USEFUL

In order to visit Mount Athos, one must contact the Mount Athos pilgrims’ office in Thessaloniki and request the issuance of a residence permit (entry permit).

The phone number of the office is +30 2310-252578, the fax: +30 2310-22242 and the address of Egnatias 109 sq.: 54635 Thessaloniki. The office is open from 8:30 to 14:00, and on Saturdays from 10:00 to 12:00.
It is good to book the entry permit in time, (even a month or two in advance) because the number of pilgrims is limited for each day. Only 110 visitors per day (100 Greeks and 10 foreigners).

How to get to Mount Athos, Holy Monastery of Vatopedi

a. By car:

You can drive from Thessaloniki to Ierissos and Ouranoupoli via the existing road network.

Below we present the main distances between some areas that you should know if you choose to travel by car.

Ouranoupoli: 639 kilometers from Athens

129 kilometers from Thessaloniki

Ierissos: 624 kilometers from Athens

111 kilometers from Thessaloniki

b. By bus:

An easy way to move to Ierissos and Ouranoupoli without your car is the Halkidiki KTEL buses which have regular routes every day.

We must mention that there are also routes from Athens and Piraeus to Mount Athos in cooperation with Halkidiki KTEL and vice versa.

c. By plane:

Halkidiki, where Mount Athos is located, does not have its own airport. However, the International Airport MACEDONIA of Thessaloniki is the nearest airport which is located just 16 kilometers from the center of Thessaloniki and serves visitors who want to travel by air from all parts of the world to Mount Athos. Then, from Thessaloniki, access to Mount Athos is by car or bus.