The Meteora Monasteries

Visit two of the Monasteries of Meteora, which were built atop rocky pinnacles nearly 600 years ago, and understand how Greek Orthodox hermit monks once lived. After a scenic drive with the Pindus mountain range as a backdrop, you’ll approach wondrous Meteora, which means “suspended in the air ”. Here you’ll find six of the 24 original monasteries, UNESCO World Heritage sites that were built on vertiginous sandstone peaks in the 14th and 15th centuries under extraordinarily hazardous conditions. Explore the Agios Stephanos Monastery, still stunning despite damage sustained during multiple military conflicts, and view the nearby Varlaam Monastery, which contains an exquisite collection of Byzantine crosses and icons in its sanctuary. Touring these beguiling religious havens, you’ll learn how the solitary monks lived and worshipped. At a nearby restaurant, enjoy a Greek lunch of traditional dishes such as spinach pie and moussaka, while you contemplate the extraordinary devotion and lifestyle of Meteora’s holy men.