In central Greece, soaring above the Plain of Thessaly, the giant stone columns of Meteora tower above the village of Kalabaka. Perched precariously at heights of 500+ feet, six (of an original twenty-four) monasteries still cling to the peaks, and within their labyrinthine passages, a few cloistered monks still reside, devoted to a higher calling and unafraid of sharing their whiskey.
Visiting these impressive structures is not for the faint of heart—and definitely not for the acrophobic. But in the 1920’s, stairs were carved into the rock face, making the ascent relatively easy (…and the need to climb into a rope net to be hoisted by a hook, a thing of the past).
The monasteries were built in the fourteenth century by Eastern Orthodox monks trying to find separation from a tumultuous political situation and the onslaught of Turkish occupation. As the raiding Turks couldn’t be bothered with making a 500-foot ladder, the rock pillar monastery plan was, no doubt, immediately celebrated as a good idea. So more were built.
Today, the buildings remain a spiritual mecca for those who are not afraid of a quadricep workout.
When the climb is over, each monastery has a unique list of curiosities that can be explored. Every visitor is rewarded with exquisite frescos, intricate mosaics, hand-carved structural beams and doors, and rooms that hold anything from the skulls of former monks to the largest wooden beer keg ever seen.
Though there are six monasteries, one is easily able to climb to them all in two days because of their close proximity to one another.
And though Kalabaka is small, there are a number of excellent and affordable places to stay and a few great restaurants, making the village a perfect base in which to explore the surrounding area.
The clifftop monasteries of Meteora is definitely one of Greece’s hidden gems.
If you can, make the time.