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How to Visit Mount Athos

Visiting Mount Athos is one of the most sought-after experiences for travelers to Halkidiki.

This guide provides essential information on making a day trip by boat or cruise and the procedures for obtaining permission to enter the semi-autonomous republic.

Mount Athos Cruises and Private Boat Tours

The easiest way to experience the ancient wonder of Mount Athos is through a day trip by boat. Since women are not allowed to enter the republic, a boat tour is their only option. Various tours are available to suit different budgets and preferences. Here are the recommended options and how to book your tour:

Mount Athos Cruise Ship Tours

These day trips start early in the morning and return by evening. You can choose from a variety of boats, including simple tour boats, glass-bottom boats, or even a pirate ship. Most tours offer refreshments, meals, and entertainment, providing a fun-filled day with opportunities to see dolphins and enjoy Greek entertainment.

Departure Points:

• Sithonia, Ormos Panagias:
• Menia Maria III – Pirate boat tour: Contact Katerina at Ormos Travel for group discounts. Read more details about the Mount Athos tour .
• Athos peninsula, Ouranoupoli:
• Glass-Bottom Boat Cruises:
• Option 1: A 3-hour excursion focused on Mount Athos and its monasteries. Book the 3 hour glass-bottom boat tour
• Option 2: A 5-hour tour including a swimming stop at Ammouliani Island. Book the 5 hour glass-bottom boat tour.

These budget-friendly options are ideal if you prefer a shorter tour to see the monasteries without spending the whole day on a boat. Note that refreshments are not included, but the value for the price is excellent.

Private Boat Tour to Mount Athos

For a more exclusive experience, consider a private boat tour that seats up to 7 people. This tour includes stops at Mount Athos, Sithonia islands, and Ammouliani Island. Departing from Marina Lagonisi, near Ormos Panagias, this 8-hour tour offers flexibility and privacy.

Highlights include:

• Portokali Beach
• Diaporos Island
• Mount Athos Monasteries
• Ammouliani Island
• Optional stop at the stunning Drenia Islands for lunch

While more expensive than larger boat tours, this option allows you to avoid crowds and customize your itinerary. Find further information and book a private boat tour to Mount Athos here .

How to Enter the Mount Athos Monastic Republic

Visiting Athos is not a simple procedure. First of all only men are permitted to enter the Mount Athos region, conveniently excluding half the population. For a thousand years no woman has been able to visit Mount Athos or the monasteries except from a distance.

Permits are issued daily for 10 non-Orthodox visitors and 100 Greek and Orthodox visitors, valid for a four-day visit. Here’s what you need to know:

Permit Requirements:

• Applicants must be over 18 years of age.
• Minors under 18 must be accompanied by their father or a guardian with notarized written permission from parents.

Procedure to obtain the permit

• Reservation: Make a reservation up to six months in advance via phone, fax, or email. You will need to provide a copy of your passport and indicate your intended port of entry (Ouranoupolis or Lerissos).
• Confirmation: Confirm your reservation by phone two weeks before your visit. If you need to change your reservation, do so in advance to avoid complications.
• Diamonitirion Permit: All visitors must obtain a “Diamonitirion” permit. Once your reservation is processed, you will receive a letter with further instructions. The cost is 30 euros.

Important Notes:

• Advanced reservations are required for overnight stays at the monasteries.
• Visitors no longer need to visit the Pilgrims’ Bureau office in Thessaloniki. Proceed directly to the agreed entry point to pick up your papers.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure a smooth and enriching visit to Mount Athos, immersing yourself in its rich history and spiritual heritage.

Contact information

Address: The Mount Athos Pilgrims’ Bureau 109 Egnatia St. 546 22, Thessaloniki, Greece

Phone: +30 2310-252578 Fax: +3- 2310-222424 E-mail: [email protected]

Working hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 – 16:00 Saturday – 10:00 – 14:00 Closed all holidays

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INFORMATION FOR PILGRIMS TO MOUNT ATHOS

 The delivery of this permit is carried out by the “Pilgrims’ Office” branch in Ouranoupolis. Personal appearance with passport /ID card is required in order to obtain this permit. A letter of recommendation is no longer required.   The office in Thessaloniki is open from Monday through Saturday (09:00 - 16:00). It is closed on Sundays and bank holidays.   The office in Ouranoupolis is open from Monday through Sunday from 05:30 - 13:00, Saturday 06:00 - 13:00 and Sunday 08:00-13:00 In general, the “HOLY EXECUTIVE OF THE HOLY MOUNT ATHOS-PILGRIMS’ BUREAU” issues only ten permits per day for non-Orthodox visitors (foreigners) and 100 for Greeks and Orthodox visitors. These permits are valid for a four-day visit on specific dates. Prolongation of the four-day validity can be issued from Mt. Athos authorities in Karyes. Clergymen should obtain in advance a written consent (“Evlogia”) from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople by writing to: The Ecumenical Patriarchate, Fanari, Istanbul, Turkey (tel +90 2125 349037). Upon arrival in Ouranoupolis, the port where the boats depart for Mt Athos, visitors must obtain a residence permit “Diamonitirio”. This permit, which costs 30 Euros, allows the visitor to visit and stay at the monasteries of his choice. Students who can prove their student status through a school ID pay only 10 Euros. The holder of a permit may proceed to Mount Athos without any other formalities. The monasteries do not charge for their hospitality, but donations are accepted. U.S. citizens may also make tax-deductible donations to the Mount Athos Foundation of America ( www.mountathosfoundation.org ) and U.K. citizens may make tax-deductible donations to the Friends of Mount Athos ( www.athosfriends.org/giving/gift-aid-form.pdf ).

Most of the monasteries and sketes require prior arrangements for accommodations.   Mount Athos visitors should be decently attired. In the event of misconduct, a permit can be withdrawn. Severe penalties are enforced against anyone who attempts to remove religious items from Mount Athos collections. While taking photographs is permitted, the use of video and movie cameras is strictly forbidden. Also, because hunting is strictly forbidden on Mount Athos, hunting dogs and rifles are strictly forbidden.

The following is information on bus and boat lines (It is advisable to check timetables before departure because they are subject to change).

  Bus Terminal to Ouranoupolis: “KTEL CHALKIDIKIS”

tel. +30 2310 316 555, web site: www.ktel-chalkidikis.gr   Daily departures by bus from Ouranoupolis (148 km, 3hours). The first bus is at 05.30h. There is a boat connection with the bus from Thessaloniki, as well as with the domestic bus Daphne – Karyes (12 km).

 Boat Lines

“Mount Athos Lines”: 23770 21041, 23770 71149

“Microathos”: 23770 71400

 “Aghia Anna” Boat: 6974 819885

CONTACTS OF THE HOLY MONASTERIES AND SKETES

Pilgrims who wish to stay overnight in the Holy Monasteries or Sketes must reserve a place beforehand.  

THE INSTITUTE

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How Can I Visit Mount Athos - The Process for Issuing a Residence Permit "Diamonitirio" from the Pilgrims Office

In this article you will find all the necessary steps and the procedure you need to follow to visit the monasteries of Mount Athos for the first time.

Contact with the Pilgrims Office

First, in order to be allowed to enter Mount Athos, you should contact the Pilgrims Office to issue the necessary Residence Permit, called “Diamonitirion”.

The contact number of the Pilgrims' Office in Thessaloniki is +30 2310 252575 (for Greek visitors), +30 2310 252578 (for foreign visitors) and is located at 109 Egnatias Street P.O. 54635, Thessaloniki. Opening hours: Monday - Friday 09:00 - 14:00 and Saturday: 10:00 - 12:00.

The contact phone number of the Pilgrims Office in Ouranoupoli is +30 23770 71421 and it is located a few meters before the port.

The information requested by the competent office is the following: full name, patronymic, year of birth, identity card or passport number, date of issue and issuing authority.

Your information, the code number, and the exact date you will visit the Garden of Virgin Mary are written in the Residence Permit.

In addition, it is important to know in advance the Holy Monasteries you are going to visit, as you will be asked to declare it. Therefore, you should first contact the monastery where you wish to stay.

Keep in mind that the number of pilgrims allowed daily on Mount Athos is limited, so you should book your entry permit well in advance.

The days of stay are usually set at four (three nights), however, if a visitor wishes to stay longer, he can request an extension from the Holy Monastery that hosts him.

The person in charge of the Pilgrims Office will inform you precisely about all the details necessary for your entry to Mount Athos from Ouranoupoli or Ierissos in Chalkidiki.

Here you can find the itineraries of the ships from the ports of Ouranoupoli and Ierissos to Mount Athos.

How will you receive the Residence Permit “Diamonitirion”

During the process of issuing your Residence Permit, it is important to state which port your departure will be from, either Ouranoupoli or Ierissos.

The Residence Permit is collected from the Pilgrims' Office in Ouranoupoli, Chalkidiki, on the day of departure, upon presentation of the police ID or passport.

Visitors who take the ferry from Ierissos and head to the eastern side of Mount Athos, pick up their Residence Permit from the port of Ierissos, from the Pilgrims Office agent there.

It would be good for visitors to be at the reception area of the Residence at least 1 hour before their departure.

How much does it cost to issue a Residence Permit

The cost at the moment for the issuance of the Residence Permit is:

€25 for Orthodox Christians.

€30 for Heterodox - Non-religious.

€10 for special groups of pilgrims (pupils, students, soldiers, disabled).

Foreigners, non-Orthodox and Orthodox have the possibility to make a reservation six months in advance, by sending a photocopy of their passport or a request to [email protected].

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Transportation to Holy Mount Athos: Boats & Ferries from Ouranoupoli and Ierissos

Below you will find a summary of the itineraries of the ships to Mount Athos, as well as the contact numbers for booking a seat. All routes are subject to change due to weather conditions, particularly during the winter months.

Bus schedule from Thessaloniki to Mount Athos

Below you will find a summary of KTEL bus schedule to Ouranoupoli, Chalkidiki. For more information visit the official website of KTEL Chalkidiki.

Useful telephone numbers of Mount Athos - Phone Catalog of Monasteries and Services

Telephone directory of the services and the Holy Monasteries of Mount Athos.

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How To Reach Mount Athos

Only men are allowed to visit Mount Athos, according to the Protocol of the monastic state. A few days before their visit, visitors have to phone Mount Athos offices at Thessaloniki in order to make their booking and receive a code number. This code number is necessary because the number of visitors is limited to 120 men per day.

Visitors can go by road (by private car or by bus) from Thessaloniki to Ierissos, Nea Roda or Ouranoupolis. The distance is around 140 km. These towns cater for tourists which means that there are all kinds of shops, hotels and parking spaces for cars. (In Mount Athos the only cars allowed are the cars of the monasteries and the workers that offer their services there). For this reason, the visitors must leave their cars in the city.

The visitors, before their visit to Mount Athos will have to take their "Diamonitirio" (permit to reside) from the offices of Mount Athos, at Ouranoupolis (on the right side of the port). The visitors will have to be there, at least one hour before departure, around 8.45 in the morning. In order to get "Diamonitirio" visitors must show their identity cards and pay a certain amount in euro.

Foreign visitors also need:

• A Letter of recommendation from their embassy in Athens or their consulate in Thessaloniki.
• A Permit of entry to Agion Oros from the Greek Foreign Ministry in Athens (Administration Division of Church Affairs) or from the Ministry of Northern Greece in Thessaloniki (Administration of Foreign Affairs).

On the "Diamonitirio" are written the identity elements of the visitor, his code number, the date and the number of days (duration of stay). This duration is usually four days, though in case the visitor wishes to stay longer, he can ask for an extension from the Holy Supervision (Ιερά Επιστασία – Iera Epistasia) at Karyes.

If a visitor had arrived of invitation of a monk, then he takes special "Diamonitirio" and days of stay may vary. Most monasteries will check the dates of stay, especially during summer and beginning of autumn, as the number of visitors is very high during this period. It is also necessary to call to the monastery of visit before going there as there may be no place to accommodate a visitor during the busy period of the year. The catalogue of monasteries with their phone numbers is printed on the back side of the "Diamonitirio".

From Ierissos the visitors can take the boat to the western side of Agion Oros. From there, they can visit the monasteries: Hiliandarion, Esfigmenos, Vatopedion, Pantokrator, Stavronikitas, Iviron, Megisti Lavra. To visit the other monasteries, they will have to go to the Monastery of Iviron (3 hours by boat) from there to Karyes (1/2 hour by bus) and from there to the monasteries they wish. This itinerary from Ierissos takes place only in the summer.

From Ouranoupolis, there is another boat that sails to the eastern side and stops over at the monasteries of: Dohiarion, Xenofon, Panteleimon, Gregorion, Dionysios, and Saint Paul. For the rest of the monasteries, visitors will have to go to the port of Daphne (2 hours by boat) and from there to Karyes (1/2 hour by bus).

The public transport in Agion Oros is not always satisfactory. For that reason, besides boats and buses, visitors can get local taxis to get to their destination. For the most part, visitors should be prepared for long walks.

Moving around in Mount Athos

In 1963 the first unpaved access road from Dafni to Karyes was open. Then a whole system of unpaved access road communicating with almost all the monasteries, skites and kelia was created due to high danger of fires. It also made easier the reconstruction works in the monasteries.

Nowadays monks use different types of cars according to their needs and there are local buses from Dafni to Karyes and also local taxis. They are minivans with capacity 10-12 people and can bring the visitors to all the destinations. The cost often is high.

