Meteora Reviews -General

Highway 6 from Larisa leads across the Thessalian plain through Trikala after which you begin to see the first of the rock pillars whose strange shapes give the landscape of the Meteora its distinctive character.


The little town of Kalambaka lies at the foot of the Meteora and a road from the town takes a short circular route around the monasteries perched high on the rocks.


The rocks rise up to 400mts above the Thessalian plain and some are riddled with caves that were originally inhabited by hermits. The monasteries were established later from about the 14th century when there were originally about twenty-four monasteries but now only seven remain.


Until the 1920s the only way to reach the monasteries was by winches or by hanging ladders from the vertical cliff faces. Since that time steps have been hewn into the rocks and bridges built to make access easier