El monte Athos se sitúa en una península de 56 km de lago por 8 km de ancho. Los 20 monasterios se reparten por el perímetro de la península, salvo el monasterio de Koutloumousion, junto a la única ciudad, Karyes, que se encuentra en el centro de la península.
Una vez llegados a Dafni, tenemos varias maneras de movernos. La mas comoda es tomar un autobus en el mismo puerto (en el aparcamiento junto al embarcadero del ferry) e ir a Karyes. Allí nos estarán esperando unos cuantos minibuses que nos llevaran a la mayoría de los monasterios. Si no hay minibus al monasterio que quieres ir (lo cual es bastante improbable) siempre tienes la opción de acercarte a la oficina de taxis (en la calle principal) y contratar un transporte al monasterio. En este caso te aconsejo que te busques a alguien que esté en tu misma situación, los taxis en Athos son muy caros…
Pero si de verdad quieres disfrutar del Monte Athos, te recomiendo que vayas caminando. En este caso deberas planificar a donde quieres ir. Ten en cuenta que en la mayoria de los monasterios las puertas se cierran alrededor de las ocho de la tarde. La siguiente tabla te muestra las distancias a pie entre cada monasterio y el estado de los caminos(extractada de la maravillosa guía de los amigos del Monte Athos http://www.athosfriends.org):
| FROM | TO | PATH CONDITION | WALKING TIME | SOURCE AND DATE OF INFORMATION | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agias Annis, Skete (St Anne) |
Megisti Lavra (Great Lavra) |
Good, footpath | 6.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Mount Athos Summit | Good, footpath | 8 hrs. return | FoMA team member June 2010. Pilgrim report May 2014 | ||
| Agiou Pavlou | Good, footpath | 1.20 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Agiou Dimitriou, Skete | Vatopedi | Good, path and track | 0.45 | FoMA team May 2012 | |
| Agiou Pavlou | Dionysiou | Good, footpath and track | 1.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Agias Annis, Skete (St Anne) |
Good, footpath | 1.20 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Bogoroditsa, Skete | Pantokrator | Good, path and track | 1.30 | More direct route, FoMA team member March 2014. Longer route, FoMA team May 2012 | |
| Profitis Ilias, Skete (Prophet Elijah) | Good, mainly path | 1.00 | FoMA team May 2012 | ||
| Chilandar: see below, Hilandar | |||||
| Daphni | Koutloumousiou & Karyes | From Daphni to Stavros = road, from Stavros to Karyes Good, path and track (= Stavros to Koutloumousiou & Karyes) | 3.30 – 4.00 | Karyes-Stavros by FoMA team May 2014 (remainder = road) | |
| Panteleimonos | Good, path and track | 1.45 | FoMA team member September 2013 | ||
| Xeropotamou | Good, path and track | 0.45 | FoMA team members May 2014 | ||
| Dionysiou | Agiou Pavlou | Good, path and track | 1.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Grigoriou | Good, footpath | 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Dochiariou | Konstamonitou via Arsanas Konstamonitou | Good, footpath and track | 1.45 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Koutloumousiou and Karyes | Good, path and track, via Way of the Bey | 4.30 – 5.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Vatopedi | Good, path, track and road | 3.30 – 4.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Xenophontos | Good, mainly footpath | 0.25 | FoMA team member March 2013 | ||
| Esphigmenou | Hilandar | Good, track | 0.45 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Koutloumousiou and Karyes | Passable to good, mainly footpath along the Way of the Bey | 7.00 – 8.00 | FoMA team May 2013, May 2014 | ||
| Vatopedi | Good, path and track | 3.00 – 3.30 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Zographou via Vagenokamares | Good, footpath and track. | 2.30 – 3.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Grigoriou | Dionysiou | Good, footpath | 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Simonopetra | Good, footpath and track | 1.20 | FoMA team member May 2014 | ||
| Hilandar | Esphigmenou | Good, track | 0.45 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Karyes | Passable to good, mainly footpath along the Way of the Bey | 7.00 – 8.00 | FoMA team May 2013, May 2014 | ||
| Vatopedi via Chera | Passable to good, mainly footpath along the Way of the Bey as far as Chera | 5.00 – 5.30 | FoMA team May 2013, May 2014 | ||
