When we think of Greece, our mind conjures up images of the historical monuments or the sun kissed islands. Hardly anyone associates Greece with monasteries high up in the mountains. During my visit to Meteora, I witnessed a side of this beautiful country which had me under its spell for a long time. In a country choc a bloc with amazing destinations, the legendary landscape of Meteora is certainly one of my favourites - a must see when visiting Greece.
Meteora, meaning "suspended in air", is just beyond the small town of Kalambaka (4 hours by train from Athens). It is magical, breathtaking, mystical and a place which combines history with the natural and the divine. After landing in Kalambaka, I checked into my hostel and had plans to take the afternoon off. But, as soon as I saw this view from the balcony, I decided that relaxing can wait and I had to take a crack at it post lunch.
Meteora consists of an awe-inspiring landscape. The enormous rock formations emerge from the ground, reaching out into the sky and the monasteries perched on top of them are certainly a sight to behold. Throw in a sunrise or a sunset, and you will be as smitten with Meteora as I am! The picture-perfect vistas have been the inspiration for countless film and TV backdrops, including the Eyrie kingdom in the "Game of Thrones."
The monasteries were constructed in the 14th century but the monks are believed to have started settling here in the caves as early as the 9th century. The monasteries were founded by monks who wanted to shelter themselves in a place, which would be safe from the raiding Ottoman Turks. The access would be through a basket pulled by a rope or through ladders, which could be removed in times of danger. With no steps and little access to the rest of the world, the monastic communities in Meteora flourished. They would grow grapes, corn and potatoes on the fertile lands below. The site was heavily bombed during World War II and many treasures were stolen. Today, six of the 24 monasteries are still active. Of these, four are inhabited by men, and two by women, while each monastery has less than 10 inhabitants.
There are 6 major monasteries and it is better to check beforehand the days (& time) they are open, before planning a visit. You can drive, take a cab, use the bus (cheaper) or just hike. I did it over the course of 2 days and I mention them in the order I did it. On day 1, I took the bus to St. Stephen monastery (last stop) where I spent a couple of hours. Then, I walked to Holy Trinity Monastery and enjoyed the views for a long time before walking back to Kalambaka via the hiking trail.
1) Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen - It is not exactly certain when the monastery of St. Stephen was founded, but it was likely in the 15th or 16th century. Although it started as a male monastery, it was converted to a convent and later, an orphanage was also added. The monastery consists of a cathedral, dining room, museum, kitchen, a guest house, a library & workspaces for painting. It is also home
to unique manuscripts and rare books, printed as early as the 1400s. Probably, the best part is the wall of the new church and the gold-embroidered screen of the main cathedral.
2) Holy Monastery of Holy Trinity - Perched literally on the top of a very steep rock, the monastery of Holy Trinity was likely founded in the middle of 15th century. Until 1925, when a staircase of 140 steps was carved in the rock, entrance to the monastery was only possible by rope ladders and nets. Apart from the main church, which has few windows and is quite dark, you can check out the old dining room and reception halls, as well as the water tanks. Also, the chapel of St. John is carved in the rock. A collection of rare books and other precious church items, including the monastery bell, were unfortunately lost/stolen during WWII.
Once you climb the 140 steps, make sure you have plenty of time to enjoy the view -
As I had started my tour only in the afternoon and I took my own sweet time exploring the two monasteries, I postponed my visit to the other monasteries to Day 2. From the Holy Trinity monastery, one can take the hiking trail back to Kalambaka.
The trail is quite straightforward and it was a good time to walk in the woods as it provided me much needed respite from the heat. Once you reach the base of the mountain, the view of the monasteries atop the rock formations is breathtaking. It is always a good idea to look back once the hike is done -
I was quite lucky to escape the approaching storm by 30 minutes or so. While hiking down, I had no idea the weather had changed dramatically. After reaching the hostel, I had just about settled myself on the balcony when the heavens opened up. The way the rumbling thunderstorm and winds picked up, things looked ominous but from the safety of the hostel, it was gripping stuff and I enjoyed it a lot.
On Day 2, I took the bus to Grand Meteoren monastery where I started my exploration and then took the road back to Kalambaka, which allowed me to visit all the other monasteries on the way down.
3) The Monastery of Great Meteoron - I think it was my favorite of the lot. The Great Meteora Monastery is the biggest and oldest monastery in Meteora. If you only have time to see just one monastery in Meteora, make it this one. It was founded in the 1340s and kept increasing in size and importance over the years. In the mid-16th century, around 300 monks used to live here and you can see some of their skulls on display (creepy).
The monastery consists of the decorated cathedral with uniquely carved wooden icons, a hospital-home for the elderly, a cistern, the old dining room, a kitchen, a tower, monk cells and several small chapels. There is also an amazing library hosting hundreds of manuscripts, documents and books, as well as fascinating collections of gold-embroidered cloths and silverware. It will take at least a couple of hours to go through the monastery. Once you are outside admiring the views, look out for rock climbers doing their thing!
4) Holy Monastery of Varlaam - Probably my second favorite! It was was founded in 1350 by a monk named Varlaam, and remained abandoned for almost 200 years after the death of its founder. It was re-established in the 1540s, when around 35 monks moved there. Originally, getting to the monastery was only possible through wooden ladders hanging from the rocks, and monks often risked their lives trying to ascend.
In the 19th century, steps were carved into the rock to facilitate entry to the monastery. One can see several important frescoes in the main cathedral and there is a small adjacent chapel as well. You can also check out the huge barrel with a capacity of 12 tons which was originally constructed to store rainwater. These days water is collected in tanks.
5) Holy Monastery of Rousanau - Founded around 1388, it was plundered during the Ottoman period and almost destroyed during WWII. But it survived, and was restored and renovated in the 1980s. Today it has been transformed into a convent where nuns live. The monastery is built on a steep, narrow rock and is very impressive from a distance. These days access is through a cement staircase, but in the past monks either climbed or used rope ladders and nets. There are some fine frescoes on display, some of which have been damaged because of the moisture produced by the visiting tourists.
6) Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholaos Anapafsas - It was built in the beginning of the 14th century on a very narrow rock. As a result, three floors, rather than one, had to be constructed. The monastery was abandoned in the early 1900s and was restored in the 1960s.
Because of the limited surface, the cathedral is on the second level and the third floor has the dining room, a small chapel and a room where the bones of dead monks were place. As for the first floor, there is another small chapel as well as a crypt.
The weather was pleasant in the evening and the walk back to Kalambaka was pleasant with some lovely views of the monasteries.
Many people spend only one day at Meteora, which I think is a bit short. I would suggest two full days to spend in Meteora. You can see the Meteora monasteries at a more relaxed pace, take a hike, and even visit the Meteora Mushroom museum! Like so many other places in Greece, the sunset is a special time in Meteora. There is a sunset rock from which you can get some breathtaking views of the valley under the rapidly changing colors of the sky.
I was overjoyed with the time I spent here and the buzz of visiting such a place lasted for a long time.
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