Think of Greece. Turquoise blue Aegean waters and iconic islands like Santorini and Mikonos. Athens, the Classical period, the Acropolis, and its Parthenon. Greek food, gyros, feta cheese and moussaka. Lively and welcoming inhabitants.
Maybe you can even relate to the economic situation that the country has been through lately. The unstable economy, demonstrations, high rates of unemployment, the Syrian refugees’ crisis, political distress.
Oh! Sweet stereotypes.
Well, I am here to tell you that there is much more Greece beyond them. Actually, this piece here is about Meteora, a part of the country I had never dreamt about before visiting it. Because you need a really creative mind to actually picture it in your mind.
But fear not, once you do, it will stick with you forever. Holy, powerful, and highly addictive, this region is something to add to your Greece itinerary now if you haven’t done it already.
METEORA, A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE
About 600 meters above the sea level and barely a 5h ride from Athens (one of the cities I’d move to right now!), Meteora could be described as a stone forest whose main purpose is to try to get you higher to the skies if you might. Some of the reasons monks have populated the top of these limestone and rock formations since the fourteen century and building impressive constructions called Monasteries. Those highly self-sufficient micro cities are today mainly abandon but it is still possible to visit some of them, where some nuns and monks live and pray. And attend the tourists.
The neatest about it, is that big crowds are not frequent. Yet. The place is so special that I have no doubt it will soon suffer a boost in the number of people visiting it yearly. Anyway, there is hope. Yes! Meteora has been cataloged as a Unesco World Heritage site and many restrictions already apply in order to regulate tourism and preserve its unique character.
WHAT TO DO IN METEORA?
Already convinced? That is awesome! Now you want to know what else the place offers to plan how many nights should you stay there? Great, go on reading then.
HERE ARE OUR 8 REASONS TO VISIT METEORA
1. Meteora hiking trails.
From the three hikes, the municipality has tracked, designed, and documented right for you up to as many nature walks and little paths as you want to explore. I would recommend checking their 9 km hike. Without revealing too much, here are some of its highlights.
- Uncountable landscape photo ops featuring some of the most impressive rocks of Meteora.
- Soft and bright green moss prairies that will take your mind to Ireland or Iceland in the blink of an eye.
- Stepping on the biggest monastery of them all and getting to know how the monks managed to live there for centuries. Curious about how they collected water, how people and food would reach those highs, how they rewarded, and punished the members of the brotherhood? All those and many other questions have their answer just there!
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- Discovering a unique church that cannot be photographed or filmed, but definitely can be described! Polychromed on every one of its walls till the last inch, with the right amount of light coming inside to create its atmosphere. Very worth the hike! Quiet, cozy, and colorful, it is located inside the grand monastery and, like the monument, you need to pay a fee to enter. Girls need to wear a special skirt provided there at no extra cost and the bathroom facilities are modest to say at least, featuring a hole in the ground that goes very well with the customs.
- Stone forests as well as deep forests in between the big rocks that will immerse you in another world to just surprise you every now and then with unique windows to the top of the famous rocks.
2. Finding a unique spot for yourself at sunset and just letting it happen right in front of your eyes
Stone hop your way and get your trone before the sun goes down and watch it set in Meteora with such a magnificent background.
3. Visit a monastery or two
Reasons to #visitMeteora 1. Jaw-dropping landscapes #Meteora #tbexathens
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Did you know any prospective monk has to pass an approval process that varies from 3 to 10 years to join the brotherhood?
Only when the other monks are 110 percent sure that the newbie will be a good match and is ready to join the monastic order, an initiation ceremony will take place and the new monk will become part of the community.
Not an easy task for the monk who is in charge of the congregation. If something does not go as expected and somehow one or more of his brothers decide to leave the Monastery, there is a non-written rule that says the one in charge has to resign. What takes us to:
4. Get amazed with the local tales and stories
Sunset at #Meteora. One of the things you have to see in your life!
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Only the people who have lived in this holy place for generations and generations know the in and outs, the secrets, the unique stories that will keep you entertained. If you are lucky as I was and someone gets to narrate them to you as George, our guide, did to my group and me, you will understand why they deserve a place on its own in this recommendation list.
5. Channel your inner outdoors persona
No matter if you aren’t looking forward to climb the Everest anytime soon or if you are an outdoors freak. From the adrenaline filled via ferratas to seasonal rafting, rock climbing and abseiling, there is something just for you in Meteora.
6. Decide if a cave life would be appropriate for you
Reasons to #visitMeteora 7. Spotting #tinypeopleinbigplaces #tbexathens #Meteora
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Ancestors weren’t stupid. They would choose unique places to live in. Of course, Meteora is not the exception and it has been inhabited for so long that is ridiculous. Luckily, some recent excavations uncover some very cool finds that make it easy for us to understand today how prehistoric life took place in the area.
So there you go. On top of admiring some natural caves, you will be able to appreciate how everyday life was thousands and thousands of years back. A child stepping on one of his feet and playing around? Why not, the clay tells it all.
7. Sleep and dine on a dime like a king
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Well, maybe not that budget but definitely affordable, the city of Kalambaka is well prepared to satisfy your needs once you are back from the rock forests. You can find rooms from 20 euros more or less and, even if you decide to spend a bit more money, you could be sleeping in the best hotel in town (very nice, by the way) for less than 100 with breakfast per double room. How cool is that?
Views are, everywhere you go, stunning and they will definitely make it easy for you to just jump out of bed in the mornings only to open the curtains and get amazed at the rock formations lining up in front of your window.
8. Become obsessed with landscape photography
Amazing #Meteora! Photography by Miguel Angel Martín Campos at @500px.
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Be aware. After half a day in Meteora, you might find yourself trying to get further, higher and beyond in order to chase the perfect shot.
Want a little tip? Introduce a human figure in there and your pictures will tell a story as well as how massive the rock formations were.
As a side note, this could be a great remedy for everyone with ¨selfie¨addiction. You will soon forget your face and focus on what surrounds you. I mean, who would’t?
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT METEORA?
Winter is coming at #Meteora! In the photo, the monastery of Roussanou.
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Anytime you find yourself in Greece is a great time. Rain or shine, definitely head there in November, when the Fall colors paint the forest with the warmest lights and before the summer season starts. But if you ask me, I am really looking forward to getting back there when the Winter comes. I don’t think Meteora can get prettier and more appealing to me than when the snow caps the stone forests!
Just make sure you reserve at least 3 days and 2 nights in the area to enjoy it to the fullest.
Thanks to Visit Meteora, Visit Greece, and TBEX Athens for this awesome opportunity of getting close and personal with your unique region. Read more: 10 things you should not miss in Athens
Thanks for sharing
Looks amazing. What a great post. Nice one, Inma.
Thanks!
Awesomeness 🙂
Yasss. Miss you heaps ( aka un chingo! )
We visited Meteora a couple of years ago and were absolutely blown away. It’s such a perfect example of how man can collaborate with nature to create awe inspiring masterpieces rather than damaging and destroying the natural beauty.
So true 🙂 thanks for stopping by Sarah