Ouranoupoli is a small resort village at the northwest tip of the Athos peninsula, and the standard departure point for anyone visiting Mount Athos — either with a permit to land at one of the monasteries, or by sightseeing cruise along the coast. It has a workable harbour, a long sandy beach, and a string of restaurants and souvenir shops along the seafront.
The dominant landmark is the Prosphorion Tower, a fourteenth-century Byzantine stone tower that once guarded the monastic estate. Several daily boat cruises leave the harbour for the Athos coast (women included) and return after a few hours. The town also makes a good base for visits to nearby Aristotelous and the Athonite enclaves.