SamuelThe world renowned Meteora and its majestic monasteries. This place has long drawn people from near and far to marvel at its magic and beauty. There are six monasteries, all perched on a rock next to a vertical cliff, that can be visited. The surrounding landscape and its rock formation are wonders to behold.
All of its splendor and charm can take a long time to soak in. Travelers marvel at its jaw dropping view and savor the monasteries steeped in history. But what if you only have a day to spare? Granted, spending two or three days would definitely be more ideal. Nevertheless, I’d like to share how I experienced Meteora in a such a short time and still being able to leave with a lasting impact on myself.
I visited Meteora with a friend as a part of a larger road trip around the northern part of Greece (see also my adventures in Mount Olympus, Vikos gorge and Dragon’s lake).
This trip felt special for me and my friend. About seven to eight years prior, I remember my friend showed me a picture of a Meteoran monastery in amazement. “This seems like a magical place, I would love to go there one day” he told me. It never crossed my mind that we would actually make this trip together many many years after that.
Getting there:
We reached Meteora by car, arriving at the city of Kalambaka, located directly beneath the monasteries, where we also spent the night.
There are also train services to Kalambaka from both Athens and Thessaloniki, the two main cities in Greece. Buses are another alternative, with services also available from Athens and Thessaloniki.
To get around in the Meteora area itself, there are roads connecting all six monasteries. Driving your own car or hiring a private taxi for the day will be the quickest option for the time deprived travelers like ourselves.
Walking to the monasteries would also be a very good option for those with more time, a luxury that we unfortunately did not have. We did see plenty of hikers on both the paved roads and smaller trails.
Afternoon – Great Meteoron Monastery and multiple view points
Approaching Meteora in afternoon, one definitely cannot miss the sight of the massive glistening rock in the distance. A promise of a great destination waiting for travelers. We entered Kalampaka, a town located directly underneath the Meteora monasteries. We settled down in our lodging for a bit, and then asked for some advice from one of the staffs.
She was really helpful and gave us information about the monasteries, such as its opening times and where the panoramic spots are, which can also be found in Meteora’s official website.
We knew that there was no way we could manage to visit all the monasteries in only one day, so we had to choose wisely and based on the hotel staff’s recommendation our first choice fell on the largest of them all, the Great Meteoron. Since we arrived in Meteora in late afternoon, we could only manage to visit one monastery before the closing time
Upon paying a small entrance fee, we explored its interior, which besides a small pretty Orthodox chapel and monks living quarters, also housed an eerie collection of human skulls and bones in its catacomb, from all the past monks there if I recalled correctly. The view over to Varlaam monastery was also wonderful.
Next, as the monasteries are closing, we decided to tour through some of the panoramic spots spread over the area. The view points that we visited are indicated in the map. Guaranteed to fill you with amazement!
The roads connecting the monasteries to each other are mostly next to a cliff, where visitors can stop and enjoy the view or immortalize it in a photo. I’ve got to admit, while the monasteries are intriguing and steep in history in the inside, it’s the view from the outside that really instill wonder in people’s heart.
Most of these monasteries look like they were dropped with a pinpoint accuracy on top of a massive rocky pillar, sitting firm glued to the rock, defying gravity. The massive rock structures jutting out to the sky littered the landscape among the lush green valley below.
I can somehow understand why those monks back in the days coming from near and far decided to settle down in this area to isolate themselves from the world. I mean, if you need to shut yourself off and remain within a monastery placed on a tower of rock, you might as well do it with this special view.
Morning – Holy Trinity Monastery and its view point
The next morning we visited another monastery, the Holy Trinity. This particular monastery is not too big. But what it lacks in size, it makes up in beauty and uniqueness. This monastery is really the most isolated in its setting, standing alone on its rocky base completely surrounded by precipitous cliffs.
Such was its uniqueness, this monastery was actually used in the filming of one old James Bond movie from 1981, For Your Eyes Only. Well, I can understand why. A perfectly dramatic setting for James Bond and the villain.
The only way for visitors to reach this monastery is to first descend to the base of the rocky outcrop, and then climbing through a set of steep stairs carved into the cliff’s face. Occasional monks or priests dressed in all black from tip to toe passed by, continuing their daily monastic activities unfazed by hordes of camera-wielding visitors.
Just as the other monastery, the view from this monastery was also phenomenal, offering a clear view to the village of Kalampaka with its red-tiled roofs houses, seemingly trying to mirror the monasteries above.
Still amazed by the beauty of the natural and cultural wonder of Meteora, we prepared ourselves to drive further, continuing our northern Greek road trip. As we slowly moved away, I looked at the masses or tourists arriving in buses, hoping that they would also feel the same magic that I had felt during my time in Meteora, and that this place and the monks who call it home would continue to endure the test of time, and the test of mass tourism in the 21st century.
