Meteora

Background

Meteora lies in Trikala, Thessaly, Greece, between the town of Kalabaka and the village of Kastraki, near the Pindus mountains and the Pineios River; its name means "suspended in the air". The pillars are made of sandstone and conglomerate, shaped by water, wind and changes in temperature. Six monasteries survive on the summits: the Great Meteoron, the oldest and largest, along with Varlaam, the Holy Trinity and the convent of St Stephen, among others, where you can see church frescoes and icon collections. Hermits were living in the rock caves by the 9th century, and the monastic community of Stagoi formed in the late 11th or early 12th century. From the 14th century monasteries were built one after another on the rock tops, and at their peak in the 16th century there were 24. Of the six that survive, four still house monastic communities, the Great Meteoron, Varlaam, the Holy Trinity and St Stephen's, which has been a convent since 1961; the buildings of Roussanou and St Nicholas survive but no longer house monastic life. The rock tops were originally reached by ladders and hoisting nets, and steps were cut into the rock only in the 1920s. The site was bombed during the Second World War. Meteora was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1988 under criteria i, ii, iv, v and vii.

Local customs

• Visit the monastery churches and small museums one by one
• hike the paths between the rocks
• watch the sunset from a viewpoint
• wander the villages of Kalabaka and Kastraki.

Travel tips

• Each monastery has a different weekly closing day
• opening hours and fees are subject to the official information. The dress code is strict: wraps are usually provided at the entrance, and visitors not dressed appropriately may be refused entry. The rock tops are windy with many steps, so wear non-slip shoes. In summer, protect yourself from the sun and drink plenty of water. Allow most of a day to visit several monasteries.
• Use Kalabaka as a base and take a local bus or taxi up the hill, or hike the paths between the rocks
• by car, the mountain road leads to car parks near each monastery. Spring and autumn are mild with good light, best for hiking and photography. Summer is sunny but hot and crowded. Winter is cold with occasional snow
• check each monastery's opening status before you travel.