Meteora Greece

Meteora: Sixth-Century Monasteries on Top of Impossible Rock Pillars

The monks who established the earliest Meteora hermitages in the 9th century reached the top of the rock pillars by climbing up removable wooden ladders and pegs. When the rope-and-basket system eventually replaced the ladders, the ropes were changed when they appeared to be fraying, which, according to accounts, was when God chose, meaning when the ropes actually broke. This system remained in use until the 1920s, when steps were finally cut into the rock faces. You take a different route up now, but the sense that the location was deliberately chosen to be inaccessible to most of humanity remains.

Meteora is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Greece where Orthodox monks built monasteries on top of sandstone pillars rising 300-400 metres above the Thessaly plain. Twenty-four monasteries existed at their peak in the 16th century; six remain active today. The phrase “built on impossible terrain” is usually hyperbole. Here it is accurate: some were accessible only by rope nets and baskets until the 1920s when steps were cut into the rock faces.

The Monasteries

Six monasteries are open to visitors on rotating schedules. All six in one day is achievable but hurried; two days is the sensible plan for doing them properly.

The Great Meteoron, the largest and oldest, sits at 613 metres and requires a climb of 300 steps cut into the rock face. The entrance fee is €3. The frescoes inside date from the 16th century and are in unusually good condition. The monastery museum has monastic objects, manuscripts, and a section covering the wartime resistance activities of the monks, which is less commonly discussed than the Byzantine art.

Varlaam Monastery, accessible via 195 steps, has a catholicon (main church) with frescoes from 1548 and a refectory with an elaborate painted ceiling. The view from the terrace over the twin pillars that frame the Great Meteoron is the best inter-monastery view in the complex.

Roussanou is the most photographed from below because its foundation occupies the full width of a narrow pillar, giving the impression that the building has no supporting rock at all. Inside, the 16th-century frescoes emphasise martyrdom scenes with considerable graphic detail, which creates a particular atmosphere in the dimly lit main chapel.

All monasteries require covered shoulders and knees; long skirts are provided at entrances for those in shorts. Photography inside the churches is prohibited. Most are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; check individual schedules before planning a route.

Kalambaka and Kastraki

The two village bases for visiting Meteora sit at the base of the rock complex. Kalambaka is the town with the train station; Kastraki, 2km north, is smaller and sits directly under the rock formations with views from most accommodation. Both are adequate bases. The night views of the lit monasteries from Kastraki’s main street are worth the slight inconvenience of being further from Kalambaka’s more varied restaurant options.

Getting There

Train from Athens to Kalambaka takes 4-4.5 hours and costs €23-35 depending on class. The Intercity train is significantly more comfortable than the slower regional service. A taxi from Kalambaka to the first monastery access point costs €10-15; most visitors rent a car or a scooter. Walking between all six monasteries and back is approximately 12km on paved roads with significant climbing; achievable for fit visitors in a full day.

Where to Eat

Taverna Paradisos on the main road through Kastraki does reliable Greek food; moussaka and grilled meats for €12-18 per plate. The Meteora restaurant above Kalambaka near the Theopetra Cave access road is more expensive and has better views of the plains. For breakfast, the cafes in both villages serve Greek coffee, yoghurt with honey, and spanakopita (spinach pie) for €5-8 per person.

Sunrise from the Psaropetra viewpoint on the road north of Kastraki, or from the access road below the Great Meteoron, is genuinely worth a 5:30am alarm: the monasteries emerge from mist as the light builds, and the viewpoints are empty.