If you are traveling to Greece, you probably plan on visiting Athens and/or one of the many beautiful islands. I would never consider advising against this, but I would like to suggest adding Meteora to your itinerary.

Meteora is around 350 kilometers north of Athens, so it’s a bit out of the way, but it is something quite unique and thus worth the 5-hour-long train or bus ride. It is the location of a group of six Greek Orthodox monasteries dating back to around the 14th century, which are “suspended in air” (that’s what “meteora” means in Greek). There had been hermits living in the caves in the area since at least the 11th century, and today you can still see some of their modest abodes in rocks around the monasteries, consisting of flat cutouts in the stone used as beds, and not much more.

Meteora - Monastery

Monks usually seek isolation in order to dedicate themselves to their faith, but in the case of the Meteora monasteries, the extreme isolation offered by these imposing rock formations had a lot to do with the Ottoman Empire’s occupation of the area. Around 20 monasteries were built at the time, but many were bombed during WWII and today only six remain as UNESCO world heritage sites.

Meteora - A monastery among the cliffs

The monks used to be lifted along the giant rock pillars only with the help of ropes, nets, and long ladders…that is, all except for St. Athanasios, the founder of the first monastery, who, believe it or not, is said to have been carried there by an angel. If that’s true, good for him, because the other monks had to use ropes that apparently were only replaced when God let them to break!

Luckily, if you want to visit these monasteries today, you don’t need to be quite as all-entrusting of God’s will not to let your ropes snap…in the 1920s, there were steps carved into the rock, so now, all you need is a strong pair of legs and a good set of lungs to help you up the hundreds of steps.

Meteora - Look carefully at the top of the tower, and you'll see a net hanging from the window's balcony, formerly used to pull up the monks

Around 10 monks/nuns live in each monastery, five of which are all male and one of which is all female.  Upon entry to the monastery, you will often be greeted by a monk/nun with a plate of lokum/loukoumi (aka Turkish delight) as a welcome. The monasteries are free for Greeks, so if you’re lucky enough to visit with a Greek person, you can just shut up while he/she speaks to the ticket seller and pretend you’re Greek too. It should have been free for Romanians though, since they seemed to be the biggest population of tourists there, let me tell ya (I think one of the nuns was even Romanian as she was speaking perfect Romanian to one of the tourists)! Anyway, if you don’t speak perfect Greek or you’re not with a Greek person, you can just fork over the €1 for each entrance, it won’t kill you. Also, you should not wear shorts, and if you are a woman you should wear a shirt with sleeves (or bring a scarf of shawl to cover you shoulders) and a modest skirt, or else you will be asked to put on one of the beautifully fashionable (kidding) skirts they offer at the entrance.

Meteora - One of the monasteries, depicting how it looks as if the rocks were formed around the buildings instead of the other way around

Once inside, you can visit their respective churches and courtyards, as well as the tiny museums dedicated to precious objects such as rare manuscripts, old bibles, and jeweled religious symbols like crosses and wine chalices. There is also historical memorabilia and art on display, a lot of it from the time of the war with the Ottomans and from WWII. In the Grand Meteoron (the largest and most visited monastery) there is even a room with the skulls and bones of former monks. Another has a set-up showing how the monks lived in the olden days, complete with an authentic “ancient kitchen.” Each of the monasteries’ churches are small and intimate, and decorated with beautiful interior frescoes, some dating back to the respective monastery’s founding, as early as 14th century. Unfortunately, you can’t take photos inside, so you’ll have to go and visit them for yourself to get the full experience.

Meteora - Ossuary with skulls of previous monks

The best part of the monasteries for me though, was the breathtaking views each one offers. Not only can you get a good view of the other monasteries, but the surrounding plains and mountains seen from such heights are truly spectacular sights and, if there aren’t too many tourists around, you can really sense the atmosphere of peace that drew the first hermits here one millennium ago. We spent a lot of time just sitting outside on the 6-million-year-old cliffs, relaxing, and enjoying the sights after climbing to each of the six monasteries. And, really, what better views are there to indulge in after such a work-out?

Meteora - A view of Kalambaka far below

Visiting all six monasteries in one day is difficult, unless you go with a tour group that takes you from one to the other in a bus, as they are each a few kilometers away from each other. Otherwise, you should stay for two days, which is also helpful since some monasteries are closed on certain days (inquire ahead of time). Get an early start and take a taxi up the hills to the first one, then you can walk between them, and then call a taxi again to bring you back down to the nearest town, Kalambaka. For more logistical information, see the links below.

Meteora - A view of the plains and mountains from another monastery

Map of Location – Google Maps

Meteora Travel Guide – GreekLandscapes.com

OSE – Hellenic Railways Organization