My Meteora Experience

June 4, 2024

When planning extended trips abroad, I make a somewhat detailed plan and reserve accommodations a few months ahead of time. But I have learned to make reservations that can be canceled because plans change.

A couple of weeks ago, I made such a change. I decided to leave the island of Kos early and head to mainland Greece before a week-long retreat. I won’t go into detail about why I left Kos early—Kos has a lot to offer, and I recommend a visit.

A friend of mine raves about Meteora and was perhaps a little disappointed that I hadn’t planned to go there on my second Greek adventure. Well, change of plans; time to see Meteora!

If you’ve never been or never seen pictures, Meteora is out-of-this world! Dating back at least 1000 years, religious folks have been inclined to dwell there. Hermits have lived in the caves on the towering rocks, and Greek Orthodox monks have built beautiful monasteries on top of the rocks. At one time, there were 24 monasteries. There are now only 6 active monasteries remaining.

Fair warning: even if you take a tour bus, you need to be ready to walk some slopes and climb some stairs. St. Stephens is the only one with easy access.

I stayed in Kalabaka with the intention of hiking to the monasteries. I ended up cheating a bit but was very happy with my experience.

First, I got lucky with a last-minute booking. If you know me, you know that I mostly stay in studio apartments so I can cook my own food. With Celiac disease, it’s easier, and I save time and money. I then have the freedom to eat out when I choose.

My apartment was quite spacious with a view of St. Stephens, one of the two nunneries. The long balcony was shaded all afternoon, allowing me the perfect place to rest.

Hiking Day One

I started from my apartment at about 8:00 AM and took the trail up to Holy Trinity Monastery. It’s a pleasant path, shady most of the way, which is helpful as you gain altitude.

On my way up, I encountered first an older Greek man and then a younger Greek man, both on their way down. Then a young American man passed me going up. I told him that I was preserving my energy for the day, and he said, “You look great!” Nice to get some motivation from a stranger.

When you get to the top of the trail, there are still over 100 stairs to conquer before reaching the monastery. Even though the sign said that it opened at 10:00, a few of us were entering before 9:30.

Holy Trinity is probably the most photographed of Meteora’s monasteries. It sits rather perfectly on top of its rock. (I took this photo the next day from a different angle.)

In the garden area, I saw the young American man again. We sat and conversed for about half an hour. It was a much-needed break. He said he was heading to St. Stephens next. I didn’t walk with him but had the same plan.

So, down the stairs and up the long, paved walkway I went. I saw a path to the right and figured it was a way to avoid walking the road. Thankfully, it was, and I reached St. Stephens about 40 minutes later.

By then, the tour buses had arrived. I was grateful to have had the quiet, uncrowded experience at Holy Trinity. I briefly encountered the young American man and exchanged a few words.

Even though it was crowded, St. Stephens is beautiful, and all the monasteries have wonderful views. St. Stephens also had an interesting gift shop that included some items made by the nuns. I asked questions about the products, and the nun seemed pleased by my interest. The St. John’s Wort oil that I bought does seem to work well for massaging sore muscles!

I started walking toward the other monasteries and realized that I needed to save some energy for the next two days. I ended up taking the trail back to town and my apartment.

Hiking Day Two

I decided to walk through the smaller town, Kastraki, to reach some of the other monasteries. As I walked through, I decided that if I returned, I would stay in Kastraki. It’s smaller than Kalabaka and has a calmer vibe. The homes are well-kept, and there are oodles of flowers.

I got distracted by some ruins of a monastery on the side of a rock and decided to take that smaller, less-traveled road. Looking at Google Maps, I figured I could take a trail to cut back through. I was ready for an adventure anyway.

I ended up visiting a monastery that was out in the country and not built on top of a rock. The monk was very welcoming, and I had a unique experience where I sat down and chatted with him in limited English. He offered me cookies and coffee. I tried to explain my celiac disease, and at first, he thought I was diabetic. Google translator helped a bit! I was grateful for the experience as he said they only get a few visitors a day at most. (On Google Maps, the name of the monastery was only in Greek; so, I can’t add it here. Sorry.)

I then continued, trying to make a loop. I stopped at a tiny church that was locked. Bummer. A well-marked bike trail eventually got me back to a main road.

I survived with just one blister on my big toe. My best estimate is that I hiked about 12 miles.

By the time I arrived back at the apartment, I had about 90 minutes to eat, rest, and shower before my sunset tour. (It began at 3:45.) I got to see Saint Nicholas Monastery (more stairs to climb) and saw the exterior of the other monasteries. The sunset wasn’t exactly spectacular, but our bus driver and tour guide were! It was a minibus with only 18 passengers, so we had a personalized experience. We also saw some things that I wouldn’t have been looking for on my own.

St. Nicholas from the parking area

Views from St. Nicholas

11th Century Byzantine church in Kalapaka

Abandoned monastery

Hiking Day Three

I figured out a plan to go for a walk while preserving my blistered toe and visit the last must-see monastery on my list.

I took a taxi up to Roussanou, the other nunnery, and wore my sneakers instead of my hikers. As predicted, Roussanou was the prettiest of all. The garden was stunning, and the grounds were well-kept. Inside the church, people were lighting candles and praying. It was a beautiful experience.

Looking back up at Roussanou as I walked down the road

After the visit, I walked down the winding hill at a leisurely pace. I stopped to take photos that you’d never get from a tour bus and took a nice break in the old town section of Kastraki.

My plan worked out well, and my feet were thankful for the shorter itinerary.

I saw several bicyclists making their way uphill and ran into two Spanish men my age toward the end of my walk. They were excited that I spoke Spanish, and I helped them in the right direction. They were getting started in the heat of the day; it was 11:40 by then. I was glad to be headed back.

As I reached Kalabaka, I stopped at the Digital Projection Center to watch the 3D films. One was about Mt. Olympus and the other two were about Meteora. Well worth the three-euro admission. The tour guide from last night had recommended it.

After yesterday’s long day of walking, I felt like I needed to catch up on eating. I stopped at Taverna Yamas for some fresh and tasty food. I had shrimp swimming in olive oil and tomato sauce topped with feta, and grilled mushrooms with balsamic. Both were delicious. I was so busy eating; I didn’t even share any shrimp with the cat who was patiently waiting.

For me, Meteora was an amazing place that everyone should see if they can. We’re talking bucket list like the Grand Canyon or Machu Picchu. I would happily go back to experience it again. I hope you see it someday, too!