Mount Athos | Greece

Postcard
Mount Athos is an Orthodox spiritual centre since 1054 located in northeastern Greece. Today, 2,000 monks live an ascetic life in Athos, isolated from the rest of the world.

Mount Athos is formally known as Autonomous Monastic State of the Holy Mountain. Although technically part of the European Union, the Holy Mountain is largely self-governed. This prohibits the free movement of people and goods in its territory, unless formal permission has been granted.

For over 1,000 years, women have been forbidden from setting foot on the mountain. In fact, females of other species such as cows, dogs and goats aren’t permitted either.