If you happen to ever noticed some attractive photographs of a Greek monastery hanging on high of a spectacular cliff, you’ll instantly acknowledge what I’m speaking about and that’s Meteora.
About Meteora
About 60 million years in the past, tectonic actions raised the seabed into the Meteora plateau. The water and the winds sculped the current rock formations. The phrase Meteora means suspended within the air in Greek. It describes completely every monastery perched on high of a stone pillar.
24 monasteries have been in-built Meteora, and the positioning is now a part of the UNESCO World Heritage list. Nonetheless, solely six Meteora monasteries are nonetheless energetic. We’ll uncover them quickly.
However first…
Methods to get to Meteora
Methods to get to Meteora from Athens
Let me begin by saying this it’s not a day journey. I imply, it may be, nevertheless it’s a stretch, and it might be an extended and tiresome day.
Driving from Athens to Meteora takes about 4 hours as it’s 360 km away.
A very good choice would even be by practice. The experience from Athens (Larissa station) to Kalambaka (or Kalabaka) takes slightly greater than 4 hours. The practice ticket is round 30€. From Kalambaka, you’ll have to take a bus to take you to Meteora.
There are additionally buses from Athens to Kalambaka, however the experience takes 5 hours, and you continue to need to catch the native bus to Meteora.
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Anyway, that’s 8 to 10 hours on the street after which loads of strolling between the monasteries. So, I’d advocate staying the night time someplace shut.
You’ll be able to keep on the Dellas Boutique Hotel in Kastraki and have a beautiful view of Meteora. One other good choice is Meteora Hotel at Kastraki the place you can too get pleasure from a pool with a panoramic view.
If you happen to’re nonetheless eager to make it to Meteora in someday and take advantage of it, your only option is this tour from Athens by practice. The 93€ worth contains the practice tickets from Athens, however you’ll need to get on the practice and get to Kalambaka by yourself.
Methods to get from Thessaloniki to Meteora
This one is extra accessible as a day journey. The space from Thessaloniki to Meteora is 230 km, so it takes about 2 and a half hours to drive there.
We drove from Thessaloniki and had loads of time to see the open monasteries in Meteora. See the small print on the visiting days and hours on the finish of this submit.
A fast tip: it’s not simple to discover a fuel station in Greece. Fill your tank earlier than you allow the Thessaloniki space.
The organized excursions by bus from Thessaloniki are extra handy than those by practice. You’ll be able to e-book a tour from Thessaloniki here.
Extra about every Meteora Monastery
The six monasteries and nunneries nonetheless functioning in Meteora are under. Discover out a bit about every of them, helpful data, and visiting hours for every monastery in Meteora.
The monasteries are spectacular, set on excessive, nearly unaccessible pillars. In spite of everything, the monks constructed them to dwell secluded and nearer to God.
Furthermore, visiting them lets you uncover stunning frescoes, icons, and outdated manuscripts.
The outdated winches and baskets they used to carry provides are additionally very fascinating to see.
A fast tip: 5 of the 6 monasteries are accessible by stairs. It may be laborious for somebody not very match to climb all these steps in a number of hours. Hydrate and take it slowly. Plan to go to 2 or 3 monasteries if you’re not an athlete.
Most organized excursions will solely take you to a few monasteries and introduce you to the others from a distance.
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St. Stephen’s Nunnery
The convent goes again to the twelfth century. It’s the solely monastery in Meteora accessible for folks with disabilities, being related with the street by a small stone bridge. Take note of the gorgeous frescoes and the wood-carved art work within the chapels of St.Stephen’s.
Holy Trinity Monastery Meteora
Agia Triada by its Greek identify, the Holy Trinity Monastery in Meteora is probably the most tough to entry. You’ll have to stroll down the pathway to the foot of the cliff after which climb greater than 130 steps to succeed in the monastery.
The view from the highest is completely wonderful and properly definitely worth the effort.
The Holy Trinity in Meteora can also be the filming location for the ultimate scenes of a James Bond film, For Your Eyes Solely.
Roussanou Nunnery
The Rousannou Monastery in Meteora was based in 1529 and is devoted to Saint Barbara. The complicated occupies the whole cliff of a stone pillar misplaced in a dense inexperienced forest.