There is possibility to reach some of the monasteries by boat. Paying their visits from one monastery to another one nearby, a visitor would usually walk. The suggested by monks time to reach the next point of destination, would probably need to be multiplied twice as monastic way of walking is rather speedy one.

Mount Athos

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Pilgrims Guide

Before you make your plans…

If you are considering a visit, take careful note of the following facts. Strictly, only men are permitted to visit Mount Athos (there are no exceptions to this rule). The number of visitors permitted on the Holy Mountain at any time is tightly restricted and all visitors are, by definition, pilgrims. Whatever your reason for visiting them, the monks will welcome you as a pilgrim.

There are no forms of entertainment, tourism or other distractions on Mount Athos – the life of the monasteries and sketes and the spiritual endeavour of the monks are the basis of all that takes place and its very reason for existing.

Seeking permission

Mount Athos needs to protect its seclusion, without which it would lose its raison d’être. For this reason it has to impose strict entry regulations.

A finite number of male visitors are admitted daily to the Mountain for a four-day (three-night) stay: For the Orthodox the number is 100 (Orthodox clerics are exempt from this daily quota); for non-Orthodox the number is 10. The quota is administered by the Mount Athos Pilgrims’ Bureau to whom you must apply for entry. A fee is payable for the diamonitirion and you may refer to the link here for some estimate of associated costs: ‘Estimated Costs’

Pilgrims’ Bureau  

The mount athos pilgrims’ bureau .

109 EGNATIA STR.  546 22, Thessaloniki  Greece

Mon – Fri: 9:00am to 4:00pm Sat: 9:00am to 2:00pm Closed on official holidays.

• [email protected]

Uk 00 30 2310 252578

FAX: 00 30 2310 222424

USA 011 30 2310 252578

FAX:011 30 2310 222424

GREECE 2310 252575

Visitors in holy orders.

Visitors in holy orders of whatever denomination, including all Orthodox clerics, must also obtain in advance the written permission (Evlogia) of His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch by writing in good time to Rum Patrikhanesi, 34.200 Fener-Halic, Istanbul, Turkey. (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople).

Patriarchate of Constantinople 

Ecumenical patriarchate of constantinople .

Rum Patrikhanesi  34.200 Fener-Halic  Istanbul, Turkey

It is helpful if, when applying for this Patriarchal permission, they enclose a letter of recommendation from their diocesan bishop or a person of equivalent status.

• [email protected]
• www.patriarchate.org

Uk 00 90 212 525 5416

Usa 011 90 212 525 5416.

Intending visitors to the Holy Mountain, with valid passport in hand, should first telephone or email the Bureau to specify the day on which they wish to enter and ask if there is a place in the quota for that date. Assuming that a space is in principle available on your requested dates, you will be asked to send (as an email attachment) a copy of your passport’s personal identification page before your request can be considered. A physical copy can in principle be posted to the address above but this is inefficient and increasingly obsolete.

Reservations can be made any time up to six months before your planned departure but cannot be accepted more than six months in advance. Note that the summer daily quotas start to become full in early March so the more notice you can give, especially in summer and around the time of major feasts, the greater your chance of success.

Entry to Mount Athos can be either from Ouranoupolis (the traditional and main point of departure, on the west side of the peninsula) or from Ierissos (on the east side). You must specify your preference when making your reservation as you will be issued a special entrance document (a “diamonitirion”) which will be waiting for you to collect at your specified point of entry. (see Entry from Ouranoupolis and Entry from Ierissos). A fee (payable in cash only) for the issue of the diamonitirion is required at the time of collection.

Please note that you MUST present your diamonitirion to gain entry to Athos and will be refused entry if you do not do so.

Confirming Your Visit 

If you have made your reservation well in advance, you should receive a letter of confirmation from the Pilgrims’ Bureau within approximately two weeks giving further instructions. If you have not received a confirmation after two weeks have passed, you should follow up with an email or telephone call to request confirmation.

In the instructions which come with the confirmation, all travellers are requested to confirm their reservations by telephone or email two weeks before the date of the intended visit specified in the reservation. If you are unable to travel on the date that you have reserved, you are asked to inform the Pilgrims’ Bureau so that someone else may take your place. Failure to do so will be noted, and any request for a new reservation may not be respected.

You must present your diamonitirion to be admitted onto the Holy Mountain

Travel Schedule

1 - from thessaloniki.

Inter-urban bus (KTEL Chalkidikis line) to Ouranoupolis. Arrival coordinated with ferry.

2 - In Ouranoupolis

Get diamonitirion (visa) at Pilgrims’ Bureau office and purchase ferry boat ticket at Athoniki office.

3 -From Ouranoupolis

Take ferry to Daphni (port of Mt Athos). Arrival coordinated with Mt Athos bus and with the south coastal boat. Contact [email protected] for information regarding chartering to Mount Athos with speedboats and taxi boats

4 - From Daphni

a) Take Mt Athos bus from Daphni to Karyes OR

b) Take boat (Mikra Agia Anna) along south coast.

5 - From Karyes

a) Continue on Mt. Athos bus from Karyes to Iviron OR

b) Walk to Stavronikita or take mini-bus to distant destinations.

6 - From Iviron

a) Take the coastal boat on down the NE coast to Megisti Lavra OR

b) Walk to a nearby destination (Karakalou, Philotheou, Kaliagra).

The best advice, especially if you intend to walk, is to take as little as possible. At each monastery you will be provided with food and drink, a bed with adequate bedding, and a towel, so it is not necessary to carry these things with you. On the other hand, packed lunches are not normally provided (though the monks in the refectory, if asked, will usually give you a selection of whatever they have), and if you are walking long distances during the day you are well advised to take some basic supplies (e.g. nuts and dried fruit) and a water bottle.

The most important item for walkers is a good map. The best map of Athos is the bilingual (English/Greek) Mount Athos Pilgrim Map, entitled  Mount Athos: The Holy Mountain , compiled by Roland Baetens, Dimitris Bakalis, and Peter Howorth (© Peter Howorth 2015). This map owes its origins to the FoMA footpath-clearing project and is based on data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission as well as other sources and GPS data collected by the footpaths team. The map team is currently preparing editions of the Mount Athos Pilgrim Map in Russian, and other languages are projected for the future. You may order the map directly from the  Filathonites.org website. To supplement the map and help in planning your route and estimating walking times, you may want to bring copies of FoMA’s footpath descriptions or even download our GPS tracks, available on our ‘Clear the Footpaths’ page. In addition, guidebooks in several languages are available in Daphni and Karyes. A number of tourist maps are available locally or via the internet, but these lack important detail and are not recommended.

Other things worth taking include a torch (many monasteries do not have electricity; those that do, often turn it off at night); matches (to light candles and oil-lamps); stout walking shoes or boots; casual clothing (formal attire is not necessary but note that shorts should not be worn at any time and clergy of non-Orthodox denominations are recommended not to wear clerical garb); a first-aid kit; any medication you may need; a hat. There are a few shops in Karyes and Daphni for souvenirs, books, and basic provisions; but these should not be relied on for more sophisticated items such as film, pharmaceuticals, insect repellent, etc. In Karyes there is also a bank where money may be exchanged or withdrawn.

Unlike some other electronic devices, mobile phones are not forbidden on the Mountain and in fact some monks use them a lot, even though reception is at best patchy. They may indeed be helpful for accessing digital maps and GPS tracks on the footpaths, but  they should always be turned off when inside a monastery . The best way to communicate with the outside world is by text messaging. Pilgrims who need to keep in touch with family members or have other needs for communication with the outside world are advised to look into purchase of pre-paid mobile phones or sim cards which work with Cosmote, the only service provider whose service is confirmed by our members’ experience to be mostly reliable.

Athos is richly photogenic. Most monasteries permit photography within their walls, but not inside the church, especially during services. Monks do not normally permit themselves to be photographed; a request to do so may have to go to the abbot, but it is often granted. The same procedure may be necessary for photography of icons, frescoes, and other treasures. The best advice is: if in doubt, ask. Failure to do so may cause serious offence. It is worth knowing that on Athos the word used for permission is  evlogia  (literally ‹blessing’).

Video cameras are prohibited everywhere on the Mountain.

Officially swimming, bathing and fishing in the sea are forbidden. Pilgrims who decide to bathe or swim in the sea should certainly do so out of sight of monasteries.

Monks are not much given to bathing, though the sea is sometimes used for baptism. Some guest houses are now equipped with showers, but hot water remains a rarity. Visitors should always be properly clothed in public areas within the guest house.

The common language in the Greek monasteries is Greek, in St Panteleimonos Russian, in Hilandar Serbian, in Zographou Bulgarian, and in the sketes of Prodromos and Lakkou Romanian. Some communities are more cosmopolitan than others, but many now include monks from overseas. An aspect of the current renewal is that many of the Greek monks are better educated and better travelled than in the past. As a result of all these factors, English is now quite widely spoken on the Mountain. To have no Greek remains a disadvantage, but not nearly so much as it was a few years ago.

It is assumed that, unless they have business in Daphni or Karyes, pilgrims will stay at the monasteries. Sleeping outside monasteries is forbidden and dangerous. Gates close at sunset, and during the winter, if you intend to stay the night, you should not arrive later than 4 pm. The majority of monasteries have now announced that they will not accept pilgrims to stay overnight if they have not made reservations in advance by telephone or e-mail. Accordingly, you are now recommended to make reservations at every monastery or skete at which you wish to stay overnight.

On arrival at a monastery, whether or not you intend to stay the night, you should go straight to the guest house ( archontariki ) where you will be received by the guest master ( archontaris ) and offered refreshment (usually raki, loukoumi, Turkish coffee, and cold water). Members of the Friends should identify themselves as early as possible. If you intend to stay the night, you will be given a bed (usually in a dormitory with a number of other guests). The guest master will also tell you the times of services and meals, he may mention the rules of the house, and he may offer a tour of the monastery (always worth taking). Otherwise you will be left to your own devices.

Hospitality in the monasteries is free and to attempt to pay for it may cause offence. On the other hand it is usually expected that guests will stay only one night. If you wish to stay longer, you should ask if this is possible, and usually permission is given. Then it may be appropriate to make a small offering ‘for the church’. Even this may be refused; but usually donations are gratefully accepted.

Meals on Athos are generally simple but wholesome. Monks and pilgrims eat together in the refectory ( trapeza ), though usually at separate tables. Be aware that in certain monasteries, the non-Orthodox are asked to wait until the fathers have finished or are assigned to a separate room. Meat is not eaten; but fish is regular fare for feasts, and sometimes on other days too. Otherwise the diet is largely made up of bread, olives, vegetables, rice, pasta, soya dishes, salad, cheese, and fruit. A glass of wine is usually available, but on fast days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and longer periods before major feasts) monks abstain from wine, oil, and dairy products. Most communities eat twice a day (morning and evening), except on fast days when some will eat only in the middle of the day. Meals are eaten in silence (and often at great speed) except that one of the monks will usually read a passage from patristic literature. The entrance to the refectory is nearly always immediately opposite the entrance to the church and this proximity symbolizes the way in which eating together is seen as an integral part of the liturgical life of the monastery.

Check the advisories for announcements regrading temporary closure of monasteries to pilgrims.

A  diamonitirion  normally expires after three nights spent on the Mountain. If you wish to prolong your stay, you should apply to the Holy Community in Karyes where, if a good reason is given, permission will generally not be withheld. Occasionally members of the Friends are asked to show their membership card in support of their application, so it is worth carrying this with you. Sometimes an extension can be arranged through one of the monasteries.

Pilgrim Map of Mount Athos

The Friends of Mount Athos is very pleased to offer the latest and most comprehensive Pilgrim’s Map of Mount Athos. This new map was developed by FoMA member and cartographer, Peter Howorth, in collaboration with members of FoMA’s Footpaths Project. Information on this map and purchase of copies can be made from  http://www.filathonites.org/

The Zwerger Map

Before the release of the new Pilgrim Map, the map that offered the best publicly accessible mapping of the old footpaths of Mount Athos was the classic, pocket-sized map published in Austria by Reinhold Zwerger. This map remains a landmark in the cartography of Mount Athos. Nevertheless, persons planning to hike extensively on the Holy Mountain should be aware that the scale often makes it very difficult to work out which path or road is which. Moreover, many tracks, especially those in close proximity to the monasteries, do not appear on the map. To some extent, this is evident from roads on the map that end in arrows. The arrows mean that although Mr. Zwerger identified the route’s existence, he did not map it, or mapped only part of it. Finally, the map has not been updated since 2001.

Touristic Maps

A number of tourist maps are available locally but these are not recommended. The touristic maps in question, sold in Greece as well as on the Holy Mountain in the shops in Daphni and Karyes, provide only very generalized and selective representation of footpaths and roadways. These maps can can be very misleading to pilgrims attempting to travel by foot, and a source of anxiety that distracts from the pilgrim’s experience.

Useful Links 

These links provide a wider context for understanding the significance of monastic life on Mount Athos within the life of the Orthodox Church and beyond.

• Mount Athos Foundation of America
• Mount Athos Centre Thessaloniki
• Charity Commission
• Society for the Promotion of Byzantine Studies
• The Anglo-Hellenic League
• St Catherine Foundation
• The Monastery of St John the Baptist, Tolleshunt Knights
• The Hon. Secretary, 58 Manor Road Woodstock, OX20 1XJ, England
• [email protected]

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Αρχική » Mount Athos » How to visit

How to visit

The first step to arrange a visit to Mount Athos is to secure accommodation either at a monastery or at a skete.

