Mount Athos and monasteries above the Sea, Greece

Mount Athos, the Holy Mountain, occupies the easternmost of the three peninsulas of Chalkidiki, 50 km long and rising to the 2,033-metre peak of Athos itself. It is a self-governed part of Greece under the spiritual authority of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, with its capital at Karyes and 20 Orthodox monasteries, home to around 2,000 monks. Monks have lived here for more than a thousand years, and the peninsula has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

Women have been barred from Athos since a decree of 1046, a rule known as the avaton. Men can visit with a permit called the diamonitirion, issued by the Pilgrims’ Bureau in Thessaloniki: only 100 Orthodox and 10 non-Orthodox visitors are admitted each day, applications open up to six months ahead, and the permit allows a stay of four days and three nights, sleeping in the monasteries. Pilgrims show it at Ouranoupoli before boarding the ferry to the port of Dafni.

Visitor Information

Everyone, women included, can see Athos from the sea. Sightseeing boats from Ouranoupoli sail along the south-west coast, keeping their distance from the shore, past monasteries such as Docheiariou, Xenophontos, St Panteleimon with its green Russian domes, and Simonopetra, perched on a rock high above the sea. Cruises last a few hours and usually cost about €25–40 per person; some include a swimming stop or a visit to the island of Ammouliani.

Ouranoupoli, the last village before the border of the monastic state, has a Byzantine tower on its waterfront, beaches and plenty of hotels, so many visitors stay a night. Boats leave from the harbour in the morning, and in summer it is worth booking a day ahead.

Ouranoupoli is about 140 km south-east of Thessaloniki, around 2.5 hours by car, and KTEL Chalkidiki buses run there from Thessaloniki. Organised day tours from Thessaloniki and the resorts of Chalkidiki also include the cruise.