The Church of St. Anthony is divided into five parts: the haikal, the passage in front of the haikal, the nave, the narthex, and the small chapel at the southwest corner of the church. Ancient frescoes embellish each of the sections. East of the Church of St. Anthony, the Church of the Apostles contains three haikals. During Lent, the monks cantellate the liturgy in the 18th-century Church of St. Mark. As in the Wadi an-Natrun monasteries, the Chapel of St. Michael is on the top floor of the keep. The impressive library contains more than 1700 manuscripts.

The major religious attraction in the vicinity of the church is the Cave of St. Anthony. The one-and-a-half hour expedition to the cave, 680m above the Red Sea and 276m above the monastery, is worth the effort. The best time to climb the mountain is when the sun is relatively low, before 6am or after 4pm. Try to return before dark, and remember to bring oceans of water. St. Anthony’s is technically open 9am to 5pm, later if you’re spending the night. There is a small snack shop (soda and cookies) and a gift shop. If you spend the night the monks will feed you for free, though it is good etiquette to make a donation.