Mystic Meteora

We experienced something of the life of the monks and nuns who have journeyed to the monoliths of Meteora for centuries. After a seven hour journey from Athens (2 hours at a bus terminal along the way) we arrived in Kalambaka our base for exploring the hilltop monasteries. On Sunday we caught the bus up to the highest monastery and then started a trek to others.

The first monastery was very impressive and included museums of the monks’ role in various Greek wars throughout the ages as well as relics from the early Eastern Church. The next whilst equally impressive from the outside (perched on a rock column) but was less impressive within. A kilometre or so down the road, Adrian convinced Joy to take the left branch up to a nunnery. The sign said it was 2 km but an hour or two later we reached a road junction indicating the distance back to Kalambaka was 9km (there was no return bus from here) but we were in sight of the next monastery. That’s it in the picture (right) taken just after the road junction.

We reached the path to this monastery and could see that it was about 500m down to where the stairs up began. It was at this point that Joy spat the dummy and refused to budge. A lonely Adrian began the trek down and at the base of the stairs leading up he discovered there was a walking trail back to Kalambaka. A phone call to Joy convinced her to join him and together they made the climb up to the monastery before trekking back to town via the forest walk.

We are off to Rome in the morning (Tuesday)