Discover the history and beauty of Christianity while traveling in Greece. Visit these five spectacular monasteries in Halkidiki and experience Greece’s beautiful religion.
Halkidiki is a beautiful region in Greece with stunning mountainous landscapes, pristine beaches, traditional folk villages, and spectacular archaeological and religious sites. Furthermore, it is home to Mount Athos, a monastic community.
However, access to the Holy Mountain is not easy. Thus, if you still wish to explore beautiful monasteries, here is a list of the top 5 monasteries in Halkidiki you can visit.
Monastery of Zografou, Kassandra
The monastery is at the village of Zografou, just before the beginning of the Kassandra peninsula. It dates back to the Byzantine era. For instance, its tower and other preserved buildings are from the 14th century.
Monastery of the Annunciation of Theotokos in Ormylia, Sithonia
This women’s abbey is located about 4 kilometers from Ormylia village. It is the biggest in Greece, hosting over 120 nuns of various nationalities. Most of the nuns are educated women and researchers. In 1996, they established the Ormylia Art Diagnosis Center to study and research the Orthodox Church.
Monastery of Agios Prodromos in Metamorfosi, Sithonia
It is a relatively new monastery since it was established in 1975. However, its buildings once upon a time belonged to the old monastery of St Dionysios. It is about 2 kilometers north of the village Metamorfosi, and today, it hosts 50 nuns.
Dependency (Metochion) of the life-bearing spring in Ierissos, East Coast
It belongs to the Monastery of Hiliandary and is located close to Ierissos, after the bridge of Kokkinolakos. It is a small Byzantine chapel at the top of a high rock cliff. It is surrounded by other buildings such as cells, workshops, an artificial pond with fish, and an open-air guest atrium. The monastery is habited by monks who welcome visitors every day.
Monastery of Agia Anastasia Farmakolytria, Central Halkidiki
It was founded in the 16th century by St Theonas, who later became the Metropolitan bishop of Thessaloniki. During the Turkish occupation, the monastery was destroyed, and it was built again from scratch in 1830. Today it belongs to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
