavlou Monastery – A monastery at the mouth of a canyon on the southwest foot of Mount Athos's main peak, with an open setting against the towering summit beh…
• Zograf Monastery – A Bulgarian monastery set in a forested valley on the western side of the peninsula, named after the miraculous icon of Saint George said t…
• Xenophontos Monastery – A seaside monastery on the west coast with an old and a new main church side by side, one of the first monasteries passed by the tour boat.
• Dochiariou Monastery – A medieval monastery on a hillside on the west coast, where a tall defensive tower and tiered buildings preserve the classic look of a Byza…
• Stavronikita Monastery – The smallest monastery on Athos, perched on a rocky headland by the sea on the east coast, whose main church features murals by the great C…
• Pantokratoros Monastery – A 14th-century monastery beside a small bay on the northeast coast, its buildings stretching along the rocky shore with beautiful coastal w…
• Mount Athos Summit – A marble pyramid-shaped peak at 2,033 m rising straight out of the Aegean, with a small chapel at the summit offering panoramic views over…
• Karoulia – A cluster of hermit caves and cliffside cells at the southern tip of the peninsula, where monks once hauled supplies up by pulley basket. I…
• Skete of Saint Anne – One of the oldest hermit villages on Athos, with monks' cells scattered up steep hillsides. It is also the starting point for climbing the…
• Xeropotamou Monastery – A 10th-century monastery on the hillside above Dafni Harbour, home to what is said to be the largest surviving fragment of the True Cross…
• Philotheou Monastery – A monastery on a chestnut-forest terrace on the east coast of Athos, known for its strict communal life. It is a common overnight stop on t…
• Karakalou Monastery – A fortified monastery on Athos's east coast, whose tall 16th-century defense tower is one of the most striking medieval towers on the mount…
• Esphigmenou Monastery – A monastery on Athos's northeast coast, right next to the beach. It is known for its long-running conflict with the Ecumenical Patriarch, a…
• Konstamonitou Monastery – A monastery hidden in a forested valley on Athos's west coast. It ranks last among the twenty major monasteries, receives very few visitors…

Where to eat

• Pyrgos Restaurant – A seaside veteran restaurant beside a Byzantine tower in Ouranoupoli, where Mount Athos pilgrims often stop before and…
• Lemoniadis Restaurant – A multi-generation family restaurant on Ouranoupoli's seafront, open year-round, with fresh seafood and generous portio…
• Original Greek Gyros – A budget gyros shop on Ouranoupoli's main street, a practical choice for a gyros platter after a Mount Athos boat trip.