After setting the date of the visit, pilgrims must obtain a “diamonitirio” [entry permit]. For the issuing of a diamonitirio, interested parties must contact the pilgrims’ office in Thessaloniki (located at 109, Egnatia St., phone no. +302310252575, fax no. +302310222424) well in advance – depending on the time of year, even a month earlier. The diamonitirio is personal and pilgrims can pick theirs up from the pilgrims’ office in Ouranoupoli or from the boat at Ierissos on the date of entry into Agio Oros, according to previous arrangements. Entry permits are valid for four days; in the event of no boat service due to inclement weather, the same permit is valid for the next day. All Greek citizens and foreigners have the right to obtain a diamonitirio. Entry is banned to women, and underage boys must be accompanied by an adult. Visitors must be dressed modestly in long trousers and may not bring video cameras.

The pilgrims’ office in Ouranoupoli (phone no. +302377071422) is located next to the municipal car park, which is open 24 hours a day and where you can leave your car safely for a reasonable price. The pilgrims’ office is open from 7:30 am and to pick up your diamonitirio you will need your ID card or passport and pay 20 Euros.

Pilgrims’ Office

You can only arrive at Mount Athos by sea. There are two ports serving pilgrims; one is Ierissos for boat routes serving the eastern side of the peninsula, and the other is Ouranoupoli for those visiting the west side.

Most pilgrims travel through Ouranoupoli because, especially in the winter, boat departures are rarely cancelled due to inclement weather, unlike Ierissos which, in the winter, is exposed to strong northeastern winds that may cause the cancellation of some routes. On the contrary, boat service from Ouranoupoli is only cancelled due to southern winds, which are rarer.

The process of visiting Agio Oros is fairly straightforward. Once you settle on the dates of the visit, contact the pilgrims’ office in Thessaloniki (+302310252575) to arrange for a diamonitirio. This contact must occur several days before the planned visit (especially in the summer months), because the number of pilgrims allowed to enter Mount Athos every day is capped at 120. Ideally, you should contact the pilgrims’ office a month before the planned visit. If the number of visitors for those dates has been reached, propose alterative earlier or later dates. You will be asked to provide the following information: full name, father’s name, date of birth, ID card or passport number and issuing authority.

The diamonitirio is a document issued by the Holy Epistasia (supervisory authority) for a four-day (three-night) stay on Mount Athos. The diamonitirio states the pilgrim’s information, a code number, the date of entry and the length of stay. If a longer stay becomes necessary, an extension may be granted by the Holy Epistasia, which is based in Karyes, the capital of Mount Athos.

Once the initial stage, obtaining the diamonitirio, is accomplished, you must reach out by phone to the monasteries you wish to visit, because accommodation availability is limited.

On the day of the visit, between 8:00 and 9:30 am, you must pick up the diamonitirio from the pilgrims’ office in Ouranoupoli (ID card or passport is necessary) and buy a ferryboat ticket. Boarding is from 9:30 to 9:45 am, which is the departure time for Daphne. This sea route, approximately two hours long, is presented below in photographs, with the corresponding time of arrival at the arsanas (port) of each monastery along the way. The arrival times are ± 5-10 minutes, depending on the boat operating the route.

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Mount Athos: Sanctuary of Eastern Orthodoxy

Table of Contents

The thick trees of Mount Athos rise above the Aegean Sea and have been a safe place for Orthodox Christian monks to live for a very long time. Over the past 1,000 years, almost no strangers, especially women, were allowed to enter this narrow region in northeastern Greece. It is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox churches. In Greek, Mount Athos is called Agion Oros, which translates as “Holy Mountain.” It is still one of the greatest places in the world to pay a visit.

How Mount Athos came to exist and its early history

Mount Athos is on a small peninsula in northeastern Greece. It has been a holy place for Orthodox clerics since ancient times. Greek legend says that the name Athos comes from a giant who fought Poseidon in the Gigantomachy. The giant threw a huge stone at the sea god, but it missed its mark and turned above the tip of the Halkidiki peninsula, where it became the mountain. Archaeologists have also found proof that people lived in the area ahead of the Greeks, from at least the 5th century BCE.

The first written records from Mount Athos put it firmly in the time of the ancient Greeks. Herodotus says that Xerxes’ army lost in 480 BC. During the second Persian invasion of Greece, BC went through the mountain on the way to Thessaly. Later ancient writers, like Thucydides and Demosthenes, also talk about towns on the Athos Peninsula forming part of Macedonian land in the 4th century BC and Athens’ payment lists. Even though they were ruled by other countries, these communities kept their Greek one’s identity and the right to be self-governing during the Hellenistic and Roman periods.

It’s still not clear when Christianity first came to Mount Athos. Apocryphal sources say that the Virgin Mary herself blessed the area while on a missionary trip and called it her garden on earth. Even though it’s a story, this story shows that the mountain experienced linked to Christian asceticism in late antiquity. The peninsula may have had small groups of hermits living on it as early as the 4th century AD, but it wasn’t until the 8th and 9th centuries that it became a formalized monastery. During this early time, many small sacred sites and hermitages were built, and bigger groups of people tried to live as cenobites.

Mount Athos became a well-known place for Orthodox monks to live because of certain events that happened in history during the Middle Ages. First, when old towns fell apart and their people left, it made room for monks to settle in the empty land. Second, fears of acts of violence and animosity against eastern sacred sites in Asia Minor forced many monks to leave and find safety somewhere else. Third, the Byzantine emperors’ support gave Mount Athos a lot of formal independence, special economic rights, and a holy reputation in Orthodox Christianity. Mount Athos quickly came to be referred to as the “Holy Mountain” in the Middle Ages if a result of many causes work together.

Mount Athos’ 20 Orthodox churches maintain strict routines that haven’t changed much since the Middle Ages. Before midnight, the monks get up to the sound of a wooden semantron for matins. Their companies then sing songs during the midnight prayer. The cycle continues with the first hour at dawn, the third hour, the sixth hour, the ninth hour, Vespers at dusk, and Compline before it starts all over again just after midnight. On holidays the fact that are very important, the vigils can go on from evening to morning and include an abundance of rituals.

In the breaks between services, the monks do various forms of work and reflect. Craftsmanship is still an important part of monastery life on Mount Athos. Monks take care of veggie fields, olive groves, wineries, apiaries, and animals. They also cut wood, carry water, and cook meals. To assist their churches, very skilled craftspeople make lighting candles, clothes, carvings out of stone and wood, and drawing icons. Some monks are more humble and clean, do laundry, and help the old. Instead of being idle, the work gives people who are seeking theosis an economic and spiritual meaning within their lives.

On top of the physical work, spiritual work also shapes everyday life on the Holy Mountain. Monks spending all of their time making copies of writings, studying the Bible, reading texts, and drawing portraits of holy things. In the privacy of their homes, hesychasts say the Jesus Prayer and pray in their minds to reach inner peace and constant focus on Christ. Pilgrims and less experienced brothers who are trying to get closer to God are able to obtain spiritual help from more experienced monks. The bigger temples also have official colleges, schools, and libraries where future priests may acquire knowledge.

Even though numerous individuals on Mount Athos live alone, there are times of the day when they can talk to different people. Depending on the monk’s rank, meals are shared in the morning and evening. The monks talk swiftly while having tea or Turkish coffee during their daily breaks. On special days, church visits, or when officials arrive, people can get together in a more elaborate way because they don’t have to follow strict rules of etiquette. Hesychastic monks don’t talk too much, though, even when they’re dealing with people they value, so they can stay calm inside.

Overall, the set routine of prayer, work, reflection, and community on the Holy Mountain is meant to make every moment of the monastery life holy. On Mount Athos, monks use this never-ending circle, which they complete every day and every year, as a rite to connect the timeless with the present and reach the heavenly realm.

Art and Architecture of Mount Athos

It is amazing to witness the Byzantine art and post-Byzantine building in the 20 Eastern Orthodox churches on Mount Athos. Monks on the Holy Mountain have been embellishing their churches and chapels with paintings, can you mosaics, icons, texts, carved filigree, and other holy gems since the 10th century. The Athonite style was inspired by Constantinople, although it also had elements of Roman, Slavic, Georgian, Armenian, and even Western European styles over the years.

On Mount Athos, most of the houses are made with sacred design in mind. Monastic sites are composed up of stone churches, bell towers, refectories, libraries, living rooms, guest houses, workshops, stores, and wine underground spaces. There are also high walls around the outside that safeguard the buildings. At first, Byzantine builders based Athonite buildings on modern churches in cities. But starting in the 13th century, they added Georgian and Slavic styles. Later, builders who worked after the fall of the Byzantine Kingdom added more Baroque features, which you can see today in the churches of Protaton and Stavronikita. During their long history, Athonite churches have been ravaged by fires, earthquakes, and wartime looting, and they have had to be rebuilt many times before they’re identical to today.

Though these elaborate buildings look beautiful from the outside, the real gems are inside. There is Byzantine art and sacred symbols on every inch of the inside walls and ceilings. Famous artists like Theophanes the Greek, Frangos Katelanos, and Theodors Poulakis constructed long cycles of painting that used both feeling and logic to show spiritual secrets. Painters of icons, like Manuel Panselinos, have also left a permanent mark on these holy places with their tempera paintings of Christ, Mary, and the saints, which are very accurate. These bright pictures are more than just decorations; they’re symbolic gateways to a future world.

Since the Middle Ages, the monastery workshops on Mount Athos have made a huge number of movable icons, chalices, crosses, relics, garments, religious metal, texts, and ritual items. Icon painting, wood snipping, welding, and small lamps are still done by masters who were trained in old methods. Their offices are full of detailed handmade items that will be used in monastic churches or given as holy gifts to Orthodox Christians near and far. These blessed products give everyday life on the remote peninsula a lot of meaning in that they are like heaven achieving earth. And because they are living things from the past, they give current viewers moving glimpses into hundreds of years of Athonite history.

The religious buildings of Mount Athos blend the real and the spiritual through holy art and constructed structures that have been kept alive for almost a thousand years. Their churches, which they built and decorated, reside in space and take people to mental heights that can’t be seen or touched. As physical forms of God, they make a small, isolated part of Byzantium everlasting.

Visiting Mount Athos

As an additional monastery country that is formally controlled by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Mount Athos tightly limits who can enter its holiest borders from other places. Since the peninsula first came into being in the Middle Ages, women have not been licensed to enter at all. This rule applies to all animals, including female pets and livestock. For men, to visit, they need to get written permission in the form of a Diamantērion from the Sacred Supervisory Committee in Thessaloniki or Ouranoupolis first. Because the lodging is at night, it is exclusive to practicing Orthodox Christians.

When tourists have time off, they take a boat from Ouranoupolis to the port of Daphni. Most monks and individuals take one of the peninsula’s few bus lines from there. Stronger hikers continue on foot along the paths that wind between the monasteries. Individual licenses are needed to use mule teams, bicycles, cars, and even most electrical equipment in the private area. Visitors demonstrate their passes and IDs at guard stations that look like customs booths before going further inland to spend the night in empty monastery quarters. The individuals who stay in the abbey area usually only stay for a few days at a time, unless they have important work to complete for the brotherhood.

On the steep slopes of Mount Athos, detached from the main buildings, there are hermitages, sketes, cells, caves, and churches that are all by themselves for hermits who want to be even more alone. despite how close or far away a monastery is, it always has a location set aside for outsiders and their spiritual needs. Many of them also run schools for making icons, libraries, dining halls, ossuaries, and relic collections, and they are happy to have Orthodox heritage fans from nations around the globe visit. Some even put together trips to show apart their beautiful grounds, buildings from the medieval period, and other historic items from long ago.

In addition to being being a place to stay, Mount Athos’s special position makes it possible to meet people it would not normally be able to meet outside of its borders. In their holy places in the mountains, monks follow spiritual callings that haven’t changed much since ancient times. They do this by following rhythms and routines that most people today haven’t thought about. This is an amazing opportunity for those who are humble enough to see such reminders of the past. Real mystics show eternal ways to reach skills, like the hesychastic practice of praying all the time. The quiet guardians of Mount Athos show significant realities that go back thousands of years through their simple welcome.

So, behind high walls that separate the sanctified from the common, a remote community on Mount Athos continues to follow the quiet path that was passed down from generation to generation by their ancestors. In turn, their spiritual children and grandchildren keep alive a tradition that spans back more than a thousand years and continues to this day. Even though it’s hard to get to and is often misunderstood, this town has been a secure location for people throughout history.

The religious societies on Mount Athos have kept holy customs from the past alive for more than a thousand years. In the middle of nowhere in the woods, monks try to get a spiritual sense of the endless through cycles of the prayer that are woven into stunning Orthodox art. Every day, you fight against physical temptations and spiritual distractions according to an old paradigm. Being still in your mind helps you understand God better.

By refusing to identify with this world, the monks of Mount Athos show a lot more than just a desire to be alone or ancient artifacts stuck in time. Through their steadfast dedication, they show how to put joy over pleasure, freedom over choice, and being over doing. In the same way that their hesychastic ancestors did, this live community shows hidden ways to enter divine secrets that our busy world has mostly given up searching for today.

