Aρσανάς Ιεράς Μονής Μεγίστης Λαύρας - Μονή Μεγίστης Λαύρας

While the oldest monastery, it is under complete renovation and nothing from the large collection of manuscripts and relics can be seen as the museum is closed. The dormitory is also infested with bedbugs. Avoid this monastery.

The best place on Agios Oros. Really Holy and ancient Nice and spiritually. BUT with terrible BEDBUGS for the pilgrim's!!!!! Unaccetable! And this is not new but from 2017. The young stuff was kind but ín the bedroom (one of a) the BEDBUGS are walking on the 1100 years old walls..

I love this monastery. It is my favourite on Mount Athos, together with Iviron.

The oldest monastery of the Holy Mountain, a place of great beauty and peace beyond imagining. A must visit for any pilgrim that makes his way into Mount Athos.

Fancy i was there fifty years ago.we couldnt afford the ferries so we sweated our way ,walking from monastery to monastry!!! I had the smallest rugsack i could buy in london and was so pleased with myself as so many had huge ones like snails' shells but more burdensome!

Kloster Megisti Lavra - this was our destination for the night after making the peak of Mount Athos in the early morning hours. We arrived lat in the afternoon and just made it for church service followed by dinner, It is the oldest monastry on Athos going back to 958. The atmosphere is very unique and impressing. The food was good and I made my photos during darkness but it gives good impression of the feeling.

The harbour and the Monastery above feature in the book "Dare To Be Free" by WB Thomas, a soldier of the British and New Zealand forces sent to defend Greece from German invasion in April of 1941. Wounded and captured, Thomas was fortunate enough to make a successful escape from internment, making his way south on foot, with the occasional assistance of sympathetic Greek civilians, by 8th of December 1941 arriving at Mount Athos, the easternmost of the three peninsulas which project into the Aegean Sea, Thomas was put ashore by a friendly boat captain at the harbour, whence he climbed the steep stone pathway to the Monastery. The monks offered him sanctuary without question, and hereabouts Thomas remained for over a year until plans came to fruition whereby he was able to escape by boat along with other British and some Cypriots, to neutral Turkey. So remember when next you venture to this serene and spiritual place, the monks of the various Monasteries here also played their part in liberating Europe at the risk of their own lives. "DARE TO BE FREE!" by WB Thomas +NEVER FORGET+

The Lavra itself is amazing place and experience. Monks and host are friendly and welcoming. But unfortunately there is a bed bugs in dormitory, so if you are planning to stay there, better use your own sleeping bag