| Zographou | Good, path and track | 2.30 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Iviron | Karakalou | Good, road to Karakalou arsanas, then footpath | 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Koutloumousiou & Karyes | Good, footpath | 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Philotheou via coast road | Passable to good. Road up to Philotheou arsanas, then footpath. | 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Philotheou via Skiti Iviron | Good, footpath and track. | 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Stavronikita | Good, mainly footpath | 1.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Kaliagra (Arsanas Koutloumousiou) |
Koutloumousiou & Karyes | Good, mainly footpath | 1.30 – 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Kafsokalyvia, Ag. Triados Skete | Megisti Lavra (Great Lavra) |
Good, footpath | 3.30 – 4.00 | FoMA team May 2014 and FoMA team member Sep 2011 | |
| Karakalou | Iviron | Good, footpath to Karakalou arsanas, then road | 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Koutloumousiou & Karyes | Good, footpath and track via Philotheou (see relevant entries) | 3.30 – 4.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Megisti Lavra (Great Lavra) |
Good, footpath to Karakalou arsanas, then road | 6.00 | FoMA team May 2014 to arsanas (remainder = road) | ||
| Philotheou | Good, mainly footpath | 0.45 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Provata | Passable to good, mainly footpath | 0.45 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Karyes: see below: Koutloumousiou & Karyes | |||||
| Konstamonitou | Dochiariou via Konstamonitou arsanas | Good, footpath and track | 1.30 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Vatopedi | Good, mainly footpath | 3.00 – 4.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Vatopedi via Chera | Good, mainly footpath | 3.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Xenophontos | Good, path and track via Dochiariou (see relevant entries) | 2.00 | FoMA team member Sept 2013; FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Zographou | Good, mainly footpath | 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Koutloumousiou & Karyes | Bourazeri, Cell | Good (= first part ofPantokrator path) | 0.30 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Daphni via Stavros | Good, path and track (=Koutloumousiou & Karyes to Stavros), remainder Road | 3.00 | Karyes-Stavros: FoMA team May 2014 (remainder = road) | ||
| Dochiariou | Good, footpath and track (via the Way of the Bey) | c. 4.30 | FoMA team May 2014. | ||
| Esphigmenou | Passable to good, mainly footpath along the Way of the Bey | 7.00 – 8.00 | FoMA team May 2013, May 2014 | ||
| Hilandar | Passable to good, mainly footpath along the Way of the Bey | 7.00 – 8.00 | FoMA team May 2013, May 2014 | ||
| Iviron | Good, mainly footpath | 1.30 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Kaliagra (Arsanas Koutloumousiou) | Good, mainly footpath | 1.00 – 1.30 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Karakalou | Good, footpath and track via Philotheou (see relevant entries) | 3.30 – 4.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Konstamonitou | Good, path and track, using Way of the Bey | c.4.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Panteleimonos | Good, road from Stavros to Xeropotamou, then mainly footpath | 3.15 | Karyes-Stavros by FoMA team May 2014. Team member September 2013 | ||
| Pantokrator | Good, path and track | 1.30 | FoMA team May 2013, May 2014 | ||
| Philotheou | Good, Path and track | 3.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Simonopetra | Good, mainly track, path at the beginning and end | 4.00 – 4.30 | Karyes-Stavros by FoMA team May 2014. Remainder FoMA Team member March 2014 | ||
| Stavronikita | Good, path and track | 1.15 – 1.30 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Stavros (on the Karyes-Daphni Road) | Good, path and track | 0.45 – 1.0 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Vatopedi | Good, mainly footpath | 3.00 – 3.30 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Xenophontos | Good, mainly track | 2.30 | FoMA team member Sept 2011 | ||
| Xeropotamou | Good, path and track to Stavros, then road | 2.30 | Karyes-Stavros by FoMA team May 2014 (remainder = road) | ||
| Kolitsou | Vatopedi | Good, path and track. SeePantokrator to Vatopedi via Kolitsou | 1.30 – 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Megisti Lavra (Great Lavra) |
Kafsokalyvia, Ag. Triados Skete | Good, footpath | 3.30 – 4.00 | FoMA team May 2014 and FoMA team member Sept 2011 | |
| Prodromou, Skete | Good, track | 1.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Agias Annis, Skete (St Anne) |
Good, footpath | 6.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Panteleimonos | Daphni | Good, path and track | 1.45 | FoMA team member September 2013 | |
| Xenophontos | Good, mainly track | 1.00 | FoMA team member March 2013 | ||