The Circumcision of Christ: A Mystery of God’s Love

Monasteries of mount athos.

• Great Lavra Monastery
• Vatopedi Monastery
• Iviron Monastery
• Hilandar Monastery (Serbian)
• Dionysiou Monastery
• Koutloumousiou Monastery
• Pantokratoros Monastery
• Xiropotamou Monastery
• Zografou Monastery (Bulgarian)
• Dochiariou Monastery
• Karakallou Monastery
• Philotheou Monastery
• Simonos Petra Monastery
• Agiou Pavlou Monastery
• Stavronikita Monastery
• Xenophontos Monastery
• Gregoriou Monastery
• Esphigmenou Monastery
• Panteleimonos Monastery (Russian)
• Konstamonitou Monastery

Sketes of Mount Athos

• Skete of Saint Andrew (at Karyes)Skete of Saint Anne
• Skete of Saint Basil (of the Vigla)
• Skete of Saint Demetrius
• Skete of Saint Elias (at Vigla)
• Skete of Holy Trinity
• Skete of Saint John the Baptist
• Skete of Prophet Elias (at Caracalla)
• Skete of Saint Panteleimon
• Skete of the Nativity of Saint John (the New Skete)
• Skete of Saint Demetrius (Lakkoskete)
• Skete of the Annunciation (Oxeía)
• Romanian Skete Prodromou

Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Mount Athos

What are the main requirements for visiting mount athos.

Visiting Mount Athos requires advance written permission in the form of a diamoneterion (διαμονητήριο) or visiting permit. Permits get issued to practicing Orthodox Christian men only. Pilgrims must also book overnight accommodation at one of the 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries on the peninsula. Creating a detailed travel itinerary with dated monastery reservations will facilitate permit approval.

How do I obtain this special permit?

The Holy Supervisory Committee located in Thessaloniki and Ouranoupolis, Greece reviews diamonētērion applications. Pilgrims can apply directly through these administrative offices of Mount Athos or request permits from an approved tour agency. Submitted 60 days in advance before the planned entry date, expect 30 days for application processing. Confirm visa requirements also get fulfilled beforehand.

What about dress and grooming restrictions?

To show reverence, Mount Athos requests all male visitors follow strict appearance rules. Long pants and long-sleeved shirts are mandatory. No shorts get permitted and pilgrims cannot expose bare skin above the knee or elbow. Hats and caps will cover heads at all times except inside chapel spaces. Pilgrims should maintain tidy conservative hairstyles with facial hair kept short and neatly trimmed.

What personal items are prohibited inside Mount Athos?

The Holy Mountain bans a long list of products and technologies that disrupt spiritual pursuits. Cameras, cell phones, female hygiene articles, games, radios media players, weapons, and narcotics number among prohibited possessions. Visitors cannot import meat or dairy nor canned goods containing preservatives. Pets and most electronic items also cannot enter Mount Athos unless specially approved.

What transportation options exist inside the monastic peninsula?

Internal movement relies chiefly on walking, private buses, hired taxis, mule transport or common boats between monasteries. Visitors can bring cars with advance authorization but no public buses, rental vehicles or bicycles operate on Mount Athos . Since no tourist accommodation exists, guests sleep at monastery guesthouses and follow strict night curfews. Late arrivals get denied entrance at the gate.

What guided tour options might enhance my Mount Athos visit?

Booking a group tour ensures seamless handling of permits, lodging, customs, transportation and guided excursions between monasteries. Knowledgeable operators like Pilgrimage Travel arrangements tailored specifically to Orthodox pilgrims. On the budget side, Ouranoupolis travel agencies offer daily bus tours to the outside monasteries. These day trips visit highlights along the coast without entering deeper into the peninsula.

With some advance planning and respect for the rules, Mount Athos offers profound blessings for spiritual seekers able to immerse themselves, however briefly, in this sacred realm largely cut off from modernity. Patience through the application process and humility once inside the gates will unlock miracles emanating through a millennium of continual monastic prayer upon the Holy Mountain.

• Greenfield, R. (2015). Mount Athos: Renewal in Paradise. Yale University Press.
• Oikonomides, Nicolas. “ Mount Athos : Levels of Literacy.” Dumbarton Oaks Papers, vol. 42, 1988, pp. 167-178. Dumbarton Oaks, Trustees for Harvard University.
• Taft, Robert F. “ Mount Athos : A Late Chapter in the History of the Byzantine Rite.” Dumbarton Oaks Papers, vol. 42, 1988, pp. 179-194. Dumbarton Oaks, Trustees for Harvard University.
• Ware, K., & Dalrymple, W. (2008). Mount Athos. Monkfish Book Publishing Company.

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Mount Athos – Pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain in Greece

Agio Oros (Mount Athos) comprises of 20 majestic monasteries and 12 hermitages. It is a unique monastic community organized in the peninsula of Halkidiki. Karyes is the capital of Agio Oros, and this is where you will find the 10th century Church of Protato with the famous icon “Axion Esti” (meaning: “It is worthy to bless Thee, the Virgin”). Only men are allowed at Mount Athos, but even men must obtain a special permission to be granted entrance.

What is Mount Athos?

Where is mount athos, map of mount athos, how to enter mount athos, why is mount athos holy, mount athos in greek mythology, history of mount athos, mount athos – how to visit, mount athos and byzantine monasticism, 20 monasteries at agio oros, agio oros in modern history, mount athos – weather and climate.

Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A  World Heritage Site , it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the  Hellenic Republic . Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the  Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople . Today Greeks commonly refer to  Mount Athos  as the “ Holy Mountain “. In Classical times, the peninsula was called  Akté .

The peninsula, the easternmost “leg” of the larger Halkidiki peninsula, protrudes 50 kilometres into the Aegean Sea at a width of between 7 and 12 km and covers an area of 335.637 km2. The actual Mount Athos has steep, densely forested slopes reaching up to 2,033 metres. The surrounding seas, especially at the end of the peninsula, can be dangerous. In ancient Greek history two fleet disasters in the area are recorded: In 492 BC  Darius, the king of Persia , lost 300 ships under general  Mardonius  (H erodotus “Histories” book VI (Erato), Aeschylus “The Persians” ). In 411 BC the  Spartans  lost a fleet of 50 ships under admiral  Epicleas . ( Diodorus Siculus, “Bibliotheca historica” XIII 41, 1–3 ).

Mount Athos on a map

Though land-linked, Mount Athos is accessible only by a single boat, the St. Eshpigmenitis. The daily number of visitors entering Mount Athos is restricted and all are required to obtain a special entrance permit valid for a limited period. Only males are allowed entrance into Mount Athos, which is called “Garden of the Virgin” by monks, and Orthodox Christians take precedence in the permit issuance procedure. Only males over the age of 18 who are members of the Eastern Orthodox Church are allowed to live on Athos, either as monks or as workers.

According to the Athonite tradition, the  Blessed Virgin Mary  was sailing accompanied by  St John   the Evangelist  from  Joppa  to  Cyprus  to visit  Lazarus . When the ship was blown off course to then pagan  Athos  it was forced to anchor near the port of  Klement , close to the present monastery of  Iviron . The Virgin walked ashore and overwhelmed by the wonderful and wild natural beauty of the mountain, she blessed it and asked her Son for it to be her garden. A voice was heard saying “Ἔστω ὁ τόπος οὖτος κλῆρος σός καί περιβόλαιον σόν καί παράδεισος, ἔτι δέ καί λιμήν σωτήριος τῶν θελόντων σωθῆναι” (Translation: “ Let this place be your inheritance and your garden, a paradise and a haven of salvation for those seeking to be saved “.) From that moment the mountain was consecrated as the garden of the Mother of God and was out of bounds to all other women. Read more of the history of Mount Athos at Wikipedia

In Greek mythology Athos was the name of one of the Gigantes (Giants) that challenged the Greek gods during the Gigantomachia. Athos threw a massive rock against Poseidon which fell in the Aegean Sea and became the Athonite Peninsula. According to another version of the story, Poseidon used the mountain to bury the defeated giant. Herodotus tells us that Pelasgians from the island of Lemnos populated the peninsula, then called Acte or Akte. (Herodotus, VII:22) Strabo reports of five cities on the peninsula: Dion, Cleonae, Thyssos, Olophyxos, Acrothoï, of which the last is near the crest. (Strabo, Geography, VII:33:1) Eretria also established colonies on Acte. Two other cities were established in the Classical period: Acanthus and Sane. Some of these cities minted their own coins. The peninsula was on the invasion route of Xerxes I, who spent three years excavating a channel across the isthmus to allow the passage of his invasion fleet in 483 BC. After the death of Alexander, the Great, the architect Dinocrates proposed to carve the entire mountain into a statue of Alexander.

The history of the peninsula during latter ages is shrouded by the lack of historical accounts. Archaeologists have not been able to determine the exact location of the cities reported by Strabo. It is believed that they must have been deserted when the new inhabitants in Athos, the monks, started arriving at some time before the 7th century AD.

Entry to the mountain is usually by ferry boat either from the port of Ouranoupoli (for west coast monasteries) or from Ierrisos for those on the east coast. Before embarking on the boat all visitors must have been issued a diamonētērion, a form of Byzantine visum written in Greek, dated using the Julian calendar, and signed by four of the secretaries of leading monasteries. There are generally two kinds of diamonētēria: the general diamonētērion that enables the visitor to stay overnight at any one of the monasteries but only to stay on the mountain for three days, and the special diamonētērion which allows a visitor to visit only one monastery or sketai (collection of small cells with a central chapel), but to stay as many days as he has agreed with the monks. The general diamonētērion is available upon application to the Mount Athos Office for Pilgrims in Thessaloniki. Once this has been granted it will be issued at the port of departure, on the day of departure. Once granted, the pilgrim can contact the monastery where he would like to stay to reserve a bed (one night only per monastery). The ferries require reservations, both ways. The duration of the general visa can be extended by several days by personally applying at the main office in Karyes.

Most visitors arrive at the small port of Dafni from where they can take the only paved road in the mountain to the capital Karyes or continue via another smaller boat to other monasteries down the coast. There is a public bus between Dafni and Karyes. Expensive taxis operated by monks are available for hire at Dafni and Karyes. They are all-wheel drive vehicles since most roads in the mountain are unpaved. Visitors to monasteries on the mountain’s western side prefer to stay on the ferry and disembark at the monastery they wish to visit.

Mount Athos and Byzantine monasticism

Agio Oros (meaning: Holy Mountain) is a self-governed part of the Greek state, but politically subject to the Ministery of Foreign Affairs and in regard of its religious aspect to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The mountain is dedicated to the Holy Mother of God. By an imperial document, the rule was established that no female may set foot on the peninsula of Athos.

Most inhabitants at Agio Oros are Orthodox monks living in monasteries, sketai, cells and hermitages. Other inhabitants include employees and workers, as well as several male pilgrims (up to 110 are allowed entrance per day). They come to Agio Oros for the purposes of prayer, meditation, and study.

20 monasteries at Agio Oros

Among the total of 20 monasteries, one is Russian, one is Serbian, one is Bulgarian, one is Georgian, and the rest are Greek. There are Bulgarian and Romanian sketai as well. The foreign monasteries and sketai are supported by their respective countries.

Inside the monasteries, holy icons, relics, mosaics, and frescos of great value are kept. Some items have been lost during fires or raids, but today an enormous number of historical texts, rare manuscripts and documents are kept in their respective libraries.

The first Christian inhabitants at Agio Oros were members of the clergy fleeing the persecution of the iconoclasts. In the beginning they were living alone in the caves. Later, monasteries were built and organized. In this way, Agio Oros became a refuge for Christian souls seeking salvation through praying and fasting. The prestige of Agios Oros grew fast and soon Byzantine emperors spent time here here as monks.

Agio Oros in modern history

Gradually, Agios Oros was granted the right of autonomy, at first by the Byzantine emperors Nikiforos Fokas and Ioannis Tsimiskis. The autonomy of Agios Oros was maintained throughout history till today, even through the period of Ottoman rule when it was enhanced. After the First World War, different international treaties have recognized the unique status of Mount Athos. It has gained its own special status in regard to the accession of Greece to the European Union.

Mount Athos – Weather and climate

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Information about pilgrim and enter Mount Athos

M ount Athos , known in Greece as the Holy Mountain (Agion Oros), is a peninsula in Halkidiki , north Greece containing 20 monasteries .

Although the peninsula of Mount Athos is part of Greece, it enjoys certain autonomy. The region is governed by the “Holy community” under the ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople . Only men are permitted to enter Mount Athos. The rule, known as the “AVATON”, forbids access to Mount Athos by any female and is enforced by law. In accordance with the procedures established by the Holy Community foreigners must obtain a written permit to visit Mount Athos from the “Mount Athos Office”( Pilgrims Office ).

P ilgrims who arrange their reservations by phone should mail (not fax) a copy of their passport to the office, and call two weeks before the date of the visit to confirm the reservation .

T he Mount Athos Office is open: from Monday to Saturday from 9:00a.m. to 01:00p.m. The address is: 109 Str. Av. Egnatias – 54622 Thessalonica Greece. Tel.:0030-2310-252578 and fax: 0030-2310-222424.