To entry the Rousannou Monastery, you must climb the few stairs to a neighboring cliff, then cross on the bridge to the monastery.
Search for the wall work and the wood-artwork contained in the monastery. Additionally, don’t neglect to take a number of moments to admire the views.
Nice Meteoron Monastery
The Holy Monastery of the Metamorfosis, a.ok.a. The Nice Meteoron is the most important, oldest monastery in Meteora. Saint Athanasios the Meteorite based the Nice Meteoron and in addition the monastic neighborhood in Meteora within the 14th century.
Till 1923, Megalo Meteoron was accessible by rope ladders and later by a pulley system. Provisions and males was once pulled up the 600 meters excessive cliff in a internet.
Now, the monastery is accessible by climbing a 146 irregular steps staircase.
Be certain to go to the museum within the outdated church of the Nice Meteoron and pay particular consideration to the precious icons right here.
Varlaam Monastery in Meteora
The monk Varlaam lived as a hermit in a cave and constructed the primary chapel on the rock the place the Holy Monastery of Varlaam now stands. It’s the second-largest monastery in Meteora, and you will get there climbing the 195 steps.
The buildings and courtyards of Varlaam Monastery are stunning. Additionally, admire the frescoes and the wood-carved art work. Maybe probably the most fascinating is the museum, displaying photos of monastic life and the rope basket used to carry up provides and pilgrims. The basket and the winch tower are on show within the monastery’s museum.
St. Nikolas Monastery Meteora
The small Agios Nikolaos Monastery is straightforward to entry from the street from Kastraki. 150 steps lead from the bottom to the doorway of the monastery. A well-known painter from Crete painted the primary chapel within the sixteenth century with Biblical scenes and moments of monastic life. They’re among the greatest frescoes in Meteora.
A few the abandoned monasteries in Meteora are additionally seen from the terraces of St. Nikolas Monastery.
Is it potential to see each Meteora monastery on a day journey?
I’ll say it’s potential, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly not a simple objective to succeed in. Every monastery in Meteora has a special schedule and a day when it stays closed, and that varies between then. Take a look at the summer season hours under to see what you may give you.
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Hours and Tickets for every Meteora Monastery
St. Stephen’s Nunnery is open on daily basis besides Mondays from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM and within the afternoons from 3:30 PM to five:30 PM.
Holy Trinity Monastery is closed on Thursdays. It’s open from 9:00 AM to five:00 PM on all different days.
Roussanou Monastery is open on daily basis besides Wednesdays from 10:00 AM to 43:00 PM.
Nice Meteoron Monastery is open from 9:00 AM to three:00 PM on daily basis besides Tuesdays.
Varlaam Monastery is closed on Fridays and is open each different day from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Agios Nikolaos Anapafsas Monastery is closed on Fridays and is open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on all different days.
The best way I see it, to see each monastery in Meteora in solely someday, it must be both Saturday or Sunday. Additionally, you’ll have to begin your day journey early.
Helpful tricks to go to Meteora
The doorway price for every monastery in Meteora is 3€, and you must costume appropriately. Meaning lengthy pants for males and below-knees skirts for girls. Additionally, lined shoulders for all. Some monasteries will present lengthy skirts and scarves for girls to put on.
Meteora is among the most-visited websites in Greece, second solely to the Acropolis of Athens. Loads of the two million guests visiting Meteora yearly will need to drive there. You’ll be able to drive to all six energetic monasteries, however there may be merely not sufficient parking house for all guests.
Take into account joining a tour, strolling between the monasteries, or getting there very early within the morning.
Sunset tours are additionally very fashionable in Meteora because it’s in all probability probably the most instagrammable place in Greece.
Bathrooms are solely out there contained in the monasteries, so you’ll have to climb to the highest of the cliffs to entry the amenities.
Drinks, snacks, and souvenirs can be found within the parking numerous the bigger monasteries in Meteora (St. Stephen’s Monastery, Nice Meteoron, and Varlaam Monasteries).
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Have you ever been to Meteora? Which monasteries did you go to?
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