Northern Greece and Mount Athos

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This Tour is part of a trip that also included Yugoslavia (Serbia-Vojvodina-Montenegro-Kosovo), Macedonia and Bulgaria made with my Fiat Tipo.
Arrived in northern Greece from the Macedonian border Niki, through Edessa I reached for Thessaloniki. Visited the cities with parts of walls, ancient Byzantine buildings, the old Orthodox churches and new tower on the harbor promenade. In the evening departure to the easternmost point of the three in which branches off the southern peninsula of Halkidiki. Stop in Ouranopoli, a small seaside resort with a beach where the road ends and where I slept in a room rentals. Just south starts in fact the Orthodox Monastic Republic of Mount Athos, where there is no road, where the use of clocks, but we will adjust with the sun, where there is no electricity and where it can not enter women. To reach it, after obtaining permission from local authorities, I took the ferry which is a shuttle from Ouranopoli Dafni. From here, the only part of the Republic, of course, dirt path that I have with an old bus to the "Capital" Karies, a small group of houses around a monastery. Mount Athos is a green mountain overlooking the Mediterranean where there are numerous monasteries representing the various nations that have embraced the Orthodox religion. After visiting a couple of these monasteries have stayed in Romania. After guests ate in the refectory of monks, I slept in a bare room lit by the light of a candle. The next morning wake up to? Sunrise and continued on foot along the paths of the mountain along with a handful of faithful Greeks. During the course meet the Anchorites monks who have chosen a solitary life of penance, someone living in isolated houses, others on a cucuzzolo inaccessible, some of them may be closer to pray together. The trail led me in a beautiful monastery that overlooks the sea from a headland. From this beautiful place I have taken the boat to Dafni and from there the ferry to Ouranopoli. E 'bello line the peninsula, you can see many monasteries every one of which bears the marks of the Nation architectural reference. From Ouranopoli I have taken the car and went directly to the north asleep in a hotel close to Sidirokastro and entering Bulgaria from the border of Promahonas.
Do not miss: Mount Athos
For more information on Greece See and TOUR IN GREECE ATHENS AND SURROUNDINGS.
To enter the Mount Athos have to be in possession of a permit required by the Italian Consulate in Thessaloniki and was released after about one year from the Prefecture of the City. Before the entrance must go to an office at the board where the monks Ouranopoli issue a visa for up to five days. The arrival of tourists on Mount Athos and is regulated quota. It is absolutely possible to the entrance of women.