G enerally, the office issues only 10 permits per day for non-orthodox pilgrims (foreigners) and 100 for Greeks and orthodox pilgrims. Because of the s mall number of permits our advice is to contact the office well in advance. These permits are valid for a 4day permit . Can be sought from the Mount Athos authorities in Karyes (Ιερά Επιστασία). Permits are issued to adult male pilgrims over the age of 18. Young males under 18 are permitted if they are accompanied by their father. Young men who are accompanied by an adult group leader visiting Mount Athos for educational reasons need the written consent of their parents, verified by an official authority of their country. Pilgrims can go to Ouranoupolis by car or by bus. It is about 120km from the airport of Thessalonica. Our visit advice to the visitors to carry a rucksack. When pilgrims arrive in Ouranoupolis, the port where ferryboat depart to Mount Athos, must go to the “Mount Athos office for pilgrims” and take the “diamonitirion” (visitors permit). The pilgrims’ office is open every day including Saturdays and Sundays from 08:00a.p. This permit is required upon boarding the ferryboat and also when pilgrims arrive at the monasteries. It costs 35,00€ for the non-orthodox, 25,00€ for the orthodoxs and 18,00€ for the students.

T he ferryboat leaves at 09:45a.p . From Ouranoupolis (see time table). We recommend to pilgrims to arrive in Ouranoupolis one day earlier if it possible. This ferryboat arrives in Mount Athos port of Dafni around 12:00. From Dafni you can take the bus to Karyes the capital of Mount Athos and from there to other monasteries. Pilgrims can move to Mount Athos mini busses (mini bus tel.: 0030-23770-23266 and fax: 0030-23770-23879)

B ut the best way is in foot. Because you have the possibility to meet and communicate with “askites” (hermits), walk into unique forest, visit fantastic where there is no car road but only paths . Pilgrims can also walk until Mount Athos Top and visit the little church of “Metamorphosis tou Sotiros”, 2033m high.

T here is also an other ferryboat that departs from Ouranoupolis port at 06:30 (ex Sat/Sun-see timetable) F.B. “Agia Anna”. In this case the pilgrims must notify to Pilgrims Office before the arrival and obviously if they want to travel with the F.B. “Agia Anna”. It is better to spend the previous night to Ouranoupolis . Pilgrims can also use the ferryboat “Agia Anna” during their visit to Mount Athos from the port of Dafni ( see timetable )

W ith F.B. “Agia Anna” pilgrims can visit the monasteries and the skites of the south west part of Mount Athos (M. Simonos Petra, M. Grigoriou, M. Dionysius, M. Agiou Paulou, and skiti Agias Annas).

T he monasteries do not charge for their hospitality, however donations are accepted. Most of the monasteries and skites require that pilgrims call in advance to reserve a bet. Also visitors who have been issued an “idiko diamonitirio” (invitation from a monastery ) they must stay only at the monastery that made the invitation

P ilgrims to Mount Athos should be decently dressed (no shorts pants). Several penalties are enforced against anyone who attempt to remove religious items from Mount Athos. The entrance of video cameras on Mount Athos is strictly forbidden. As pilgrims leave Mount Athos all the video tapes found at the customs office will be distrain. Hunting dogs and guns are not permitted upon entrance

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Retreat With Monks: How to Visit Mount Athos Monasteries

Mt Athos , or Agion Oros , as they locally call this corner of Greece, is a radically strange part of the European Union . Here, EU laws on the free movement of people are restricted. By gender. Only men can visit Mount Athos monasteries ! And even that is not a given.

One of these privileged beings is sitting on the pier, staring into the distance. The sea on this side of Mount Athos is not rough today. Sometimes, the waves on the easternmost leg of the Halkidiki peninsula get so wild that they cut Athos’ connections with the world.

On one of such days, Virgin Mary found refuge from the storm on these shores. Two millennia later, behind the meditating man, lies the land where women are – not welcome.

The Holy Mountain dressed in clouds, and castle-resembling Mount Athos monasteries frozen in time, mark a state within a state.

Pipeaway penetrated the fortress of Mount Athos! Take an exclusive peek into the world of Orthodox mysticism, never-ending prayer, and life at its simplest!

Mount Athos history

In northeastern Greece, some 336 square kilometers in size, the Mount Athos peninsula is an area of dense forests and pristine beaches that see no tourism.

This isolated place with no adverts and chain stores is blooming with sacral life. Here you can find 20 Orthodox monasteries, 12 sketes (cloisters), and hundreds of kellions (cells) and hermitages or caves in desolate cliffs.

The oldest surviving monastic community in the world is home to about 2000 men, priests and workers. Zero women.

Under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople , the Holy Mountain (Agion Oros / Ayio Oros ) is often referred to as the spiritual capital of the Orthodox Christian world. In 1988, UNESCO listed Mt Athos as a World Heritage site .

The first monks started arriving here in the fourth century. It was an uninhabited, secluded place where they believed they would be closer to God.

Throughout the centuries, the population of monks grew, supposedly reaching 20.000 in its heyday!

Different world powers had their timeshare in ‘claiming’ Mount Athos: Byzantium , Serbia , Ottoman Empire , Russia , even Nazi Germany , with Adolf Hitler proclaimed as the “High Protector of the Holy Mountain”.

Byzantine Empire doesn’t exist since 1453, but monks are still invoking emperors’ names in their prayers. Empire’s flag is still adorning the ports of Mt Athos. The golden bull of Emperor Basil I , dated 885, which gives the monks eternal sovereignty over this controversial piece of land, is still as sacred as Bible.

Today, Mount Athos is an autonomous polity within Greece, whose Constitution protects it as the “Monastic State of Agion Oros”.

It is governed by the Holy Community , the body of representatives of the 20 monasteries, headed by Protos , the First Monk.

The capital town Karyes is also a seat of representative of the Greek state. This Civil Governor  is appointed by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs (!).

Ferry to Mt Athos peninsula – the seagulls’ buffet

Agion Oros could technically be an island. As one of its ancient laws forbids a “road upon which a wheel can run” to connect it to the rest of the world, visiting Mount Athos is possible only over the sea.

The access points, the towns of Ouranoupoli on the western coast of the peninsula, and Ierissos on the eastern one, are the places where female voices start to die out. As soon as one embarks on the ferry to Mount Athos , the world of men becomes omnipresent.

The Byzantine Tower of Prosphorio , built in the 14 th century by Vatopedi monks, is the last landmark of the secular world in Ouranoupoli, the “City of Heaven”.

Black-robed priests, men with their sons, and general groups of male pilgrims armed with diamonitirion (special Mount Athos visa ) and backpacks filled with only basic supplies, leave for a journey of seeking inner peace and God. Can they find Him on the Holy Mountain?

White birds descend from the skies and glide on the air streams, just next to the ferry. Unlike Biblical doves, the interest of these seagulls is quite mundane. As soon as the first priest raises his hand with a piece of bread, the feeding frenzy ritual begins.

All those potato chips, cookies and sandwiches women carefully packed for their men, in case they get hungry on their ascetic Mt Athos pilgrimage, become a snack for the birds.

Mount Athos visa – permit as a golden ticket

Entry to Mount Athos is not as easy as buying a ferry ticket. But it is also not as complicated as online resources suggest.

For sure, without obtaining the Mount Athos visa, the aforementioned diamonitirion, there is no reason for even trying to go anywhere closer than Mount Athos cruise would allow.

Women, who are banned from approaching the peninsula closer than 500 meters, often use this cruise option as an alternative way of experiencing the Holy Mountain’s hardly accessible territory – from a safe distance.

On a daily basis, only 100 Orthodox and ten non-Orthodox men may obtain a permit for visiting Mount Athos monasteries. Each diamonitirion entitles you to a stay of 4 days (3 nights) in the Orthodox Mecca.

With online information saying that one should request it up to six months in advance, especially if he intends to visit Mount Athos during the peak summer months, I started to brainstorm on how to win this lottery. It was already June when I began considering the idea!

When I called Pilgrim’s Bureau in Thessaloniki by phone, I presented myself as non-Orthodox. The voice on the other side was not too optimistic about the potential dates for visiting Mount Athos monasteries.

How to visit Mount Athos monasteries?

The procedure for obtaining diamonitirion explained online sounded a bit complex. The Friends of Mount Athos , a UK-registered charity that aims to educate the public about the getting-to-monasteries technicalities, mentioned that, after I reserve the dates, I should send the photocopy of my passport by post, and wait for further instructions.

I’ve decided to skip this lengthy procedure and try my luck directly at the pilgrims’ office, once I arrive in Thessaloniki.

Then I reflected on what would be the best strategy. Should I say I was Orthodox, and raise the chance of visiting Mount Athos monasteries, at least statistically? But I didn’t know any Orthodox rituals. They would’ve figured out very quickly that I faked it. If I did admit that I was non-Orthodox, would it be better to say I was Catholic or atheist?

In the end, I arrive in Thessaloniki, enter the building at Egnatia Street 109 , and with my best puppy face try to get approved by the Mount Athos office for pilgrims.

When they ask me about my religion, I answer that I’m still searching for God. I hope this could be an incentive for approval. Will they let me look for God on Mt Athos?

Only ten (10!) days later, I, seagulls, and a hundred other men will be heading to this seemingly impenetrable fortress of a land! The coast is clear!

Choosing the right Mount Athos monastery

Before jumping on a ferry, I need to select my port of departure. Ouranoupoli and Ierissos are the places where diamonitirion can wait for me.

Not knowing which monasteries I will visit at that moment, I pick the first port, on the western coast of the peninsula. It was not the best choice; I ended up planning the visit to the monasteries on the eastern seaboard! Double-check Mount Athos map of monasteries if you don’t make the same mistake.

Armed with the list of phone numbers I got at the Pilgrim’s Bureau in Thessaloniki, I start dialing the selected ones. Staying in monasteries is free, but one needs to reserve his place in advance.

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A woman answers one of the calls. Erm, obviously wrong number on this Mount Athos monasteries list!

Some of them, such as Simonos Petra , welcome me with an answering machine, for days.

On the phone of Megisti Lavra ( Great Lavra ), the oldest Mount Athos monastery, an impatient monk answers “Yes, you can come!”. And then hangs up. No additional questions allowed.

In the end, I decide to spend one night in Iviron , and two nights in Vatopedi , the second oldest monastery on the peninsula.

Officially, one can stay only one night in each Mount Athos monastery. But Vatopedi monk is polite enough to offer that, if I can’t find an available place in other monasteries, I can stay more than one day with them.

So instead of booking one night in Megisti Lavra which is welcoming me with apparent nervousness, I end up reserving two nights in Vatopedi which is providing a welcome with a smile.

Thessaloniki to Mt Athos

After a local bus ride from Thessaloniki city center to KTEL Halkidikis station (0,50 Euros), I take the direct bus to Ouranoupoli (13,70 Euros).

Next to me sits a homeless-looking man. His hair is greasy, his beard messy. Dressed in a winter coat at the very beginning of the proverbially hot Greek summer, he engages in the repetitive gesture of making a sign of the cross over his forehead, chest, and shoulders. After five minutes, he leaves the seat.

Another passenger appears asking for a pencil. Then he continues talking to invisible people.

Am I on the right bus? Is this the typical profile of pilgrims who visit Mount Athos?

We arrive in Ouranoupoli, the last settlement before the monastic state of Mount Athos, and I spend my night there.

As I said, it is a mistake, as it would’ve been much more practical if I would’ve ordered my visa to arrive in Ierissos (the port for the eastern monasteries).

I even have a small but pleasant place to recommend there – GKEEA Boutique Hotel ! But more on this later, as I do find it to be a useful stopover even after finishing Mount Athos monasteries visit!

In the morning, I arrive at the window of the pilgrim’s office among the first visitors and collect my diamonitirion.

They ask again if I’m Catholic. I start to stutter that they raised me like one, but that I’m still looking… The official writes katholikos on my precious piece of paper. There is no room for nuances.

Nevertheless, I pay 25 Euros, which I thought is a price for Orthodox visitors. Everyone else should pay 10 Euros more. Well, the lower price never made me sad. And finally, I have the paper!

Mount Athos travel – ferry, bus, van

From Ouranoupoli, the Mount Athos ferry takes us to Dafni (6,89 Euros).

Before docking at the main western-side port, the ship passes the coastline sprinkled with old ruins, skete settlements, but also several monasteries still encircled by the construction cranes.

Docheiariou , Xenophontos , and then, the largest on the peninsula, Saint Panteleimon Monastery (the Russian monastery on Mount Athos) impress with their size, fortified walls, towers, and domes.

A bus takes us from Dafni to Karyes (3,50 Euros). In the middle of the peninsula, this is the administrative center of the Holy Mountain. It’s a typical transfer place when traveling from one Mount Athos monastery to the other.

They do not display the transfers’ schedule, so good luck with asking around! However, as long as you have reserved the accommodation in your next monastery, there should be space for you in the van going there! While you wait for the van’s departure, you can get some supplies in the local shops or eat in a couple of restaurants.

One of the monks is pressing a bottle of cooled spirit against his jaw. It makes it easier to remember the name of this picturesque little town – Karyes!

Even if monks rarely get sick, as they generally live healthy and stressless lives, and follow the Mount Athos diet , there is a clinic in Karyes. I notice one of the monks pressing a bottle of cooled spirit against his jaw. I don’t know if this is an old Mount Athos recipe in treating a cavity. The memorable image definitely helps me not to forget the name of this picturesque little town.

