On visiting the monasteries on mount Athos the traveller is housed in the “archondariki”. The hospitality on Athos is as old as the monasteries. Visitors are offered food and shelter at the archondariki and they are attended on by the archondaris. The archontarikia are special, independent buildings, the importance of which varies according to the monastery they belong to. The main rooms are the dining room, sitting rooms, bedrooms and lavatories, the number of which are adapted to the needs of the monastery. The larger archontarikia also have their own kitchen. To avoid any contact between visitors and the monks who wait on them, the archondaris lodges at the archontariki.