Nestled off the coast of Thessaloniki is an autonomous peninsula under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. It is home to over 20 monasteries, forbids women from setting foot there, and is high on my bucket list of places to visit. It’s called Mount Athos.
We ended our Balkans trip in Thessaloniki, Greece. The ancient city features great culture offerings and is a destination itself, but during my visit I learned of Mount Athos. In fact, the General Manager of the Hyatt Regency in Thessaloniki had just returned from a spiritual retreat there. He raved about it, both in terms of the religious experience and the beauty of it.
Mount Athos is steeped in history and has been home for Christian monks since 1054. Since 1988, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site. It features about 1,200 permanent residents, who take life far more slowly than we do in the West.
Visiting Mount Athos
The nation is opened to male visitors, welcoming pilgrims to explore or contemplate their faith.
From Thessaloniki, the closest major city, you travel to the port of Ouranoupoli then take a boat there. It’s not easily-accessible. Furthermore, you cannot just show up. You need a visa, called diamonitirion. Only 100 visitors are allowed on the island each day and of that 100, only 15 of other beliefs.
Thus, a trip to Mount Athos requires plenty of advance planning. For me, going a few days without internet will require a great deal more planning. But it is somewhere my brother and I wish to go. We made a pact eight years ago to return to Mount Athos and I hope we can do that sooner rather than later. With each of us welcoming newborns this spring, we may have to wait a bit longer though…
Visits to Mount Athos are not about vacation. Pilgrims are expected to participate in prayers and services throughout the day. There is time for somber reflection. Meals are simple. Words, beyond liturgy, are scarce.
And while I don’t view such rituals as magical or even necessarily helpful (though I hope they will be), it is an experience I crave. One reason is because I just cannot find the time in my busy Southern California life to do so here. Even doing COVID-19 lockdowns, I have not spent a day reading and thinking about life’s deeper meanings. And as the cities burn and politics plus division depresses me, I must admit I want to escape it…and Mount Athos seems like the best place to escape to.
CONCLUSION
Greece is opening again to tourism this month. I fear I am far too late for a visit this summer and don’t want to leave my family anyway. But this winter is a whole different story…I’m going to start working on it now.
Have you been to Mount Athos? How was it?
When I saw male-only island I thought you’d be going to Mykonos.
Lol.
Why support a sexist island. Ridiculous.
Would you say it’s high on your bucket list to visit a whites only racist island?
RE: sexism. Context matters.
As for your second question, I visit all places of the world, including despotic, totalitarian regimes that I loathe. Just as visiting the DPRK is high on my bucket list for observational reasons, so would visiting the sort of island dystopia you mention. Not for enjoyment, certainly not to support it, but because it is there and shines light on human depravity.
@Greg, you are such a moron.
@Andy K, agreed.
It’s a monastery hence no women. Lol
It looks beautiful. I’m a woman so they won’t let me on shore:( But luckily lots of beautiful remote places int he world for contemplation and a slow pace. Actually I have that right here in the black hills of south dakota.
Surprise, surprise. The guy who accuses Thailand of being a more dangerous regime than Saudi Arabia dreams of going to a male-only island.
Take a look at this article – it’s 10 years old but is a fascinating read. It seems that the monks are more shrewd and politically connected than we are led to believe.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2010/10/greeks-bearing-bonds-201010
I got jealous about the male only island part 😉
Looks like an Aman. Which has about the same odds for a hookup.
Greece is the name of the country that Thessaloniki is in, not Greek. FYI
Just a typo…
I can only imagine the debauchery that goes on there. Reminds of Scandal in the Vatican II.
His Most Godly Beatitude and His Eminences of Orthodoxy do not engage in such jiggery-pokery. Rome stands alone as the harlot of the seven hills ( or so my crazy Aunt told me…)
“And as the cities burn and politics plus division depresses me, I must admit I want to escape it”
Maybe focus more on helping to change things for the better, if your ennuie is that big of a factor in your daily life.
Then again, it might be fun to see a trip report from you on this, if only to see you spending time rating the coffee that is served to you there, and taking off points because there was no barista served coffee there…
If you need any assistance , let me know . I reside in Thessaloniki. Mount Athos is not an island. There is 4G connection everywhere in Athos.
I have been there many times.
It is a life changing experience.
Matthew,
I’m not sure if you’ll see this comment because I’m a day late, but I’ve been thinking about it since I first read it this morning and I need to correct you, kindly, on one thing: if you can’t find an escape from life at home then going to a far-off peninsula won’t help. Peace in life comes from having a solid base. For those of us who are religious that starts with faith, followed by family. For others it starts with family, community, principles, or any other good thing. Finding peace in everyday life is hard, to be sure, but it’s also the most important place to find it. In my experience it requires the resetting of priorities. Just a thought for you with everything crazy you have going on in life.
I appreciate your comment, though I am going to politely disagree. Virtually my entire life takes place at home. Being self-employed, I work at home…it is the source of great joy with my family and great stress with my business. And thus when I am home there is always work to be done. Work on the house. Work for my businesses. Work in the garden. It’s a never-ending cycle. Thus, instead of home being a place of refuge, it is both a refuge and prison, depending upon the time of day and the task I am doing.
Ultimately, I have peace through my relationship with Jesus.
On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand….
And yet even Jesus needed a break…he loved taking naps and getting out on the Galilee because he just needed a pause from His noble duties.
I view Mount Athos in the same way. The refreshing thing about travel is that it allows for a reset and the great thing about Mount Athos in particular is that there is no mobile phone reception or internet so I must truly unplug. I know you can say there is nothing stopping me from doing that now at home, but I just cannot…not when there is email coming in 24/7 and always fires to put out.
Thanks for your reply. To be clear, I don’t disagree. I’m completely with you that travel can be a much needed break. My point is simply that the great trick to life, and I’m sure you already know this, is to be able to find peace and happiness regardless of one’s circumstances. That’s much easier when one has a solid base. For us that’s faith and family. For others it may be something else. But having that base makes it possible to find peace even on the most stressful days, even if the world is falling apart. The best part about that sort of inner peace is that it can be found without leaving one’s home. Of course, a good trip can help too!
That being said, I would also love to visit Mt Athos some time, so I’m also with you there.