The Holy Mountain as the Garden of Virgin Mary

Another van ride later (2 Euros), and there it is! In the middle of the eastern coast of Mt Athos, with two towers that defended it against the raids of the pirates and other intruders, stands the famous Monastery of Iviron (or  Iveron ).

It looks as if someone melted white, blue and red houses of various sizes together into a gigantic, very monumental fortress. Georgian monks built it in 976, on the foundations of the Clement’s Monastery from the 8 th century.

This imposing monastery is dedicated to the Assumption . According to the local legend, Virgin Mary stepped on Athos land exactly here.

It happened in her old age when she and St John the Evangelist sailed from Jaffa to Cyprus to visit Lazarus . The storm blew the ship off course, and they ended up at Athos, close to the site of today’s Iviron. If you know anything about geography, you understand that this had to be a hell of a storm!

The Virgin stepped ashore and, struck by the natural beauty of the place, she prayed to her Son to give her the mountain as her garden. A voice approved her request. From that moment on, the mountain was consecrated as the Garden of the Mother of God.

Virgin Mary paid a visit to Mount Athos even later, in 1004, in the form of an icon known as Panagia Portaitissa . Firstly, a column of fire connected the sky and the sea in front of Iviron Monastery. Then the painting made by the apostle Luke miraculously appeared in the sea, floating upright. Anchorite monk Gabriel walked on water, took the icon, and brought it to the shore. At the place where he put the icon off, holy water spurted, the legend says, and it streamed until today.

No females allowed in Mount Athos monasteries, animals included!

It is not just the monks of Mount Athos who call their peninsula the Garden of the Virgin Mary . The state of Greece accepts that the land belongs to only one woman and, for all other female visitors, visiting Mount Athos is forbidden.

Monks believe that the presence of women would alter their community, lead them to sin, and slow down their path to spiritual enlightenment.

The ban on Mount Athos entry for women, called Avaton , has been officially proclaimed by several emperors, including the chrysobull of Constantine Monomachos in 1046.

Believe it or not, the ban still includes female animals! It is not entirely clear why, but monks believe that it is a short path from allowing cows, ewes and mares on Mt Athos farm to allowing women to enter their land. So they keep the ban wide.

This means Easter on Mount Athos includes importing chicken eggs so they can paint them!

Mount Athos diet throughout the year is mainly vegetarian as in that case there is no reason for having female animals for enabling reproduction.

The only domestic animal that is allowed to be female is a cat, as they find it useful in controlling the population of rodents. So dear women, until you start killing rats with bare hands and teeth, it seems there is no room for you on the Holy Mountain!

Sacral Mykonos – Mount Athos homosexuality under cover of celibacy?

The story of women and Mount Athos is constantly raising controversy.

Some female prime ministers in the European Union , as well as the European Parliament itself (in 2003), requested to lift the ban, as Avaton is violating the UN ’s core principle of gender equality.

They did not succeed. Mt Athos managed to remain probably the largest area on the planet where women are forbidden.

The first women who breached the Avaton had a lot of money.

In the 14 th century, Serbian empress Jelena , the wife of the emperor Dusan , was fleeing the plague epidemics in the Balkans. Monks, however, didn’t allow Jelena’s feet to touch the ground, so she was constantly carried around by her servants.

A century later, another Serbian woman was visiting Mount Athos. Princess Mara Brankovic was granted the entrance permit because of her influence in the Ottoman Empire.

Then, some women literally broke in. In 1929, French writer Maryse Choisy claimed she underwent a mastectomy and disguised herself as a sailor, only to check what all the fuss about Mt Athos was.

She ended up writing a book about her supposedly month-long undercover Mount Athos visit, “Un Mois Chez Les Hommes” (“A Month with Men”). She described how the “kinky monk” continually spoke to her ( him ) of his desire for making love. Maryse’s Mount Athos experience was debunked as fake.

In 1932, one woman disguised as a sailor managed to sneak in! It was Aliki Diplarakou , the first Greek winner of the Miss Europe title.

Not knowing that she was a woman, one of the young monks at Vatopedi Monastery (today unofficially considered to be the monastery with the largest concentration of Mount Athos gay priests) flirted with her. This story ended up with an anathema: Patriarch Photios II publicly cursed the miss for her act!

Maria Poimenidou , a woman from Thessaloniki, successfully disguised as a man and infiltrated among the monks of Mount Athos in 1953.

Monks had enough, and Greece passed the law that penalizes such offenses with 12 months in jail! So you’ve been warned!

As for Mount Athos homosexuality behind the walls of the monasteries, the public debated about it more than several times.

Greek press went so far that it reported about motorboats serving Athos harbors with male prostitutes, and published that young boys were even being kidnapped for the monks’ needs.

Father Michael Haztiantoniou , who lived there for 15 years, publically spoke about the cover-ups both for “gay incidents” in Mount Athos brotherhoods, as well as the use of psychotropic drugs in controlling the monks.

Iviron Monastery and Van Gogh

My arrival in Iviron, the first fence of the Virgin Mary’s garden, is followed by confusion. I exit the van with other pilgrims. After climbing to the main gates of the fortress, I try to look for anything that would resemble a reception. I find none.

At the monastery’s souvenir shop, I approach some monk to ask what to do. He directs me to go directly to Archontariki (where?) or, if it is too early to check-in, to go and eat something (where?).

After wandering a bit around the vast complex, I find the entrance to the guesthouse (Archontariki, it is!). Other pilgrims are already waiting to get checked in.

In the adjoined little kitchenette, dry bread and jam. One pilgrim is greedily swallowing olives and looking around what else could he eat in this self-service place.

Everyone else is sitting in the waiting room, doing everything like others: nothing.

One hour later, a younger monk appears, opens the big book, and leaves again. It is a game of patience.

Finally, after some time, they assign our rooms. Modest as Van Gogh ’s “Bedroom”, mine is equipped with a simple bed, table with two chairs, a portrait of Jesus under the lamp, and cozy balcony looking at the monastery’s salad field.

Welcome with a stick

I jump from my three-quarter pants to the full-length trousers to adhere to the monasteries’ dress code. Then I descend to the courtyard just before the Vespers , the evening prayer service.

In front of the katholikon , the main church of the monastery, an old monk is sitting on the bench. Waving with his walking stick, he makes a gesture that invites me to join him.

“Where are you from?”, he asks.

“Croatia”, I answer.

“No, Croatia.”

“No, Cro-a-ti-a!”

“Kroatia?”, he pronounces now with a heavy accent and then catches me off guard.

He swirls his walking stick through the air and hits my legs with it! What did just happen?

I’m definitely surprised by his special physical welcome. But I assume this is some fun initiation game for him, in the absence of television and other entertainment services available in the secular world. From further amusement with a stick, I’m saved by the bell.

Sacred service at Mount Athos monasteries

Well, instead of church bells announcing the mass service, here one of the monks is walking around the church while banging with a mallet on a semantron , a long wooden plank, in the specific rhythm recognized as the call for worship. In the following days, this repetitive music will engrave in my hearing memory.

The old monk addresses the other pilgrims he didn’t have the time to whack with his stick and just firmly brandishes towards the church door. He exclaims: “Messa!”

Then he slowly limps away. He might not have power in his legs, but those arms can strike!

Other monks start flocking through the church doors. They kiss icons when passing, in a speedy ritual, as if they are late. Their swaying robes while they fly through the church, from one painting to another, add to the atmosphere of the rush.

I’m not an expert on Orthodox rituals, but the layman would see Mount Athos monks chanting, murmuring prayers, opening and closing the curtains, lighting and putting out the candles, and walking through the exquisitely ornate church while osculating the holy icons.

Liturgical services are the center of the monastery’s life, and while some monasteries expressly require participation, Iviron – suggests it.

Male pigs are allowed on Agion Oros

Dinner at the Mount Athos monastery starts just after the sacred service. When church doors close, the refectory ones open.

Long tables with served plates await. Monks sit at one part of the dining hall, the pilgrims at the other.

Even if Mount Athos recipes are typically vegetarian, delicious fish is served tonight, with zucchini and garlic in the sauce, raw vegetables, and olives for make-your-own salad.

Famous Mount Athos wine for drinks, and some cherries for dessert.

After licking their plates clean, pilgrims are stealing slices of bread and stuffing their pockets with cherries. Some of them are bragging how they furtively took two tomatoes “for later”

During the meal, one of the monks ( Anagnostis ) is serving food for thought. He is reading from the holy books. When he finishes, dinner ends as well.

This limited and never exact time for dining pushes some pilgrims over the edge of basic courtesy. Every day, when Mount Athos gourmet food magically appears, I see these pious palmers transforming into insatiable pigs! I’m sorry if my words sound harsh, but I’m utterly shocked and almost ashamed seeing them devouring this free supper in the wildest manner, which undoubtedly no Holy Script prescribes.

After licking their plates clean, they’re stealing slices of bread and stuffing their pockets with cherries. In front of the refectory, I hear several Serbs bragging how they furtively took two tomatoes “for later”.

My incognito solo appearance (helped by the fact that I speak English to everyone), makes other Slavic people talk more freely in my proximity, believing that nobody can understand them.

New day, a new monastery. Or not?

The next morning, at 03:30, the rhythmical knocking on semantron again. As the busy receptionist monk didn’t explain the services schedule, I sleep over this call for Orthros , the morning service, followed by the Divine Liturgy.

At 07:45, young civil men kick us out of our rooms, as they need to change the sheets for the new guests.

I hear the same group of Serbs, apparently very satisfied with Iviron service and Mount Athos menu choices, plotting the plan on how to bypass the proclaimed limit of one-day stay per monastery.

“We will stay here for 4-5 days more, eight of us!”, the first one says, boosting with confidence that rules can be bent.

“Yesterday you talked to this one at the reception”, comments the second one. “You got a captain , and he didn’t know to open his mouth!”

“The only question is how to turn him around”, the first one looks concerned.

“Well, we will call him by phone!”

Checkpoints to Vatopedi

I didn’t have time to find out about the end of the Serbian sacral holidays’ adventure. The bus was leaving for Karyes (2 Euros), and then another van to Vatopedi (4 Euros).

On the way, we see some pilgrims hiking; this is another way of traveling between the monasteries. As long as you are ready to walk in the dress code of Mount Athos, which typically means not much skin exposure, trekking between monasteries is a great way to see nature untouched for centuries.

For the rest of us, the air-conditioned bus sounds like a much more comfortable option.

At half of the way, the control point. An officer is checking who is going where and whether our names are on his Mount Athos monasteries list.

After arrival in Vatopedi Monastery, the gatekeeper registers me in his list too. He asks what my profession is.

“Journalist”, I answer.

“You have chosen the worst job in the world!”, he comments.

Sure, I could have asked back if there were no other jobs left for him except the doorman. But I didn’t want to offend his ‘sacred’ dress, primarily because I would never call the doorman’s job the worst job in the world anyway.

The hospitality of Greek Orthodox monasteries

His colleague monk at the reception hall, archontaris (the guest master), provides a much more warmhearted welcome. After offering us some ouzo, water, and lokum, he gives us an introduction speech. In Russian for the Russian pilgrims, in Greek for the Greek ones, and in English for me.

He asks if I need any assistance with my departure and, unlike in Iviron, informs me about the precise schedule of the church services. The afternoon one is at 5 pm, followed by dinner, and then introducing the relics kept in the monastery. The prayer in the morning starts at 4 am and is followed by mass and breakfast.

Even if Vatopedi is supposedly one of the more luxurious monasteries on Agion Oros, unlike older pilgrims who got their private rooms, they send me to a dormitory-style room in the attic, to share it with young seminarians, future monks.

There is only one shower on the entire floor (a clogged one, though), but even that is progress! Most of the monasteries on the Holy Mountain do not have bathing facilities. Iviron has only essential sinks! So who can complain about the clogged shower?

What do we need for happiness?

Dinner at Vatopedi seems to be a bit less authentic than the one in Iviron. Industrial-made bread, tetrapak compote, and some lentils. Still, one pilgrim takes the mobile phone and, against the rules, snaps a photo of the food. Some Instagram feeds do not need to impress.

It also seems that they impose the hierarchy much more in Vatopedi. Unlike in Iviron, where monks and pilgrims were entering the trapeza (refectory) together, here dozens of priests have the exclusive priority. Nobody is let into the dining room before the last monk passes through the doors.

I meet Aleksandar , a polite 15-year old student of the first grade in Niš seminary, Serbia.

Historically, underage boys were not allowed to enter the Holy Mountain. Now, if their father or responsible elders accompany them, they can discover this peninsula as well.

Aleksandar seems happy about their Mount Athos excursion, especially because they go to Ierissos after they visit Mount Athos monasteries.

“What’s so exciting about Ierissos?”, I ask.

“Well, swimming!”, Aleksandar answers, with a spark of happiness in his eyes.

Boys are boys. Summer is summer.

The wonders of the holy relics

After dinner, we get a tour of the monastery’s relics, a source of many Mount Athos miracles. A red-faced priest takes off his cap, revealing the clear suntan line across his forehead. On the table in front of him, portions of the True Cross, various bones, skulls, dried-up parts of saints’ bodies. Relics invite the participants of Mount Athos pilgrimage to kneel in front of them and kiss them.

Supposedly, Virgin Mary’s belt has unique miraculous characteristics. One of the priests explains that it proved very successful with female infertility; it heals women who have problems with getting pregnant.

