The direct train back to Athens departs at 5:22 pm and gets to the capital at 10:12 pm. Whenever you see (KTEL) this means that you are dealing with one of many such bus companies around Greece. The test_cookie is set by doubleclick.net and is used to determine if the user's browser supports cookies. The six monasteries that are still in use today are the Monastery of Great Meteoron, as well as Roussanou/St. I like setting my own pace and I like being able to come and go as I please so to speak. Getting to this high-altitude research station is surprisingly easyjust take a train. It has a three-aisled basilica and, unique to Greece, a central Pulpit. Im very glad we persevered however as it is incredibly beautiful, and due to its hidden nature, devoid of visitors! This holy shrine is the only one seen from Kalampaka and has been a distinctive stop on the pilgrimage since the 14th century. Mesmerized by enormous sandstone cliffs extending to the sky, tourists visiting Kalambaka will be enchanted by the view of Meteora. This astonishing town is a must-visit place in Thessaly, Greece. There are several trains that depart from Athens (Larissa Railway Station) to Kalambaka every day. Closed on Fridays. A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. If you check with your hotel I am sure they could give you names of guides or buses that travel to the monasteries at the top. Don't forget to take some water with you. There is no airport at Meteora nor in the surrounding towns. These lofty architectural masterpieces offer unforgettable views. Back in the day, there were only two ways to reach the monasteries: by rock climbing the vertical sandstone columns or being hosted up 373m in a basket made of rope. Check the interactive map for buses you most likely need to organize a bus trip to Meteora and around. Great Meteoron Monastery is definitely the biggest. Bring water and a snack. The citys architecture, culture, and fascinating history make it worth a few days or even longer here. All of the monasteries are closed at some point during the week and its one of the most compelling reasons to stay for more than one day youd be able to see all 6 of them. He has some knee problems so we will just visit easy to climb monasteries. The Ultimate Guide To Visiting Meteora, Greece | Johnny Africa Thanks to the Metro system getting a train to Meteora is most probably the easiest way to go. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Where to stay which Meteora hotels are best? The nearest town to the Monasteries is Kalambaka which wraps around the foothills of the complex on the western side. At the top of both mine and my husbands must see list was Meteora. Hiking up to the Monasteries is a popular activity. On the way down we passed a local woman selling some handmade goods and while she didnt speak English we couldnt resist stopping to buy something. Have a nice day! One of the reasons St. Nicholas was probably my favorite monastery was because it just felt so open. The monasteries are all fairly close to each other in terms of driving distances (5-15 minutes depending on which 2 monasteries youre driving between). About 60 million years ago, a series of earth movements from the seabed created a vertical plateau featuring many distinct fault lines in its layers of stone. Hotels near Geological Formation Museum of Meteora, Hotels near Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholas Anapafsas at Meteora. The main cathedral in the central courtyard is embellished with beautiful 16th century frescoes. I didnt get asked to fix my outfit at any point but many, many women were. Continue up through this hill to a viewing platform and youll be blessed with such a great view of the town below. In the section below we have prepared 3 different interactive maps to explore. The site is small and construction would have been very challenging. By the 14th century, the region had more than 20 monasteries. Theres such a reward in hiking up to this monastery, the views are phenomenal and while the interior of the monastery isnt as spectacular as some of the other ones the view is unbeatable. Because we visited on a Monday St. Stephen was closed but we managed to see all the other 5 monasteries (and take our time at them!). The distance by road between Athens and Meteora is 359.7 km. But it's not just the incredible . This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. No problem! The museum in the monastery also has some great art work on display and there are beautiful wood carvings all around the monastery. Whether youre on your first Greek holiday, or youre now planning to visit after many years of Greek Island hopping, the mainland of Greece should not be overlooked. Meteora, Greece - Monasteries, maps, itineraries, images - Trekhunt In the section below we have prepared 3 different interactive maps to explore. Once you proceed through the monastery theres a bit of a hill. Recommended Reading: Crete White Mountains Hiking Tour At the entrance of the Monastery lies the Church of St. Anthony and the crypt where the codes and the monasterys heirlooms were previously stored. Many people rush this part of the world in a single day or perhaps an overnight trip but in reality, it really is a destination that will continue to impress you even more if you invest a