Meteora visit in a two-day trip

By Anthia Vlassopoulou
Co-founder and CEO of Greece Insiders, writing about Greek travel since 2012

I opted for an organized private experience with Athens as its starting point.  It really could not have been more convenient, and I’m glad I made the most out of my limited remaining time in Greece.

First stop Delphi visit

We departed early in the morning in a private and comfortable vehicle. It was a beautiful day as the driver took us across the countryside admiring imposing landscapes and rich natural beauty. We eventually reached the most important archaeological site of Greece, Delphi.

Delphi Archaeological Site Photo Credit: Greece Insiders

I had been to Delphi before, but the feeling of being in the place that was considered to be the center of the earth, with all of its ancient myths and legends, is truly unique. I had a private guided tour of the archaeological site and I learned a lot of amazing stories that I didn’t know about Delphi and its history. After we marveled at the grandeur and serenity of the setting, we departed for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Meteora. Three of our trips include Meteora: 14 days in Zagori, Meteora and Pelion, a 12-day family vacation to Olympus, Meteora and Halkidiki and our Classical Greece family tour.

Second stop Breathtaking Meteora visit

I spent the night in a really nice hotel in Kalambaka, a small city under the towering rocks of Meteora, where I got some rest and prepared myself for the big day in Meteora.

Monastery at Meteora Photo Credit: Greece Insiders

Once I first witnessed the unique rock formations of Meteora, I couldn’t believe in my eyes. The natural beauty of it cannot be described with words and to be honest, not even with photos. The name Meteora literally means “suspended in the air”, and you actually need to be there to understand how fitting this name is.

How was Meteora formed

The origins of these cliffs have fascinated geologists since the nineteenth century. The scientific explanation is that an earthquake, about 60 million years ago, pushed the sea-bed upwards, creating a plateau that was subsequently weathered over several centuries, to create the unique striated rocks we see today.

Rock formations at Meteora Photo Credit: Greece Insiders

What does Meteora means

Meteora also refers to the group of monasteries – one of the biggest and most important in Greece – that are built on the summits of the rock formations. The first traces of their history go back to the 11^th century, when the first hermits settled there. The rock monasteries have been characterized by UNESCO as a unique phenomenon of cultural heritage and they are one of the most important landmarks of the cultural map of Greece.

Mural at Meteora Monastery Photo Credit: Greece Insiders

Hiking Between the Monasteries

Meteora is just as rewarding on foot. Short, easy paths lead through the “stone forest” under the giant rocks, to old hermitages and to views of the monasteries you never get from the road. One easy loop of about an hour and ten minutes starts in Kastraki, passes the monasteries of Agios Nikolaos Batova and Agios Antonios and the hermitages of Agios Grigorios, and comes back through the upper part of the village. The trails are not marked, so carry a map and GPS, or better, walk with a local guide, and wear proper shoes.

The biggest of the monasteries, Megalo Meteoro, stands 613 meters above sea level. It was founded in the middle of the 14th century by Saint Athanasios the Meteorite.

Meteora guided tour

The guide who accompanied me told me incredible inspiring stories from these monasteries but I do not wish to spoil those for you. They believed these vertical cliffs were the perfect place to discover peace and harmony due to their complete isolation from the rest of the world.

After a day full of “wows”, we eventually set off on our way back to Athens. If you are also in the same “to do it or not to do it” position that I was before this trip, the answer is simple: Just do it! If you would rather leave the planning to us, have a look at our tailor-made trips to Greece.