| Xeropotamou | Good, mainly footpath | 1.15 | FoMA team member September 2013 | ||
| Pantokrator | Bogoroditsa, Skete | Good, path and track | 1.30 – 2.00 | More direct route, FoMA team member March 2014, Longer route FoMA team May 2012. | |
| Koutloumousiou & Karyes | Good, path and track | 1.45 – 2.15 | FoMA team May 2013, May 2014 | ||
| Profitis Ilias, Skete (Prophet Elijah) | Good, footpath | 0.45 – 1.00 | FoMA team May 2012 | ||
| Stavronikita | Good, footpath | 0.45 – 1.00 | FoMA team member March 2014 | ||
| Vatopedi | Good, mainly footpath | 2.30 – 3.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Vatopedi via Kolitsou | Good, path and track | 2.30 – 3.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Philotheou | Iviron via Skiti Iviron | Good, footpath and track | 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Iviron via coast road | Passable to good. Footpath to Philotheou arsanas, then road | 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Karakalou | Good. Mainly footpath | 0.45 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Koutloumousiou & Karyes | Good, path and track | 3.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Prodromou, Skete | Megisti Lavra (Great Lavra) |
Good, track | 1.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Profitis Ilias, Skete (Prophet Elijah) | Pantokrator | Good, footpath | 0.30 – 0.45 | FoMA team May 2012 | |
| Bogoroditsa, Skete | Good, mainly footpath | 1.00 | FoMA team May 2012 | ||
| Provata | Karakalou | Passable to good, mainly footpath | 0.45 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Simonopetra | Daphni | Road only, no footpath | 2.30 | ||
| Grigoriou | Good, mainly footpath and with track at the end | 1.20 | FoMA team member May 2014 | ||
| Koutloumousiou & Karyes | Good, mainly track, path at the beginning and end | 4.00 – 4.30 | Stavros – Karyes by FoMA team May 2014; remainder FoMA team member March 2014 | ||
| Stavronikita | Iviron | Good, mainly footpath | 1.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Karyes | Good, path and track | 1.30 – 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Pantokrator | Good, footpath | 0.45 – 1.00 | FoMA team member March 2014 | ||
| Stavros (on the Karyes-Daphni road) | Koutloumousiou & Karyes | Good, path and track | 0.30 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Vatopedi | Agiou Dimitriou, Skete | Good, path and track | 0.45 | FoMA team May 2012 | |
| Dochiariou | Good, path, track and road | 3.30 – 4.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Esphigmenou | Good, path and track | 3.00 – 3.30 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Hilandar via Chera | Passable to good, mainly path, via Way of the Bey after Chera | 5.00 – 5.30 | FoMA team May 2013, May 2014 | ||
| Kolitsou | Good, path and track. SeePantokrator via Kolitsoubelow | 1.30 – 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Konstamonitou | Good, mainly footpath | 3.00 – 4.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Konstamonitou via Chera | Good, mainly footpath | 3.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Koutloumousiou & Karyes | Good, mainly footpath | 3.30 – 4.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Pantokrator | Good, mainly footpath | 2.30 – 3.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Pantokrator via Kolitsou | Good, path and track | 2.30 – 3.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Zographou via Chera | Good, path and track | 2.30 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Xenophontos | Dochiariou | Good mainly footpath | 0.25 | FoMA team member March 2013 | |
| Konstamonitou | Good, path and track via Dochiariou (see relevant entries) | 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 and team member March 2013 | ||
| Panteleimonos | Good, mainly track | 1.00 | FoMA team member March 2013 | ||
| Xeropotamou | Daphni | Good, footpath and track | 0.45 | FoMA team members May 2014 | |
| Koutloumousiou & Karyes | Good, road as far as Stavros, then path and track | 2.45 | FoMA team May 2014 from Stavros to Karyes (remainder = road) | ||
| Panteleimonos | Good, mainly footpath | 1.15 | FoMA team member September 2013 | ||
| Zographou | Arsanas Zographou | Good, all but short initial and final parts are track | 1.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | |
| Esphigmenou via Vagenokamares | Good, footpath and track | 2.30 – 3.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Hilandar | Good, footpath and track | 2.30 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Konstamonitou | Good, mainly footpath | 2.00 | FoMA team May 2014 | ||
| Vatopedi via Chera | Good, path and track | 2.30 | FoMA team May 2014 |
el monte athos 