My curious mind cannot help but wonder why they keep this miraculous belt that cures infertile women on Mount Athos – that no woman can approach closer than 500 meters from the shore. But I keep it for myself.

While they are telling us the story of the miraculous icon on which the portrayed baby Jesus supposedly came to life and tried to cover the mouth of the Virgin Mary who warned Mount Athos monks about the invading pirates, the young seminarians listen with awe.

Well, one looks rather bored. His priest teacher sends him away “as he is obviously not interested”. On the other hand, he instructs Aleksandar to bring “two books and three bottles of wine” from the room, so they can thank their hosts for giving us the tour of the Mount Athos treasures, which is only a small part of the largest collection of Christian art in the world.

Visiting Mount Athos – a place without a sunset

I walk over the coastline of Mt Athos, clearly overdressed for summer. I reflect on this isolated world, full of rules that should not be questioned.

Behind the beach that nobody swam for a thousand years, there is a small chapel and a sizeable rusted metal cross. It seems like a beautiful place to watch the sunset, but there’s no time. The monastery’s doors will close at 8:30 sharp, and the gatekeeper will not let anyone into the fortress after that.

The center of Vatopedi resembles a small Mediterranean village, with the exception that it is hidden behind the walls. Pilgrims stand around the vast paved piazza , checking their mobile phones, some talking to each other. Monks are finishing their daily chores.

The time for the night prayer arrives soon. Semantron will wake them for the morning prayer at 4 am.

They will all gather in the dark ambient of the church, with the trembling light of the candles and oil lamps, until the blue morning light spills in through the windows together with the twitter of just awoken birds. Some monks will be dozing off through the prayers; some will never stop praying.

The cycle of life turns daily here. And nothing really changes! Besides the Mount Athos visitors.

Invisible monks and invisible pilgrims

During my 4-day visit to Mount Athos monasteries, no monk approached me (besides the one who welcomed me with a stick). Out of dozens and dozens of monks in both monasteries, none of them showed any curiosity towards the only visitor who didn’t pray and didn’t kiss the icons.

I felt alone. Maybe that is the whole idea? Perhaps Mt Athos is the place to get together in order to experience the solitude? With everyone else, equally alone?

A dozen monks left the monasteries and, while wandering around the Holy Mountain, received the gift of becoming invisible. These naked hermits will perform the last Liturgy before the second arrival of Christ

Some monks have chosen such a degree of solitude that they even left monasteries, sketes, and cells. Not many people have seen these naked hermits who live in the Garden of the Virgin Mary without any shelter, even when it snows.

The story says that these ascetics reached such a level of enlightenment that they’ve received the gift of becoming invisible! Bathed in Uncreated Light, these special anchorites appear when they want, usually in the presence of monks with purified hearts and some blessed pilgrims.

They estimate that between 7 and 12 of these strict ascetics ramble in the most isolated areas of the Holy Mountain.

Supposedly, when the end days come, just before Christ’s second arrival, the invisible elders would be the ones who would perform the last Liturgy in the world, on the peak of Athos.

Sacral time machine

Before embarking on the boat to Ierissos (10,40 Euros), a policeman asks me: “Icons?”

Besides stealing objects, it is also forbidden to steal videos from the Holy Mountain. But nobody checks for that. “No filming” stays just the warning from the times when one had to have a video camera to do it.

The times change. New monks know about mobile phones, about the internet.

Some monasteries on Mount Athos still survive without even having electricity. Vehicles are quite a recent add-on to Athos’ life too; just 25 years ago, almost everyone was traveling on foot.

While it is true that Athos lives by the Julian calendar, some would argue that they are not just 13 days behind the rest of Europe!

In Ierissos port, as soon as the boat docks, young seminarians undress quickly and run into the sea. Waiving the summer pleasures for four days is a little sacrifice. Waiving them for a lifetime is a whole other story!

Where to stay in Ierissos

GKEEA Boutique Hotel

After four days of being away from civilization, while living on a hygienic minimum and with time-restricted meals, one needs a bit of recovery.

In Ierissos, I found GKEEA Boutique Hotel ; the owners renovated this stylish property in 2015.

Welcome with an open bar with local liqueurs, a comfortable air-conditioned room, and a bathroom with all essential amenities, felt like a true luxury one craves after the ascetic journey to the Holy Mountain.

Finally enjoying the hot shower makes you less guilty when you know the solar energy heated it, technically God himself, so the monks of Mount Athos should approve this tiny bit of luxury at GKEEA Boutique Hotel too.

Probably my favorite part of the stay in GKEEA was its wonderful buffet breakfast. I know this is one of the best boutique hotels in the vicinity of Mount Athos , but for a small and intimate hotel, I wasn’t expecting so many choices that were brightening my mornings here with healthy and organic food, with local produce freshly prepared for the guests! Amazing!

Ierissos looks like a laidback summer resort town. Its long stretch of beach, which is just 100 meters from GKEEA Boutique Hotel, is a perfect place to anchor the female part of the family, while you leave for the male-only Mount Athos retreat .

Mount Athos facts

• Country: Greece
• Government: Autonomous theocratic society
• Mount Athos population (2011): 1811
• Mount Athos size: 335,63 km 2
• The height of Mount Athos peak: 2033 m
• The capital of the polity: Karyes
• The closest airport to Mount Athos: Makedonia Airport – Thessaloniki
• Mount Athos contact information: +30 2310 252578, [email protected]
• Mount Athos official website: www.agioritikiestia.gr

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Getting there

The closest large city is Thessaloniki. The visitor usually starts from there. The city is located around 130kms to the north-west of the Mount Athos point of entry. It has an international airport with many connections to European cities. The city itself is the second largest city in Greece next to Athens. It is surely worth a visit while being in the “neighborhood”. Visitors usually choose to spend at least one day exploring the city before or after their visit to Agion Oros. Another option is to bring the rest of the family along. The men take their trip to Mount Athos and then they can all enjoy the city, the rest of Chalkidiki or the surrounding area together with the family. There are other places of interest too. You can find more suggestions here . We can arrange all your accommodations and transportations according to your needs and preferences.

The only way to enter Mount Athos is by sea. From Thessaloniki one must travel the 130kms by car, taxi or bus. Most visitors embark on one of the vessels leaving from the port of Ouranoupolis on the south side of the peninsula on the gulf of Siggitikos also known as gulf of Agion Oros. If the weather permits there is also a possibility to enter the Mount Athos peninsula from the small port of Ierissos on the northern side, on Strymonian gulf.

The boats from Ouranoupolis take the visitors to Daphni, the main port in the middle of the peninsula. On the way, they also make intermediate stops on monasteries along the coast. From Daphni one can catch a bus to Karies, the administrative centre of the monastic society and from there other buses to any of the monasteries. Or, from Daphni one can travel even further south up until Karoulia, at the foot of the mountain, by corresponding boats. Alternatively, from the north side the boat stops to all the monasteries on the sea, until the monastery Megistis Lavras, if the weather is kind.

Generally speaking the transportation to and from Ouranoupolis is rather easy going. However the bus routes in Mount Athos are not so easy to arrange and the schedules are very flexible. It is advisable to have our assistance as a local contact to make sure that the visiting plan can be followed.

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One-day pilgrimage tour to Mount Athos

Visit the most important shrines of the monastic republic in one day

Description

Athos is an incredible place; the Holy Mountain halfway between Heaven and Earth. For the last 1500 years, Athos has been holding a special place in the Christian Orthodox world: the way of life here is not subject to worldly laws. It’s an autonomous monastic state under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople; an autonomous part of Greece, with Greek being the state language.

Today in Mount Athos there are 20 functioning monasteries, which have patriarchal stauropegial status (17 Greek and three Slavonic: one Russian, one Bulgarian and one Serbian). Apart from the monasteries, there are 12 sketes and more than 500 cells and desert settlements on the Holy Mountain. Overall, about 2,000 monks reside in Mount Athos.

Book our pilgrimage tour, and let’s start exploring the shrines of the Holy Mountain! The program includes visiting the most important monasteries cherished by the Christian Orthodox world.

For more than a thousand years there has been an unbreakable law in Mount Athos, according to which only men are allowed to set foot on the territory of the monastic republic. Women, unfortunately, cannot participate in the tour, but they can buy it as a gift for their loved ones. Women, however, can take a cruise along Mount Athos shores , where the monks of the Holy Mountain bring the miraculous icons and relics of the saints to the cruise ships.

Program of the trip

The pilgrimage begins in Ouranoupoli where we take a boat to the Athonite State. We arrive at the pier of the St. Panteleimon Monastery in Athos, where the honorable head and the miracle-working icon of the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon are treasured.

On to the next point of our journey. It'll be Karyes , the capital of Athos, with the Parliament and representative offices of all the 20 monasteries. The major temple here is the Protaton, the church of the head of the monastic community, or Protos. Karyes is also home to the primary shrine of Athos: the “Axion Estin” icon (“It is Truly Meet/Right”), dated 962, depicting the Theotokos (Mother of God), who is the patroness of the whole Athos.

Then, we visit the majestic skete of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called , built by Russian monks and benefactors, where the Honorable Head of this great Saint and one of the closest disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ rests.

We then head on to the Iviron monastery hosting the miracle-working icon the Iviron Theotokos and more relics of canonized holy saints than any other monastery in Athos.

Upon finishing the pilgrimage, we take a boat from the pier of the St. Panteleimon Monastery back to Ouranoupoli.

• 7:30 — arrival to the meeting point with the guide in Ouranoupoli
• 17:30 — approximate time of the trip wrap-up in Ouranoupoli

During the trip, pilgrims are accompanied by a Christian Orthodox guide and travel about the monastic republic in an SUV or minibus.

Please note that the pilgrimage center reserves the right to change the sequence of visits and the list of monasteries due to weather, transportation and other reasons beyond our control.

Price includes

• Diamonitirion booking
• Transportation in Mount Athos
• Professional guide in Mount Athos
• Regular speed-boat Ouranoupoli – Athos tickets
• Regular ferry boat Athos – Ouranoupoli

Price doesn't include

• Transfer to the city of Ouranoupoli and back (may be booked additionally upon request)
• Diamonitirion issuing fee – €25/person (€10 per child up to 18 y.o.)

Please note

• The cost for one person is €650. The cost for groups 2-3 pax is €350/person; for groups 4-6 pax the price is €280/person
• The maximum group size is 6 people
• Normally, Athos visa processing takes up to two days (if not preceded by weekend/holidays)
• Visa application may be rejected without cause
• Passport is required for obtaining the Diamonitirion visa
• When in Athos, please, be respectful of the rules of the monastic state (the guide will walk you through them)
• During the pilgrimage, meals are not included
• Photo and video shooting are permitted on all the territory of Athos except for temples and, in some cases, monasteries

Pilgrims are expected to wear neutral clothes covering their knees, shoulders, and arms, as well as a headcover, if suited to the weather​.

Things to take

• Passport for obtaining Diamonitirion/visa
• Photo camera/phone with plenty of storage space for documenting your spiritual journey
• Bottled water

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Exiting nps.gov

Alerts in effect, angels landing permits & hiking.

Planned trail maintenance will close the route to Angels Landing from April 1 to April 4, 2024. We will not issue any permits to hike on those days.

Learning the lottery outcome

• If you cancel your permit at least two days before your hike, we will refund the $3 per person fee.
• You can get your permit by logging in to your account on recreation.gov
• You did not get a permit and can consider applying again the day before your hike or for a future Seasonal Lottery.  

After you get your permit

You will get an email from recreation.gov confirming that you got a permit. This confirmation email serves as your permit. Print or download a copy of the confirmation email and bring it with you on your hike. Mobile phone service is unreliable at the permit checkpoint so be sure to print or download before you arrive. 

Day-before Lottery

When to apply.

You can apply for a permit the day before your planned hike. This lottery opens every day at 12:01 a.m. and closes at 3 p.m. Mountain Time (MT).

Note: It costs $6 to apply for a permit. The fee covers an application for up to 6 people (including the person filling out the application). This fee is non-refundable.  

How to time your application

Apply on the day before you want to hike between 12:01 a.m. and 3 p.m. MT. For example: If you want to hike on a Tuesday, you need to apply between 12:01 a.m. and 3 p.m. MT on Monday. We will issue permits at 4 p.m. MT on Monday.  

At 4 p.m. MT on the day you apply, we will send you an email to let you know:

• This fee is not refundable.
• You did not get a permit and can try again in a future lottery.  

You will get an email from recreation.gov confirming that you got a permit. This confirmation email serves as your permit. Print or download a copy of the confirmation email and bring it with you on your hike. Mobile phone service is unreliable at the permit checkpoint so be sure to print or download before you arrive. 

Getting a refund or changing your permit

Cancellation policy.

You cannot change your permit. All fees are non-refundable.

Seasonal Lottery

If you get a permit using the seasonal lottery, you can cancel the permit until two days before the permit reservation date for a full refund of the $3 per person fee. The $6 application fee is not refundable. Canceled seasonal lottery permits will automatically roll into the day-before lottery.  

Change Policy

You can reduce the group size on your permit until two days before the permit reservation date. If you reduce the number of people on your permit, you will get a refund for the $3 per person fee for each person you take off of the permit. The $6 application fee is not refundable. 

Example:  If you have a permit to hike on a Friday, June 24, you can cancel it or reduce the number of people on it until 11:59 p.m. MT on the Wednesday, June 22. If you reduce the number of people on your permit or cancel it, recreation.gov will refund the $3 per person fee for each person who is removed or canceled.

