Athos - or Mount Athos, as it is widely known - is the spiritual capital of Orthodoxy with 20 monasteries and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the middle of Mount Athos are Karyes. Karyes is a beautiful village with a magnificent view of the eastern coast of the Aegean Sea. It is a picturesque community of houses with workshops, shops, hospitality areas etc. According to the protocol of the monastic state, only men are allowed to visit Athos. Visitors must contact the Mount Athos Pilgrims Office before their trip in order to obtain special permission. Although women are not allowed to enter the Athonite state, they can admire the monasteries with a short cruise on the west coast of the Athos peninsula, as all visitors to Mount Athos. Boats depart daily from Ouranoupolis.