When it comes to national treasures, Mt Athos is right up there with the Acropolis in Athens. Halkidiki's easternmost peninsula is the world's one and only monastic republic, ruled over by the black-robed monks of its medieval monasteries. As such access to it is restricted, with all women – and female animals except cats – forbidden to set foot on its shores.

All of which makes this cruise the best – and only – way to see it. Sit back and soak up the sun as your boat sails along the peninsula, giving you close-up views over the monasteries, which are literally perched on the cliffs. It's a fascinating glimpse into the monks' secret world.

And you can't miss the actual Mt Athos, or Holy Mountain, rising up just over 2,000 metres from the peninsula's southern tip – it's a pretty inspiring sight. Later, your boat will arrive at Ouranopoli, where you'll have time for lunch before sailing home.

I was disappointed with the directions for where to meet the first tour bus and ended up having to go to Thessaloniki on my owb

We had a lovely time. We found the trip a bit too long due to pick up and drop off, it was a 12 hour day. The tannoy on the ship was very loud ( very informative of history and helpful for tourists who spoke other languages but it was far too loud) but the staff and crew were friendly and helpful. Very interesting trip :)

The staff (very knowledgable, friendly and lots of languages spoken), the monasteries, the ship and Ouranopolis were lovely. The trip could be improved by having less time on the ship and more time in Ouranopolis as there was only time for lunch no time for shopping. Also the hard sell of the photographs taken on board was upsetting.

L'excursion en elle même est intéressante et elle le serait d'avantage si nous avions pus comprendre les commentaires. Nous avions une reservation en français et il n'y a que cette langue que nous n'avons pas entendue, de l'anglais, allemand, grec bien-sur et même du russe mais le français oublié dès le début. Donc nous restons sur notre fain.

The people working on the ship were a mix. Some were nice but some were rude. The tour guide on the boat spoke so fast and through a speaker that it was impossible to understand what she was saying.

Why you’ll love this…

Sail up close to Mount Athos
Amazing views of the monasteries
Lunch stop at Ouranoupoli

Important to know

Bring money for extras or gratuities
Bring your passport or official EU identification
Bring warm clothes
Bring a hat
Food and drinks not included
Subject to weather conditions

Cancellation policy

Receive a 100% refund if you cancel up to 1 day before the experience begins.

What’s included

Boat cruise

Booking fee

Good news! No extra fees are applied to this booking.

Pickup points

To see which pickup points are available, check under availability & prices.

Provider

TUI Hellas Travel, Tourism and Airlines SA, with Tax Number 094469778 and Travel License Number 0261Ε60000126100

What people say about this experience

3.5/5

All reviews are verified

Based on 5 reviews

Review categories

Safety

3.7/5

Staff

3.7/5

Service

3.7/5

Value for money

3.9/5

All ratings (5)

5 stars (0)

4 stars (2)

40%

3 stars (3)

60%

2 stars (0)

1 star (0)

J
James
Solo traveler
October 21, 2022
3.4
United Kingdom
I was disappointed with the directions for where to meet the first tour bus and ended up having to go to Thessaloniki on my owb
S
SunnyP
Traveled as a couple
July 16, 2022
4.2
United Kingdom
We had a lovely time. We found the trip a bit too long due to pick up and drop off, it was a 12 hour day. The tannoy on the ship was very loud ( very informative of history and helpful for tourists who spoke other languages but it was far too loud) but the staff and crew were friendly and helpful. Very interesting trip :)
F
Family of 10
Traveled with family
June 7, 2022
3.8
United Kingdom
The staff (very knowledgable, friendly and lots of languages spoken), the monasteries, the ship and Ouranopolis were lovely. The trip could be improved by having less time on the ship and more time in Ouranopolis as there was only time for lunch no time for shopping. Also the hard sell of the photographs taken on board was upsetting.
P
Phil
Traveled as a couple
August 7, 2022
3
Belgium
L'excursion en elle même est intéressante et elle le serait d'avantage si nous avions pus comprendre les commentaires. Nous avions une reservation en français et il n'y a que cette langue que nous n'avons pas entendue, de l'anglais, allemand, grec bien-sur et même du russe mais le français oublié dès le début. Donc nous restons sur notre fain.
T
TUI Musement Traveler
October 8, 2021
3
United Kingdom
The people working on the ship were a mix. Some were nice but some were rude. The tour guide on the boat spoke so fast and through a speaker that it was impossible to understand what she was saying.