Three lush mountains, protected by the European network Natura 2000, covered all year round with hundreds of plants and herbs, from which the monks of Mount Athos and the locals make all sorts of drinks or beverages and use them in cooking and confectionery!
They also make essential oils!
Indeed, 4,500 species of plants and herbs grow on the slopes of Cholomontas, while more than 404 species have been recorded on the Aristotelian Mountain; these are cited in ancient writings and formed the basis for the description of Asian plants by Alexander the Great!
Mount Athos and the entire Athonite state form a huge “botanical” area, which transforms religious, cultural and hiking tours into botanical excursions in a landscape that is as virgin as its vegetation.