Have you ever wondered: How on earth could the Medieval men put a huge, perfectly framed church with gorgeous stained glass and statues up on the mountain summit with erratic boulders-characteristics?
The world has seen plenty of incredible ancient churches but right here in this part of Greece, six massive monasteries perch over 600 meters of inspiring and sensational Meteora rock formations looking out to vineyards and thick vegetation.
The six monasteries of Meteora have been a world-renowned destination for visitors paying tribute to this 2000-year-old Christian Orthodox creed. There were once 24 of them conquering the area yet only the six of those remain intact.
The monasteries are only a short car ride from the city center of Kalabaka. As the name suggests, the word “Meteora” is locally translated into “hanging in the air”. The mountain was named as such to reflect the suspended monasteries resting on top of the rocky boulders.
In this article, I’ll buckle you up with all the best tips you’ve gotta know before climbing the monasteries, proper outfit, difficulty level, and what to see inside each spot.
Meteora Monasteries Opening Hours
The opening hours at the Meteora monasteries fluctuate depending on the season. Plus, not all six monasteries are open at the same time daily. Therefore, make sure to keep up with the latest updates on the calendar here and plan your trip accordingly. If you wish to cover all six monasteries on the same day, start early in the morning on either Saturday or Sunday when none of them is closed.
6 Essential Tips To Know Before Visiting Meteora Monasteries
Tickets Are Put For Sales Separately For Each Monastery
There is no such thing as a “combo ticket” or “travel pass” here so you’ve gotta pay EUR 3 (in cash) for each monastery you plan to visit.
Prepare High-Quality Walking Shoes
Covering all six monasteries is like a steep hike. Some of them like the Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron require a steeper climb so chances are you’re gonna be tackling over 300 stairs in total. I’ll dig into the difficulty level for each monastery below so you can buckle up with your fitness level.
Prepare Appropriate Outfit
Cover your shoulders and knees in a sleeved top and long skirt or trousers. If you fail to get them ready by the time you come, they have some to borrow for free at the entrance (the number of items is limited for adults and unlimited for children under 12 years old).
Limit Your Water Intake
Even though they set up washrooms around the monasteries but try to limit the amount of water you drink before setting out for the road trip. Think about it! You can’t really ‘powder your nose’ anytime soon until you finish the long flight of stairs. So pay attention to what you’re drinking.
Pack Some Snacks (Or Have A Filling Breakfast)
You won’t find that many restaurants and cafes are the base of the monasteries so make sure you bring bread or snacks along the ride and carry them with you in the bag. Consider something light and energy-packed bites so you won’t carry too much on your shoulders.
No Photography Please!
Pictures and videos are not allowed in any of the six monasteries, especially the main halls, and murals. However, feel free to snap away your favorite shots at the outdoor courtyards. Other than that, smoking, indoor snacking, and liquor consumption are completely banned on the site.
Can You Visit Meteora Without A Car?
Heck yeah! Unless you’re joining a tour, you can totally opt for a motorcycle other than a car ride. No fretting over safety as the roads are well-paved, flat, and wide so you won’t encounter any sudden turns or off-road spins.
A Glimpse Inside The Six Monasteries
Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapafsas
You can choose to cover the six monasteries either clockwise or the other way around. If you start clockwise, the first monastery you’ll encounter is the Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapafsas. From the parking lot, it’s a five-minute walk uphill with beautiful scenery of the vineyards and Kastraki village at a distance.
The locals also refer to it as the monastery of Agios Nikolaos. This is the smallest monastery out of the six and it’s been around since the 14th century. However, it was completely out of use since the Greek government left it in a disrepair state.
Halfway through the climb, you will pass a small corner where they offer candles for blessings and you can stop by to light up a few. The sweet honey aroma is delicately infused into the air from the candlelights, making it a lot warmer and more peaceful to enjoy the walk.
Holy Monastery of Roussanou
The next monastery you’ll encounter is within a short climb from the Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapafsas. Withstanding all the bombarding events during WW2, this monastery is still standing the test of time. Today, you need to conquer a total of 200 steps in order to reach the Monastery of Roussanou.
Soon you’ll see a scenic bridge with a view that connects you to the hall inside. So get your camera ready as the jaw-dropping landscape from the bridge is too stunning to be ignored.
Meteora Observation Deck
A little off the topic but if you’ve ever made it this far, don’t forget to stop by the observation deck of Meteora to soak up the gorgeous view during sunset. The changing visual effects of the far-flung horizon when the sun casts its color palette and the amber light on the lush vineyards and mountains at a distance are beyond imagination. Winter is believed to be the best time to hit this spot and hunt for sunset.
Holy Monastery of Varlaam
Within only 120 steps, the Holy Monastery of Varlaam is considered an easy climb to tackle. The elevation gain is not the end of the world with a moderate incline to work out your cores in the middle of the trip.
The monastery was named after the monk who laid the stone for the first church on the summit back in the mid-14th century. Following his death shortly after, the monastery of Varlaam was left forsaken until the early 16th century when it was fully renovated and converted for a new operation.
It’s incredible to see how perfectly they preserved those marvelous ancient paintings dating back to the 16th century and kept them for display in a small museum there.
Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron
The Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron and the Holy Monastery of Varlaam are neighboring each other, making it an easy walk to visit the two. However, the Great Meteoron is also the hardest monastery to complete the hike straight out of the parking lot if you decide to visit this one first thing in the day.
This marvelous monastery has been around since the 14th century but the small church located at its core was not around until 200 years later. Today, you’ll have a chance to contemplate the old relics including the big Jesus murals and his 12 disciples.
Monastery of Holy Trinity
From afar, the Monastery of Holy Trinity seems as if it’s left suspended in the air. Even though they set up a cable car here but as far as I know, it’s not open for public visits. In this case, you may wanna either climb down the pathway near the parking lot before walking back up again.
The latter part is a little disheartening with roughly 140 steps of stairs jutting out from a steep incline. It takes somewhere around 15 minutes to complete the climb. Now you’ve been warned! So consider your fitness level to decide if you’re able to take a glimpse into this monastery.
Holy Monastery of St. Stephen
Last but not least, the Holy Monastery of St. Stephen is considered one of the easiest climbs out of those six. Locally called Agios Stefanos, St. Stephen Monastery houses an incredible chapel inside, splashed with exquisitely crafted paintings of biblical stories and wood carvings.
Key Takeaways: Are The Six Monasteries Of Meteora Worth Visiting?
An absolute yes! Even though the Acropolis of Athens, Delphi, Parthenon, and Santorini are undoubtedly the most famous heavyweights for first-time visitors to Greece, you don’t wanna miss out on a once-in-a-life-time experience climbing all those stairs and marveling at the ancient monasteries perched out of nowhere.