The Touristic Info Halkidiki informs - Make a pilgrimage to Mount Athos

Residence permit:

A visit to Mount Athos, the monastic community with 20 monasteries and many Skites is a unique experience.

This is exclusively for men, because there is Avato, this means that women are not allowed to enter the monastic state. Female animals, except wild, are not held on Mount Athos.

Men need a visa, it is called Diamonitirion which is for 4 days to visit Mount Athos and its monasteries.
We take care of all formalities and make sure everything is ready for your arrival. To do this, please contact us: Contact

Entry:

Once you have the confirmation, the Diamonitirion, you can take it from the Office of the Holy Mountain in Ouranoupolis.
You have to pay an additional 35 € and take the Diamonitirion. You should always carry with you the Diamonitirion, because the monks may request it.

Accommodation in the monasteries on Mount Athos:

Visitors of Mount Athos are pilgrims, not tourists. At the monasteries is very important to dress and behave properly. In general, you can dine for free as a pilgrim to the monasteries of monks.

Nights:

When the Archondarikas greets the pilgrim, he wants to see the Diamonitirion. The Archondarikas is the monk who is to welcome the pilgrims and accompany them to the monastery.
After checking the Diamonitirion, he leads the pilgrims in the Archondariki (reception room). There, the pilgrim receives a Greek coffee, a Lukumi (dessert) and a Tsipouro (distilled grape brandy).

This type of reception stems from a time when people were traveling only on foot or with pack animals. The coffee is to be awake, the Tsipouro to warm and the Lukumi for the sugar level.
The Archondarikas also takes care about the sleeping in one of the Kelia (small room in the monastery).

Be sure to take the following things with you:

• Diamonitirion
• ID card
• Hiking boots or sturdy shoes
• Slippers
• Only long sleeves and long pants
• In winter warm underwear
• Underwear
• Towels
• Toilet paper - wet toilet paper
• Toiletries
• Sweets
• Sparkling tablets
• Tablets for diarrhea
• Tablets for headaches
• Tablets for heartburn
• Tablets for toothache
• Book
• Flashlight
• Lighter
• Matches
• Emergency phone numbers
• Camera and extra batteries
• Mobile phone
• Charger for your phone (12/200 Volt)
• A small mirror
• Maybe a dictionary
• Maybe 2 pillowcases
• Maybe socks or black underwear as a gift for the monks