Athos History and Culture with Blue Nature Cruise

Our journey starts from Nea Fokea, with destination the majestic Mount Athos. The spiritual capital of the Orthodox Christian world that houses 20 monasteries. Enjoy a relaxing journey appreciating the natural beauty of the landscape that looks like a postcard. While cruising at 500 meters from the coast, we can see the monasteries of Mount Athos from the southern tip of the peninsula, with a view of the beautiful settlements of the Saint Anne Sketes. Sailing north, we admire the eerie spectacle of the Holy Monastery of St. Paul, which is located at an altitude of 140 meters from the sea and has nine chapels inside its monastery complex. Next up, we see the Holy Monastery of St. Dionysios. Its imposing presence takes everyone’s breath away, as it is built on a steep coastal rock 80 meters above sea level, next to the so-called air river in the form of a tower. Next, we admire the majesty of the Holy Monastery of St. Gregory, which is located by the sea, on a promontory on the southwest coast of the Athos peninsula and it also maintains fourteen chapels of which seven are located inside the monastery. Along the way, we see the inconceivable view of the Holy Monastery of Simon Petra, which is located at an altitude of 300 meters from the sea on a granite rock. The monastery is one of the most daring buildings of Byzantine engineering, as it is a seven-storey tower building. Then we travel around the largest monasteries on the peninsula, the Holy Monastery of St. Panteleimon, which is a Russian Orthodox monastery. The monastery’s architecture reminds us of a small town with various domes and buildings. Leaving Mount Athos behind, we travel to the east coast of Sithonia, Portokali beach or Portokalikou beach, or otherwise Kavourotripes, located between Sarti and Vourvourou. These are small coves, hidden behind a beautiful pine forest with small white sandy beaches with crystal clear turquoise waters, white rocks and dense pines that touch the sea. This is the right time for long dives from the boat! We continue to travel and reach the bay of Sykia with the beautiful coves where you can dive in these turquoise waters and, Skala Sykias where you can enjoy a lunch in a beautiful fish tavern just a breath away from the sea. Until the last stop, enjoy the trip after your meal while relaxing on the luxurious and comfortable deck of the Placebo yacht. Afitos, our last stop, a traditional seaside settlement, with stone houses and cobbled streets that you can admire from afar, stands out for its turquoise waters, truly admirable for every visitor.