Travel Highlights

Meteora, meaning "suspended in the air," boasts mysterious Eastern Orthodox monasteries that cling incredibly to the edges of bizarre rock formations. Admire exquisite specimens of Byzantine art and panoramic views of the Peneios Valley. Stop at a Byzantine icon and souvenir workshop. Browse the shop's vast selection of icons, created using ancient traditional methods.

Today's full day is spent visiting six monasteries, each of which costs 3 euros. Most tourists visit all six, and we'll visit all six. We recommend visiting Meteora on Saturdays and Sundays, as these are the only days when all six monasteries are open at the same time. Ideally, we'd visit all six, but we only managed three. Honestly, after visiting the largest, it didn't really matter whether we visited the others or not.

1. Agios Nikolaos - 2. Megalo Meteoro - 3. Varlaam - 4. Roussanou - 5. Agia Trias - 6. Agios Stephe

Morning View of the Castle in the Sky

I was incredibly grateful for the beautiful weather today. The weather here can be quite unpredictable. The previous night was filled with strong winds and rain, but this morning was a gloriously sunny day. I woke up bright and early to capture the golden hour sun as it rose, capturing some stunning photos of the bizarre rock formations, monasteries, and other sights.

The selfie above was taken with the camera placed on the rock. The face is a little blurry because I couldn't focus properly, but the overall framing is quite good. After taking the selfie, I returned to the accommodation, had breakfast, and started today's itinerary. I took a few pictures of the rocks on the way up to the Sky Castle.

1. Saint Nicholas Anapafsas Monastery

The Saint Nicholas Anapafsas Monastery was the first monastery we encountered on our way to the Sky City. The origin of the monastery's name stems from the fact that it was given by a benefactor of the monastery. The second explanation relates to its location: it is the first encountered on the route to the other Meteora monasteries and likely served as a resting place for pilgrims and other visitors before continuing their ascent. The monastery itself is built on an 80-meter-high rock. Construction of the Saint Nicholas Anapafsas Monastery began in the late 14th century. The limited surface area of the rock forced the monastery's buildings to be constructed vertically, one floor above the other.

We only took photos of the monastery from the other monasteries and did not visit it inside.

2. The Holy Monastery of the Great Meteoron

Built upon a majestic rock, this monastery is the oldest, largest, and most important monastery surviving in Meteora today. It was founded by Saint Athanasius, a scholar-monk from Mount Athos, before the mid-14th century (around 1340). He initially built a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary on the rock, along with several rooms for the monks who were in the process of becoming worldly beings. He then constructed another church honoring the Transfiguration of Christ. It has stood for over 600 years and is a true bastion of Orthodox monasticism and Christendom. The monastery library houses a rich collection of books. Despite turbulent times, the monks have faithfully preserved the monastery's treasures to this day, including a rich collection of gold-embroidered cloth.

This monastery is the first monastery we will visit today. However, a small incident happened today. After I dropped Wei Li and Jin Xiu off at the entrance, I went down to park the car. I thought they had already climbed up the mountain. After I parked the car, I ran straight to the monastery on the mountain. I didn’t know that they were waiting for me at the lower entrance. I didn’t bring any money with me (3 euros for admission), and I wondered why they were not waiting for me at the cashier. I followed the crowd in without paying, and I couldn’t find them inside, so I had to visit alone first.

Climb up to the top of the mountain along the climbing trail, which is a steep climb

Looking down from the entrance to the mountain top

By chance, we encountered a heavy-duty motor team coming to visit

This enthusiastic on-site commander was the one who drove Wei Li down to find me.

3. Monastery of Varlaam

The Holy Monastery of Varlaam is the second largest monastery in Meteora. Located very close to the Great Meteoron Holy Monastery, it was founded in the mid-14th century by a monk named Varlaam. Varlaam successfully climbed the cliff around 1350, and several other monks followed him to establish the monastery. A few decades later, in the early 15th century, after Varlaam's death, the remaining monks abandoned the cliff. His 14th-century chapel dedicated to the "Three Saints" fell into near ruin. In the early 16th century, two brothers from Ioannina, the priests Theophanes and Nectarios, known as the Apsarades, decided to revitalize the abandoned Varlaam Monastery. In 1541, they settled on the cliff and spent years building a new church dedicated to the "All Saints." This was the second monastery we visited. The entrance fee booth was very deceitful. Girls were required to wear clothes that were not in accordance with regulations and they forced you to buy their scarves. My wife was dissatisfied with their business practices and decided not to go in. In the confusion, I also did not buy a ticket to go in for the visit again. In fact, after you have visited the first and largest monastery, it seems that there is no difference if you did not go in to the rest.

4. Monastery of Saint Barbara Roussanou

The Holy Monastery of Roussanou, located in Meteora, Greece, was founded in the 14th century. Its name, "Roussanou," likely comes from the hermit who first settled on the rock during that period. The monastery is a single building that occupies the entire usable surface of the cliff. It gives the impression of being carved out of the cliff, an extension of the rock itself! It was constructed primarily on three main levels in the 16th century to increase the usable interior space. Construction on the main church began in the late 16th century and was embellished thirty years later by a skilled artist who resided at Roussanou Monastery.

Main Observation Deck of Meteora

At this wonderful scenic spot, we happened to meet a local driver tour guide who was taking photos for his guests, so we asked him to take a photo for us. He gladly agreed and used his skilled technique to take a panorama photo for us.

Holy Monastery of Rousanos

I happened to meet a beautiful girl taking pictures, and I also helped her take a precious photo.

5. The Monastery of Holy Trinity

The Holy Trinity Monastery is one of the most photographed monuments in Meteora. It's also the most difficult of all six monasteries to reach. Those who dare to brave the steep stairs and winding paths are rewarded with breathtaking panoramic views of the cliffs surrounding the monastery and the town of Kalambaka below! The Holy Trinity Monastery underwent extensive renovations in the 1970s and remains an active monastery open to visitors. The Holy Trinity Monastery shot to fame in 1981 when it was featured in the James Bond film "For Your Eyes Only." The film starred Roger Moore as James Bond's agent and co-starred Carol Bouquet, Chaim Topol, and Julian Glover. The Holy Trinity Monastery was the third monastery we visited. It's a very difficult climb, but we overcame all odds, including the scorching heat and the steep, winding paths, and finally made it to the summit.

Because the Holy Trinity Monastery is too difficult to climb, their staff now take the cable car to go to get off work.

These rooms should be the monks' living quarters

The Holy Trinity Monastery is located in a unique and towering location, overlooking the entire Kalambaka city.

6. Monastery of St. Stephen

The Monastery of St. Stephen is by far the easiest to reach. You can reach the entrance by crossing a small bridge, rather than climbing steps. It's perfect for visitors with limited mobility who can't use the steps but still want to truly experience the Meteora monasteries. A visit to this monastery offers breathtaking views of the vast Thessaly Valley, the Pinios River, and the Pindos Mountains rising above the plain. From 300 meters above ground, you can enjoy stunning views of the town of Kalabaka! This was the last monastery we visited.

After a full day of sightseeing in the "Castle in the Sky", we chose a restaurant with a taste of mom's food, Mama's House Restaurant. Their pork belly was especially delicious.

When returning the car to Athens Airport, we took a photo with KIA who had been traveling around the island with us for four days.

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