4.9out of 5 on Google
4.9/ 5 Google
🏛️ Attraction · Monastery
Holy Monastery of Simonopetra
🏛️ UNESCO
Simonopetra is the image most people carry of Mount Athos: a many-storeyed monastery with rows of wooden balconies rising straight out of a rock pinnacle, some 300 metres above the sea on the south-west coast of the peninsula. Tradition credits its foundation in the 13th century to the hermit Simon, after whom the “rock of Simon” is named; much of the present building was rebuilt after fires.
Mount Athos is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Simonopetra remains a living, strict community. Only men with a diamonitirion permit, issued for a fee in limited numbers, may enter the peninsula, and staying overnight at a monastery needs separate arrangement with it. Everyone else, women included, can see it from the cruise boats that sail along the south-west coast from Ouranoupoli.
Where to stay nearby
Live prices and availability on a map centred on this exact spot — hotels, studios and villas — so you can judge the distance to the beach, the port or the village from here rather than guess from an address.
Bookings made through this map earn us a commission. Your price is unaffected.
Partner links · GetYourGuide
Tours, boat trips & tickets
Boat trips, guided tours of the ancient sites and tickets bookable ahead — free cancellation on most.
- Mount Athos cruiseThe monasteries of Athos seen from the sea. Women may not set foot on the peninsula, so the cruise is how most visitors see it.See boat trips →
- Thessaloniki for the dayA city break inside a beach holiday — the waterfront, the markets and the Byzantine churches.See day trips →
- Blue Lagoon cruise, SithoniaThe shallow turquoise water around the Diaporos islets, with swim stops along Sithonia's coast.See boat trips →
We may earn a commission from these. It never changes your price.
Frequently asked
Where is Holy Monastery of Simonopetra?
The address is Agio Oros 630 87, in Moni Simonos Petras, Halkidiki, Greece. The map on this page shows the exact spot.
What are the opening hours at Holy Monastery of Simonopetra?
The hours published on Google are: Monday: 04:00–20:00; Tuesday: 04:00–20:00; Wednesday: 04:00–20:00; Thursday: 04:00–20:00; Friday: 04:00–20:00; Saturday: 04:00–20:00; Sunday: 04:00–20:00. Many places in Greece keep seasonal hours, so check before a special trip.
Is Holy Monastery of Simonopetra worth it?
It holds 4.9 out of 5 from 1,142 Google reviews. Treat the rating as a starting point, not a verdict, and read a few recent reviews too.
🏛️ Attractions
