While I’m assuming that you’re not an adventure seeking monk (and if you are, thank you for reading), this will change your impression of staid, boring monks.
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I don’t usually think of monks as adventure seeking, but the ones living in Meteora, Greece more than qualify in my opinion.
Meteora has an otherworldly appearance. It doesn’t look as if it belongs on this earth, and perhaps it doesn’t.The nameMeteora comes from the word Meteor that means suspended, which is what the Meteora monasteries atop the natural sandstone massifs appear to be.
Or perhaps it refers to the monk’s sought-out mental state, …so different from those of us stuck back down here on earth. Although they do have a monk jail.
Meteora is Greece’s second-largest monastic community. The first is Mount Athos. In it’s hey day back in the beginning of the 14th century there were 24 monasteries. Now just six remain, with the rest in ruins.
OK, but getting back to those adventurous monks, which is what you really want to know about right?
Some might even call them daredevils. Oops, perhaps, that’s not a good word to associate with monks…but I digress…
Back in the day, there were only two ways to reach the monasteries 1) rock climbing the vertical sandstone columns:
or 2) being hosted up 373m in a basket made of ropes:
Seriously, what a choice! Regardless either qualifies as an adventure, don’t you think? And once again, I’ve got my impression of monks all wrong!
The first time was in Norcia, Umbria, when I met a Benedict monk. With a mischievous glint in his eye, he told me I have a lover…. My eyes grew wide…..His name is God! he said
So not only can monks have a sense of humour, but they are also great rock climbers. Who knew?
Recommended Reading: Hiking in Greece: The Top 9 Places
Flash forward to the present day and things have changed in this stone forest. Roads have been built and all the monasteries are open to the public.
That’s why, according to my guide Sophia, the number of active monasteries has declined, including the original monastery built in the 14th century by a monk from Mount Athos named Saint Athanasios the Meteorite.
Monos means alone and monastic translates as to go away to be alone – something about the life of solitude is in direct contrast to being a tourist destination.
Inside these beautiful monasteries are some of the most beautiful frescoes from the 17th century and 18th centuries. The incredible views of massive rock formations are breathtaking to behold. No wonder the monks who first arrived here in the 10th century never left.
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That’s why I recommend exploring Meteora with a local guide – they can take you to places where tourists don’t go!
Like the Varlaam Monastery! It is the second-largest monastery of all Meteora. The Holy Trinity Monastery, Roussanou Monastery, Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapafsas, and other historic monasteries.
Plus they tell you insider secrets and the history of monasteries like no other. One that stood out was that during the Turkish occupation, hermit monks were seeking refuge thus the Meteora monasteries.
Safely assuming that you aren’t seeking the monastic life, (I have very few monk readers that I’m aware of) Meteora is an incredible place to visit.
It’s one of those destinations that will have you saying WOW over and over again! It is very deservedly a UNESCO World Heritage Site. My first visit to Meteora lasted only a few hours, which is WAY too short.
Trust me, you’ll want to stay longer, so check out these tours from Visit Meteora, a local family-run business with guides who are born storytellers!
Make the Most of Your Visit to Meteora with these tips :
- While it’s possible to drive or take a bus up, for a truly special experience hike up at dawn to catch the sunrise. It’s safe to do on your own without a guide.
- Every monastery has their own opening hours and many close for 2-3 hours in the afternoon during summer, so ask your hotel in Kalambaka (the nearest town) for the schedule of all the monasteries.
- If you want to see all six monasteries, allow yourself six days. If you don’t have time to see all six, see these three:
- The Holy Monastery of Varlaam (the one I visited). It’s the second largest found at Meteora and was built in 1541.
- The Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas (built in the middle of the 16th century)
- Holy Monastery of Rousano (founded in the middle of the 16th century)
Getting to Meteora
Meteora is located just over 500km north of Athens. It takes ~ 5 hours to get there by car. Check out the map below from Athens to Meteora:
Note: My visit to Meteora was made possible by Visit Greece but as always all opinions are my own. They did not require me to rock climb or take a basked to visit the monasteries, they kindly drove me.