few days into it. The Meteora Monasteries are located in central Greece close to Kalambaka which is about 4 hours north from Athens. If youre interested in more information about the Holy Monastery of St. Stephen this is an excellent link. With no stairs to climb and just a bridge to cross, the Monastery of Saint Stephen is the easiest religious place to visit in Meteora. It sits by the Lithaios River and has had a colorful history since antiquity. If youre interested in the details of the history and the founders this is a great link. Do NOT stay in Trikala or anywhere else many of the booking sites will have you believe are in Meteora. The best time to visit Meteora The best time to visit is in late spring (March to May) or autumn (September to November) when the crowds are less hectic. Should we get lobsters high before eating them? The Grand Meteoron Monastery has the most with over 300 steps, so it does require a reasonable level of mobility and fitness. We placed on them all relevant travel information you will need to better organize your travel to Meteora or to other parts of Greece. Wine in this area is very good and it is possible to visit some local wineries. You must have a National Geographic subscription to explore this article. From the 11th to the 12th centuries AD, a priesthood was established in Meteora. However, most shrines have long skirts and trousers available to be borrowed whenever needed. If youre interested in reading more about the Holy Monastery of Holy Trinity this is a great link with a ton of information on the history of the monastery. We did admire the outside of the monastery however and were charmed by these very photogenic cats! The keeper of the monastery (unsure of what else to call him but he was like the person greeting everyone) handed out homemade loukoumi which was one of my favorite sweets in Greece! Which was your favorite monastery? We traveled by bus as a tour group. This cookie is used by the website's WordPress theme. Meteora in Greece: how to get there, where to sleep - Recyourtrip Its especially nice to do this on a sunset tour when the weather is much cooler and the sunset is breathtaking. Definitely putting it on my bucket list. There are 3 main ways to travel to Meteora: by train, bus, private vehicle, or a combination of these three. Here's how to prepare. Want to keep your memory sharp? It will drop you off at the furthest monastery. One of the spectacular parts of Rousanou Monastery is the veranda which has absolutely stunning views! Be mindful of the dress requirements for the Monasteries as stated above. St. Stephens is the most accessible with only a couple of steps and a small footbridge over to the entry. This monastery is now also inhabited by nuns rather than Monks. The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed. If youre in a hurry, you can even consider a quicker tour like the Half-Day Sightseeing Tour which only takes about four hours plus travel time. This takes approximately 4 hours and 15 minutes. Kalambaka: Where to eat and where to stay. Everything You Need To Know Before Visiting the Meteora Monasteries Varlaam is probably one of the monasteries we spent the most time actually exploring. Nice walk. I loved it so much that I want everyone to go see them and because of that Ive put together a guide on everything you need to know before you visit the Meteora Monasteries. Where Is Meteora? They sit as high as 400 meters above the ground. Meteora Monasteries - Wanderers Compass Travel Blog Entry to each monastery is 3 euros. To get to Meteora from Athens, you have to travel northwest of the Greek capital and keep going through the Greek countryside until you reach your destination. The main cathedral was founded at the end of the 16th century and was decorated thirty years later. Wondering how to travel to Meteora? How to Travel to Meteora - Visit Meteora The direct train leaves at 8:20 am and takes 4 hours and 50 minutes. The bridge of Sarakina is approximately 1 Kilometernorth-west from Sarakina village and served the transport route to Diava. USE DISCOUNT CODE "10years" FOR A 10% DISCOUNT ON SELECTED TOURS! There were initially around 24 monasteries but that number is now down to 6 standing monasteries. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. We saw 5/6 of the monasteries and thats only because the 6th one was closed. It felt like we had the entire place to ourselves and we still got there a couple of hours after opening. Don't forget to take some water with you. Nowadays Greece has managed to efficiently connect the different places by overcoming the obstacle of the mountainous terrain through constructing a modern highway system implementing numerous tunnels and gorge bridges. Its beautiful murals are the best in Meteora, making the monastery a real gem with vivacity, freshness, plasticity, and bright colors. There are 2 main routes to reach Meteora from Thessaloniki. In a region of almost inaccessible sandstone peaks, monks settled on these 'columns of the sky' from the 11th century onwards. There is quite a lot to see and do in the area and you can do many of them as a day trip from Kalambaka or Kastraki whilst visiting Meteora or stay a night or two to dig a bit deeper.
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how do you get up to meteora monasteries