Meteora – monasteries suspended between heaven and earth

In Thessaly, above the town of Kalambaka, huge grey rock towers hundreds of metres high suddenly rise out of the plain. On their summits, as if hung between heaven and earth, stand the monasteries of Meteora. The first hermits settled in the rock crevices in the 9th–10th centuries. By the 14th–16th centuries there were more than 20 monasteries. Today six are active and open to visitors. Meteora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most breathtaking places in Greece.

The six monasteries

• Great Meteoron (Transfiguration) – the largest and oldest, founded by St Athanasios the Meteorite in the 14th century. It has a museum, an old kitchen and an ossuary.
• Varlaam – the second-largest, with superb frescoes and a giant wooden water barrel.
• Rousanou – a convent perched on a narrow rock, reached by a small bridge.
• St Nicholas Anapafsas – small, with frescoes by the Cretan icon painter Theophanes.
• Holy Trinity – the most dramatically placed, on a lone pinnacle. Scenes from the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only were shot here. It’s reached by about 140 steps.
• St Stephen – a convent and the only monastery without stairs, reached by a bridge straight from the road.

Views and sunset

The road linking the monasteries has plenty of viewpoints. Sunset from the rocks above Rousanou and St Stephen is unforgettable. Early in the morning, mist often fills the plain and the rocks float like islands.

Two-day itinerary

Day 1. Drive from Sofia via Thessaloniki (about 6 h). In the afternoon, stroll around Kastraki and watch the sunset from the viewpoints.

Day 2. Great Meteoron and Varlaam in the morning; Rousanou and Holy Trinity (or St Stephen) after lunch. Leave, or stay another night in Kalambaka.

Getting there

By car – from Sofia via Kulata, Thessaloniki and the motorway towards Larissa/Ioannina. About 530 km and 6 hours. By train – from Thessaloniki to Kalambaka, changing at Palaiofarsalos (about 4 h). From Kalambaka, take a bus, a taxi or the walking trails up to the monasteries.

Practical tips

• Dress code – men in long trousers; women in skirts below the knee with shoulders covered. Some monasteries lend wrap skirts at the entrance.
• Each monastery closes one day a week. Check the schedule to plan which ones to visit.
• Each monastery charges its own small entry fee.
• Arrive early – tour groups turn up around 10:00.
• Walking trails between Kalambaka, Kastraki and the monasteries are a great alternative to the road.