Mount Athos

From World travel guide

Mount Athos (Άγιο Όρος Ayio Oros, classically Ἅγιον Ὄρος Agion Oros)) is a mountain and a peninsula in Macedonia, northern Greece.

Contents 1 Understand 2 Get in 3 Get around 4 See 5 Do 6 Eat 7 Drink 8 Stay safe 9 Get out 10 External links

Understand

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this peninsula of 390 km² houses some 1,400 monks in 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries. An autonomous state under Greek sovereignty, entry into the area is strictly controlled and only male monks are allowed to live there.

Get in

A fair bit of advance preparation and battling with bureaucracy is necessary to visit Mount Athos.

1. A permit ("Diamonitiria") is required for both individuals and groups. This is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate of Churches (at No 2, Zalokosta Street, in Athens, tel: 3626.894) or by the Ministry of Northern Greece, Directorate of Civil Affairs at Diikitiriou Square in Thessaloniki, tel. 031/270.092.
2. Women are not admitted into the territory.
3. Overnight stay is forbidden except for those who have proven religious or scientific interests in the area and are over 18 years old.

Diamonitiria (permit to reside) are issued by the offices of Mount Athos, at Ouranoupolis (on the right side of the port). In order to get their diamonitirio visitors must show their identity cards and pay the sum of €18 (Orthodox visitors) or €35 (non-Orthodox). Foreign visitors also need:

1. A Letter of recommendation from their embassy in Athens or their consulate in Thessaloniki.

1. A Permit of entry to Mount Athos 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).

1. Passport.

contact:

   The Holy Executive of the Holy Mount Athos Pilgrims' Bureau 
   109 EGNATIA STR. 
   546 22, Thessaloniki 
   Greece 

Telephone and Fax Communications:

From Telephone No. Fax No. UK 00 30 2310 252578 00 30 2310 222424 USA 011 30 2310 252578 011 30 2310 222424

Get around

See

Do

Eat

Drink

Stay safe

Get out

External links

• http://www.greecetravel.com/thessaloniki/athos.html
• http://abacus.bates.edu/~rallison/friends/friendsplanning.html

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