1. What country is Mount Athos in?
Mount Athos or Agion Oros is located in Greece, specifically on the third peninsula of Halkidiki.
2. Where is Mount Athos? Where is Mount Athos monastery?
Mount Athos monastic republic is located in Central Macedonia, Greece, at the third and easternmost part of the prefecture of Halkidiki.
3. How tall is Mount Athos?
Mount Athos is located on the Athos Peninsula in Greece and has an elevation of 2,033 meters.
4. When was Mount Athos built? When was Mount Athos founded? How old is Mount Athos?
The history of Mount Athos dates back to the 12th century. Notably, the first chapel at the summit of Mount Athos was founded in 965 by Saint Athanasios the Athonite.
You can read more information about the history of Mount Athos and how it was founded in the article Mount Athos History.
5. How to visit Mount Athos? How to enter Mount Athos?
To enter Mount Athos, the following procedure is required:
1.Contact the Pilgrims' Office
2.Reserve and issue a Residence Permit called “Diamonitirio” through the Pilgrims' Office
3.Collect the Diamonitirio on the day of your departure
For detailed information and step by step guide on how to enter Mount Athos read the article How Can I Visit Mount Athos - The Process for Issuing a Residence Permit "Diamonitirio" from the Pilgrims Office
6. How to contact the Pilgrims' Office?
There are two Pilgrims' Offices - one is located in Thessaloniki and the other in Ouranoupoli, Halkidiki.
Contact Information of Pligrims’ Office in Thessaloniki:
- Phone: +30 2310 252575 (for Greek citizens), +30 2310 252578 (for foreign visitors).
- Address: 109 Egnatia Street, Postal Code 54635, Thessaloniki.
- Office Hours: Monday to Friday 09:00 – 14:00 and Saturday 10:00 – 12:00.
Contact Information of Pligrims’ in Ouranoupoli:
- Phone: +30 23770 71421
- Address: A few meters before the port.
- Office Hours: Monday to Friday 05:30 - 13:00, Saturday from 06:00 - 13:00 and Sunday from 08:00 - 13:00
7. How to collect the Diamonitirio?
- From Ouranoupoli, Halkidiki: At the local office upon presentation of your ID or passport.
- From Ierissos, Halkidiki: For those departing from there to the eastern side of Mount Athos, via the local travel agent.
8. How much is the cost to enter Mount Athos?
- 25€ for Orthodox Christians
- 30€ for non-Orthodox visitors
- 10€ for specific groups (students, soldiers, people with disabilities)
9. Where to stay in Mount Athos?
During your visit to Mount Athos, your accommodation will vary depending on the itinerary you choose to follow:
1. If you choose to ascent the summit of Mount Athos (Agion Oros), it is recommended that you spend the night at:
-The Stavros location: small shelters accommodating 3–4 people
- The Panagia Refuge, located at a higher altitude
2. If you wish to explore the spiritual and cultural heritage of Mount Athos and witness the monastic way of life up close, it is appropriate to stay at one of the twenty Holy Monasteries of Mount Athos, depending on the availability.
10. Why is Mount Athos a holy place? Why is Mount Athos so important? What is Mount Athos known for?
Mount Athos is an important place and is known for religious, historical, cultural, spiritual and natural reasons:
1. Religious reasons: Mount Athos is the largest and oldest center of Orthodox monasticism in the world.
2. Historical reasons: Mount Athos holds immense historical wealth, including priceless manuscripts, icons, relics, and monuments of Byzantine heritage.
3. Cultural reasons: Mount Athos has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1988.
4. Spiritual reasons: The Holy Mount Athos is a place of prayer, tranquility, and ascetic life.
5. Enviromental reasons: The Athonite peninsula consists of a rich natural environment with arable land and dense forests that give us the gifts of nature, like honey, wine and olive oil of excellent quality.
11. What to do in Mount Athos?
There are several things you can do on Mount Athos:
1. Visit and stay at the monasteries of Mount Athos and experience the everyday ascetic life of the monks.
2. Hike along the traditional mountain trails.
3. Climb to the summit of Mount Athos.
4. Experience prayer and tranquility, away from worldly life.
5. Before you enter Mount Athos, you can explore Ouranoupoli and the beautiful beaches of Halkidiki.
Read the article: Useful information for hiking on Mount Athos
12. Can you climb Mount Athos?
Yes, it is possible to reach the summit of Mount Athos, which dominates the Athos Peninsula in the region of Halkidiki and rises to an altitude of 2,033 meters. Climbing to the top is a truly unique experience. However, it is a particularly demanding route that requires experience, careful planning, appropriate equipment and the use of up-to-date maps.
For detailed information about the hiking on Mount Athos read the article: Climbing on the Summit of Mount Athos - Useful Information
13. What will you need for the climb of Mount Athos?
For the ascent to the summit of Mount Athos, you will need experience, good equipment, weather forecasting and a navigation map in printed form due to the lack of signal.
Find here: Detailed Hiking Map of Mount Athos
Read also: Paths Trails of Mount Athos - Hiking on Athos Peninsula
14. Can you visit Mount Athos? Can Catholics visit Mount Athos?
Many people wonder if Catholics or men of other religions can visit Mount Athos. It is important to note that the Garden of Virgin Mary can be visited by all male:
- Orthodox Christians
- non-Orthodox Christians
- followers of other religions (such as Catholics)
- special groups of pilgrims, including students, university students, soldiers, people with disabilities
- fathers of large families
15. Can women visit Mount Athos? Why is Mount Athos male only?
According to the rule of cella, entry to Mount Athos is strictly permitted only to men. This prohibition has been in place for over a thousand years and is linked to the appearance of the Holy Virgin Mary on Mount Athos.
Read the article: Miraculous Icon: Virgin Mary of Mount Athos
16. How is Mount Athos diet? What food monks eat on Mount Athos?
The cuisine of Mount Athos is highly simple but delicious, and based on recipes beneficial to health. The Athonite diet relies primarily on vegetables, legumes, and the bounty of the sea that surrounds Mount Athos, while excluding meat throughout the entire year.
Read also: Monastic Recipes
17. Mount Athos recipes
Monastic recipes include:
Vegetables, such as stuffed zucchini flowers, fried potato croquettes, etc.
Legumes, like baked chickpeas, mount athos lentils with rice, etc.
Fish, for example fresh cod, baked sea bass, etc.
Mollusks and shellfish, such as crabs with tomato sauce and cuttlefish baked in oven (Plaki).
18. When does Mount Athos celebrate Christmas?
Christmas on Mount Athos, in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, on Mount Sinai, and in other Orthodox Churches is celebrated according to the old calendar, that is, on January 7.