You cannot:

• Increase the number of people in your group
• Change the date of your hike
• Change the permitee (transfer the permit).
• Change to an alternate leader.

Permits are not transferable.

Embed Video

Learn how to apply for a permit on recreation.gov to hike at Angels Landing in Zion National Park.

Learn more about hiking at Angels Landing

After you get a permit

Prepare for your hike! Along this 5.4 mile round-trip hike, you will gain 1,488 feet in elevation. M ost hikers take around 4 hours to complete the hike, but some take longer. Check the seasonal shuttle schedule before you leave to make sure you do not miss the last shuttle. Print or download your permit and carry a flashlight or headlamp with new batteries, some food and lots of water just in case you end up out later than you planned. The trail is well marked, but bring a park map in case you get disoriented. Always carry and drink plenty of water, dress in layers, know the forecast, and check conditions in the park to get ready for your hike.

Before your hike

Print or download your permit.

You need to print or download the confirmation email from recreation.gov that says you got a permit (this serves as your permit) before you get to the trailhead. A ranger may check your permit at the Grotto (Shuttle Stop 6), at Scout Lookout or along the trail. If you do not have your permit with you, we may not allow you to take your hike.

Treat your feet right

Check the weather forecast, get to the trailhead, at the trailhead, fill your water bottle, go before you go, leave no trace.

• Protect the canyon walls, rocks, and trees from graffiti and vandalism.
• Leave rocks as you find them and do not stack rock cairns.
• Protect the natural sounds of the canyon by talking softly and using headphones for music.

On the trail

The hike along the West Rim Trail to Angels Landing is strenuous. Your safety on the trail is your responsibility, and we want to share some tips so that you reduce the risks and have an enjoyable hike.

Stay hydrated

Enjoy scout lookout.

You do not need a permit to go to Scout Lookout.   

You do need a permit to go past Scout Lookout on to the part of the trail with Chains.

For many people, Scout Lookout is a reasonable stopping point. You will have to hike the West Rim Trail  from Zion Canyon to this viewpoint. and you will covering most of the distance and elevation gain for the hike. If you or someone in your group has a fear of heights, consider splitting up here and regrouping at a specified time and place. It can be a great option to head up the West Rim Trail to get views overlooking Angels Landing and Zion Canyon. You do not need a permit to hike on the West Rim Trail.

Be mindful of conditions

Even if you have a permit, it may not be advisable for you to hike if the weather is bad when you are in Zion. Do not attempt to ascend if:

Storm clouds are in the area.

The ground is wet or icy (the rock becomes very slick when wet; most accidents on the chains occur during wet conditions).

It is dark or will be dark before you finish.

• You have any fear of heights.

Watch for rockfall

Rockfall hazards occur throughout the park and are especially high near any cliff face. If you witness a rockfall, quickly move away from the cliff. If you are near the base of a cliff or talus (loose rock) slope when a rockfall happens and cannot quickly move away from the base of the cliff, immediately seek shelter behind the largest nearby boulder and pull your backpack over your head. After rocks have stopped falling, move quickly as far away from the base of the cliff as possible. Be aware that rockfalls can occur at any time. Pay attention to your surroundings, stay off of closed trails, and, if unsure, keep away from cliffs.

Use caution on the Angels Landing Chains

You need to have a permit to hike the Angels Landing chains.

Take your time and be patient with slower hikers.

Allow faster hikers to pass you (when possible).

• Where available, remain within reach of the chains.
• Be considerate. There are many places that are only safe for one person to travel the two-way route. Communicate and take turns with others.
• In winter, the metal chains are very cold. Gloves may be useful.

Watch for wildlife

Keep wildlife wild : respect them from a distance. Squirrels, ravens, chipmunks, and other animals live along the trail; never feed them or allow them to get your food. Do not leave your pack unattended (e.g., at the base of the chains or while you take a nap).  California condors are the largest bird in North America and you might see one near Angels Landing. Please respect these critically endangered birds by keeping your distance. Never feed or approach a condor.

Pack out your trash and recreate responsibly

Pack it in, pack it out, don't roll rocks.

In Zion, you will commonly be above other people and wildlife. Do not throw anything over the edge of the trail. Angels Landing is a nesting area for many birds and rock climbers are often below. A falling rock could injure or kill.

Logistics and other information

Emergencies.

Even if you plan well and bring the right equipment, you might still have problems. If you need help, try to call 911. If you have cell and/or data service, a call will connect you with the Zion Dispatch Office. If you do not have cell and/or data service ( most people cannot connect to a mobile network in Zion Canyon ), find a park ranger or park volunteer on the trail or at a trailhead.

More Information

• Learn more about why we issue permits to hike at Angels Landing and about Zion's Visitor Use Research and Planning .
• If you have a Commercial Use Authorization to guide hikes in the park, please contact the Zion Commercial Services to discuss options. If you want to find a guide, consult our list of authorized guides . No matter when you plan to hike Angels Landing, you will need a permit

If you do not receive a permit

You can hike about 2.25 mi (3.62 km) from the Grotto (Shuttle Stop #6) to Scout Lookout on the West Rim Trail without a permit.

Hiking to Scout Lookout is strenuous and you will climb 1000 ft (305 m). Hikers at Scout Lookout get scenic views of Zion Canyon. The half mile route with chains to Angels Landing starts at Scout Lookout. You need a permit to go from Scout Lookout to Angels Landing.

There are many other trails in Zion Canyon. Learn more about hiking in Zion.

An album with materials you can print to share QR codes, tips, and updates with people planning trips to Zion

Learn about the Free Zion Canyon Shuttle Service.

Maps, shuttle schedules, hiking, and camping information. Check here for materials translated into languages other than English.

Last updated: April 22, 2024

Park footer

Contact info, mailing address:.

Zion National Park 1 Zion Park Blvd. Springdale, UT 84767

435-772-3256 If you have questions, please email [email protected]. Listen to recorded information by calling anytime 24 hours a day. Rangers answer phone calls from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. MT, but a ranger may not answer if they are already speaking with someone else.

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Books for Explorers: The Atlas of Unusual Borders

T hose of us who do expeditions rely on maps for everything from sparking ideas to route planning. Most countries have clear borders, but this is not always the case. In his book The Atlas of Unusual Borders , Zoran Nikolic explores the oddities of the world’s borders and how they came to be.

It turns out that around the globe, there are several border anomalies. These are potential annoyances when planning, but they are also geographical markers of historical events and political conflicts. For hundreds of years, people have fought over pieces of land. Nikolic comments that the borders we now look at are “lines giving the impression of scars left by man on the face of our planet.”

Below, a few of the border idiosyncrasies detailed within the book.

Diomede Islands: Russia-U.S.

Big Diomede and Little Diomede are part of the same archipelago in the Bering Strait. They are just four kilometers apart, and on a clear day you can see the neighboring island across the water. Despite this closeness, they fall on a border that has partly been dictated by politics but also separated by time. 

The International Date Line falls directly between them. Big Diomede belongs to Russia, while Little Diomede is part of the U.S. If you look out from Little Diomede, you can see another country, continent, and day on Big Diomede.

During the Cold War, all the inhabitants of Big Diomede were forced onto mainland Russia so that they did not contact their American neighbors on Little Diomede. These exiles never returned. Instead, there is now a small military base on the island. Meanwhile, just 150 people live on Little Diomede. 

The Diomedes in world news

In 1987, American swimmer Lynne Cox brought the two islands to the forefront of world news. To try and ease the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, she took on a swim to open the border between the countries.

Starting in Little Diomede, she swam the 4.3km across the Bering Strait to Big Diomede. As she plunged into the sea, the icy water took her breath away. “The cold was like a huge vampire pulling the heat from my body,” she said later.

In just a swimsuit and cap, her body temperature plummeted. By the time she got out, her fingers were grey and her hands looked like they belonged to a cadaver.

Organizing the swim was no mean feat. The Cold War was still underway. For years, she tried to get permission to undertake the swim, but her requests to cross the border were ignored. Eventually, she decided to attempt it regardless. With 30 hours to go, two Soviet ships appeared in the Strait. The U.S. responded by sending fighter jets. Twenty-four hours before her swim, she finally received permission from President Gorbachev. In the end, a Russian support vessel accompanied her and she was met by a Russian welcoming party.

In a later meeting with President Reagan, Gorbachev raised a glass to her and  commented, “She proved by her courage how close to each other our peoples live.”

Pheasant Island, France/Spain

Pheasant Island is a small, uninhabited piece of land in the middle of the River Bidasoa. It is co-owned by two countries, France and Spain. It is one of the most peculiar border territories out there. Rather than share the island, each country owns it for six months of the year. 

For the first half of the year, it belongs to the Spanish city of Irun. Then it switches hands to the French town of Hendaye. Since the agreement came into place 350 years ago, the small island has changed nationality over 700 times. 

Now shut off to visitors, it was once an important neutral territory and home to a landmark event between Spain and France. In 1659, the island hosted the three-month negotiation that ended in Treaty of the Pyrenees, which ended the Franco-Spanish War.

A year later, a Royal wedding took place on the same spot to mark the occasion: French King Louis XIV married Maria Theresa of Spain.

Mount Athos: Greece 

Mount Athos sits on the Athos Peninsula in northeastern Greece. It is an autonomous state under Greek sovereignty. While other countries do not contest ownership, Mount Athos has a unique idiosyncrasy: It is the only territory on Earth with an all-male population. 

In mythology, there are two stories about this mysterious mountain. The first starts with Athos, a Thracian giant. During the battle between the gods and the giants, he was going to throw a massive rock at Poseidon when it slipped from his hands and crashed into the sea. Thus, Mount Athos was formed.

The second story tells why the port is called Daphne. Ironically, for what is now an all-male territory, it was named after Daphne, daughter of the Arcadian King. When Apollo fell in love with her, Daphne ran to away to the island to resist temptation and protect her virginity.

Priests and monks began to settle on the peninsula at the end of the 8th century. Now it is home to 2,000 monks who live within its 20 monasteries. Though it has always been considered Greek, it has been contested a number of times. During the Ottoman Empire, it fell to the Turks, but the Greek military later emancipated it.

Ensued a long period of tension with Russia, which questioned the sovereignty of Athos. After the First World War, it was formerly declared part of Greece. Surprisingly, during World War II, though the Germans occupied Greece, Hitler left this tiny section of land alone.

No females, except chickens and cats

It is possible to visit Mount Athos, but there are two strict rules. You must have a permit and you must be male. It is the only place in the world that bans women from entering. The rule does not just apply to humans. They try to exclude females of any species. The only exceptions are cats and chickens.

This explicit rule makes recent discoveries even more mysterious. In 2019, construction workers uncovered a number of remains underneath a Byzantine Chapel. Anthropologist Laura Wynn-Antikas was brought into study them.

“Bones don’t lie,” she told The Guardian at the time. “They will tell you how a person lived and perhaps how they died.”

A number of the bones were so small they had to be female, she said. The bones were clearly part of a second burial. They had been moved to the site from somewhere else.

The monastery that owns the chapel is equally intrigued by the mystery and has suggested further analysis to uncover the truth. Who is the mystery woman buried on a mountain that has been home to only men since the eighth century?

The post Books for Explorers: The Atlas of Unusual Borders   appeared first on Explorersweb .

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Geographic coordinates of Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast, Russia

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Coordinates of Elektrostal in decimal degrees

Coordinates of elektrostal in degrees and decimal minutes, utm coordinates of elektrostal, geographic coordinate systems.

WGS 84 coordinate reference system is the latest revision of the World Geodetic System, which is used in mapping and navigation, including GPS satellite navigation system (the Global Positioning System).

Geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) define a position on the Earth’s surface. Coordinates are angular units. The canonical form of latitude and longitude representation uses degrees (°), minutes (′), and seconds (″). GPS systems widely use coordinates in degrees and decimal minutes, or in decimal degrees.

Latitude varies from −90° to 90°. The latitude of the Equator is 0°; the latitude of the South Pole is −90°; the latitude of the North Pole is 90°. Positive latitude values correspond to the geographic locations north of the Equator (abbrev. N). Negative latitude values correspond to the geographic locations south of the Equator (abbrev. S).

Longitude is counted from the prime meridian ( IERS Reference Meridian for WGS 84) and varies from −180° to 180°. Positive longitude values correspond to the geographic locations east of the prime meridian (abbrev. E). Negative longitude values correspond to the geographic locations west of the prime meridian (abbrev. W).

UTM or Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate system divides the Earth’s surface into 60 longitudinal zones. The coordinates of a location within each zone are defined as a planar coordinate pair related to the intersection of the equator and the zone’s central meridian, and measured in meters.

Elevation above sea level is a measure of a geographic location’s height. We are using the global digital elevation model GTOPO30 .

Elektrostal , Moscow Oblast, Russia

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40 Facts About Elektrostal

Written by Lanette Mayes

Modified & Updated: 01 Jun 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

• Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
• With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy , materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes , offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development .

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy , with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

Elektrostal's fascinating history, vibrant culture, and promising future make it a city worth exploring. For more captivating facts about cities around the world, discover the unique characteristics that define each city . Uncover the hidden gems of Moscow Oblast through our in-depth look at Kolomna. Lastly, dive into the rich industrial heritage of Teesside, a thriving industrial center with its own story to tell.

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