Monastery of Zyrgou

The only Athos monastery accessible by women (it sits just beyond the border), the quiet, atmospheric ruins of 10th-century Zyrgou are a short drive (or 45-minute walk) east of Ouranoupoli, along a dusty coastal road. Abandoned in the 12th century, plundered for stone and used for agricultural purposes, it nonetheless retains some mosaics, murals and recognisable structures.