In the heart of Greece, land of the gods, there is the most magnificent place in Europe. Created more than 600 million years ago by Anemoi, the gods of the wind and Poseidon, god of the sea and earthquakes, these pillars of giant sandstone rock rise from the earth to the heavens. It’s meteors.
The 6 monasteries include; The Holy Trinity – The most famous to be used in one of the films of James Bond, the Varlaam monastery – housing relics, icons and frescoes, the monastery of St. Nikolaos Anapafsas – to a monk and famous for the frescoes by the painter Theophanes Strelitzas, and the monastery of Roussanou – a older monastery that was found in 1545 And built on an older monastery. The last two, the great monastery of Meteron and the monastery of St. Stephen, I had the privilege of exploring.
My visit to Meteora all started looking at the sunset on the magnificent view near my hotel just outside Kalambaka. The scintillated wheat fields, the rocky pillars of Meteora stood strong on the context of a delicate orange and pink sunset and I stood there in the middle of nowhere and somewhere, smiling and completely impressed. The next day, we started after a generous breakfast and we headed directly to the pillars of the sky. While we found ourselves at the top, we stopped occasionally on the side of the road, and a cliff – I can add, for sessions of photos of the incredible landscape, perched buildings high on the cliffs, sandstone pillars that came out of the earth as they were on mission to stand in front of the sun gods and the cats that produced the rings and bend on the rings of stone, Bring to the first sun of the sun.
Our first judgment was at the great monastery of Meteron, the oldest, the largest and highest of the remaining monasteries. At more than 2000 ′, the Great Meteron Monastery is an excellent place to visit because you will have access to a large part of the site. To reach it, you must first set the many staircases cut in the rock to scale. There is a collection of museums in the refectory full of artifacts and books so well preserved for the 100th anniversary. There is also an old cuisine that attracts your thoughts to which it was different in the past centuries, full of primitive kitchen goods, a dome -shaped roof with an opening in the center to release smoke and standing there, you can catch a hint of food once still prepared. You can also take a look in a room, the sacristy, where bones of old monks are placed on shelves inside. Then, there is the superb church of the 15th century with frescoes from the 16th century and a dome on 12 sides of 78 ′ high as when you hold inside and look at their beauty leaves you out of breath.
Our next judgment was the monastery of St. Stephen which is one of the two nuns of Meteora. Through a bridge and within its walls, we have put on our long skirts available and required at the entrance. Smaller and much more picturesque than the Grand Meteron, the St. Stephen monastery was full of beautiful gardens, with dancing butterflies, as well as a museum, more superb frescoes and a fabulous view of Kalambaka below. There was also a large shop, that I encourage you to buy something, because all the procedures go to their efforts to help the people of Kalambaka who need it.
Meteora completely halted my high expectations of the park. Stay in front of him, stand on her and witness her people, her history and her inspiring magnificence left me richer and eternally grateful for my time spent in his glory.
Tips for visiting meteors
Do not photograph monks or nuns
No photography in their churches
Be aware of your outfit, no tank top or shorts (for men and women) – in many monasteries, you offer yourself their sarong of skirt if you do not have appropriate stockings
If you visit without a group of visits, control times and days at the opening. Some are closed on certain days and at times.
