On this website (made in 2008) you can find a lot of basic information about how you should plan a trip to Athos. Beware, some of the information is outdated. And you might get the impression that is neccesery to go the Pilgrimsbureau in Thessaloniki first, but that is not the case. As soon as your reservation is confirmed by telephone, fax or e-mail, you can go directly to Ouranpolis and get your Diamoniterion over there. (today I was told that you also can use this e-mail adress: piligrimsbureau@c-lab.gr).
The link to the KTEL bus company is not working, and today I was not able to find a new adress. My advise is not to buy the (expensive) Zwerger map, because the Road Editions map looks better and is more up to date.
For information in French, look here and here in German.
A postcard of Xiropotamou
Wim, 9/4
the coaches to Chalkidiki (to Ouranoupoli)is in Thessaloniki near Carefour at the east of the town. you can go there by the bus 36 from voulgari or Ikea stop. the coach to ouranoupoli departs at 5.30 (the same coach leaves from Athens at 22.45) and 6.15 if you want to take the boat from ouranoupolis to dafne at 9.45
the phone number of coaches (called ktel in greek)to chalkidiki is 00302310316555, http://www.in-ktel.gr/ouranoupoli.html) and about urban transportation of Thessaloniki go to http://www.oasth.gr or call 00302310185
Warning: the e-mail adress of the Pilgrimsbureau that I gave in this post does not work properly! My e-mail was replied with this notification: “A message that you sent could not be delivered to one or more of its recipients. This is a permanent error.”, but a few minutes later my e-mail was received by the pilgrimsbureau and I got my reservation!!! Vasilis encountered the same problem and informed this technical problem to the Pilgrimsbureau. Wim, 14/4
New!! http://www.agioreitikes-grammes.com