The Monastery of Daphni lies to the west of Athens, almost half-way along the ancient Sacred Way to Eleusis. According to Pausanias, in this area was the ancient sanctuary of Apollo Daphnaios which was destroyed during the invasion of the Goths in 395 A.D. The first monastery was erected on the sanctuary site in the 6th c AD and was enclosed by strong defensive walls, almost square in plan. The Catholicon was a three-aisled basilica which stood in the center of the courtyard. Along the inner NE side of the walls, two-storied buildings were constructed, containing the cells of the monks. A refectory and a second block of cells were attached to the north wall of the enclosure.

The Monastery of Osios Meletios, one of the most important monastic complexes in the country, is located SE of Mount Pastra of Kithairon and is about 2.5 km east of the settlement of Oinoi. The history of the monastery is strongly connected with the action of Osios Meletios the Younger, who was the reformer of the ascetic life in Greece.