From Monachos.net

Securing the proper documentation to visit the Holy Mountain.

Mount Athos is open only to men, and then there are several formalities which must be completed prior to making a pilgrimage or otherwise visiting the Holy Mountain. This document will attempt to describe those formalities in as much detail as possible, though it is advised that the protocols of the Community may change at their behest, and one is always encouraged to phone the Athos Pilgrim's Office in Thessaloniki (tel. 03+031-861-611) to find out the most current details for the trip.

(1) If you are a member of the clergy or a monastic of any church or tradition (Orthodox or otherwise), you must obtain written permission to visit Mt Athos from the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (currently His All-Holiness Bartholomaios II). Visit the Ecumenical Patriarchate on-line to obtain current contact information (postal address, phone/fax) for the Patriarch.

(2) If you are a member of the laity (i.e. not ordained), either Orthodox or otherwise, you must organise your visit through the Mt Athos Pilgrim's office in Thessaloniki. Pilgrims are admitted to Athos on a daily basis that is composed of two quotas: 120 Orthodox pilgrims and 10 non-Orthodox visitors may enter Athos each day, having first obtained proper documentation that outlines a permissable duration of stay (usually four days). This documentation is called the diamonitirion, and serves as one's "entrance pass" to the Holy Mountain.

To obtain your diamonitirion, you must follow the proper steps:

• Telephone or fax the Mt Athos Pilgrim's Office in Thessaloniki (tel. 03+031-861-611, fax.03+031-861-811) at least six months before your intended visit. If you are an Orthodox pilgrim, you may not need to book so far in advance (the daily quota of Orthodox pilgrims is much higher than that for non-Orthodox), though it is generally a good idea, especially if your visit will fall in the summer months. If you can be flexible with your dates, you may find that you are able to be received on the Holy Mountain without need for such a lengthy warning.
• Send a copy of your passport by post (not fax, unless you ask first) to the Pilgrim's Office at:

Mt Athos Pilgrim's Office
Kon. Karamanli 14
Thessaloniki, 54638
-GREECE-

If you are planning to enter Athos as part of the Orthodox daily quota, you will also need to include, in the same envelope, a copy of your certificate of baptism or chrismation.

• Call the office again two weeks before your intended arrival, to confirm your reservation. The staff in the Pilgrim's Office will inform you if there have been any changes to your entrance status.
• Visit the office in Thessaloniki at any time up to two weeks before the date of your intended arrival on Athos. You will need to present your passport in order to pick up your entrance number. (The office is generally open 9am-1pm, but it is a very good idea to phone first, as the actual hours can be somewhat erratic.)
• Travel from Thessaloniki to Ouranoupolis, the last town on secular Athos. Busses run eight times daily from the Halkidiki bus terminal in Thessaloniki (tel. 924-444, don't expect the operator to speak English), from 6.00am - 8.00pm, for a fee of 2500dr. The ride takes approximately three hours, such that if you catch the 6.00am bus, you can arrive in Ouranoupolis in time to make the 9.45am ferry to Daphne (however, it is generally much more comfortable to travel to Ouranoupolis the evening before, spend the night in one of the town's many hotels, and catch the ferry the following morning).
• When you arrive in Ouranoupolis, you must head to the local Pilgrim's Office (found on the western end of town, near the waterfront) and have your entrance papers converted into a diamonitirion for a charge of 8000dr (4000dr for students with valid ISIC card). Note that you must strictly observe the arrival date printed on your papers: if you show up in the office a day before or after the date shown, you will not be admitted.

Once you have obtained your diamonitirion, you are ready to catch the ferry to Daphne, the port of monastic Athos. The ferry leaves only once daily from the docks at Ouranoupolis, at 9.45am, so don't miss it! Buy a roundtrip ticket on the ferry for c.400dr. The ride to Daphne takes just under three hours, and from there you can catch the once-daily free bus to Karyes, the capital of Athos; or you can pay a small fee to take the Aghia Anna ferry service between the southern monasteries.

Once you are on the Holy Mountain, you may stay only as long as allowed by your diamonitirion (generally 4 days). If you wish to request an extension for your stay, you will need to visit Karyes to do so - but unless you have a compelling reason to stay, such requests are generally not granted.

NOTE: Most of the large monasteries only have limited housing for pilgrims, and thus request that visitors phone or fax ahead to 'reserve' a spot in the guest house for a particular night. You can either phone from one monastery to the next (buy a phone card in Daphne) and take your chances that there will still be space left, or you can pre-plan your route and phone all the monasteries before you even arrive on Athos. A listing of the monasteries' guest-house phone/fax numbers is available on this website. Note also that most of the large monasteries limit their hospitality to a single night's stay for each pilgrim, so plan on moving from one monastery to the next each day that you are on Athos.

The materials may also prove useful:

• Our listing of the monasteries' guest-house phone/fax numbers that can be called in order to reserve space at the larger monasteries during your stay.
• A Pilgrim's Guide to Mt Athos published by the Friends of Mt Athos society; includes travel directions, packing considerations, phone and fax contacts, etc.
• The Go to Mt Athos page on Babis E. Mavridis' website