Meteora Greece

Meteora Greece is the place I liked the most during our 5-day trip at Greece.

Meteora means "lofty", "elevated", and is a peculiar rock formation - a pillar is larger than a typical spire, but not quite a mountain  - they are giant rock pillars and hill like boulders. Mosses on the rocks and foliage at their feet make the area an amazing natural beauty. 

A typical formation of Meteora Rock formation

What make the area unique are the monasteries with red roofs on top of some of the giant rock pillars. The monasteries are Eastern Orthodox Churches.  Twenty-four monasteries were built atop the giant natural pillars and hill-like rounded boulders from the second half of the 14th century. Currently Six of these are still active and open to visitors: the monasteries of Great Meteoron (est. 1356), Varlaam, Saint Nicholas Anapausas, Rousanou, Holy Trinity, and Saint Stephen. The latter became a community of nuns in 1961, whereas the former five remain managed by monks.

Meteora's amazing natural beauty and cultural significances make it UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988. 

A monastery on top of a rock pillar

We arrived at Meteora in the rainy night of our day 3 at Greece. We saw the silhouette of the rock formations and were eager to see them in the daylight. The hotel we stayed was San Giorgio Villa, which is at the feet of some rock formations.

The next morning, we got up early and walked around the surrounding area before breakfast.

The rain had stopped already, and clouds started to breakup, and moved fast, the air was crisply cool, and the Sun was about to rise. The walkabout was pleasing.

foliage in the town

The Sun was rising

A rock needle under the lit-up cloud 

After breakfast, we drove to the monasteries short distance away (1 - 10 km). 

The first stop was Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholas. This is a small monastery we did not go in, but we enjoyed the surrounding vistas a lot. We found out later that we could see this monastery from our hotel room's balcony.

Rainbow over Monastery of St. Nicholas

The valley of Kalabaka

A cluster of rock pillars

looking back at St Nicholas from a higher vista point

The second stop was Holy Monastery of Rousanos. It was closed but had views of surrounding mountains and rock formations. We eventually went into the Holy Monastery of the varlaam - our third stop.

Monastery of Varlaam - viewed from tourist parking lot

Looking down at Holy Monastery of Rousanos which is at lower elevation 

A persimmon tree in front the church 

Virgin Mary is a common subject of paintings and sculptures 

Greek and Eastern Orthodox Church Flags, the latter has a black double-headed eagle in a yellow field

A Cross at the back of the church facing the valley and east

When we came down from the monastery, we wanted to use a different route, which led us to the valley at the foot of the backside of the rock pillar, and a trail from the valley leading to this monastery! We hiked a short distance down and decided to turn back - our car was parked at the top of the rock pillar!

A trail to the monastery

The fourth and last monastery we visited was  Monastery of the Holy Trinity. The road is separated from the monastery by a small valley, we had to hike down to the valley and then climb the rock pillar to the monastery through a tunnel on the side of the rock formation, 1 mile distance round trip.

View of the Holy Trinity from a road side scenic point

Looking back at the monasteries we visited

Semantron - an instrument used to summon monastics to prayer  

The sun rays made this Cross looked especially Holly

We spent about five hours in the Meteroa. 

Natural Beauty and Monastery architecture made Moteroa on the top of my list during this Greek trip.

Notes

1. We did not go to the tow monasteries - the largest and highest one  - Great Meteoron Monastery. We got to the tunnel entrance to the monastery,  only found out that it was closed on that day - the monasteries don't open everyday to tourists. We did not go to the Saint Stephen either, intentionally - it is smaller and not on the convenient path.

2. We were only sightseeing and did not spend too much time on the history and religion. 

3. We went to the largest town Kalabaka in the area, and had a great lunch in a Greek family restaurant. Our hotel was at smaller town - Kastraki

4. We might hike the Meteora if we knew it was this good. 

5. Official site https://visitmeteora.travel/monastery-of-great-meteoron-meteora/

A 5-day trip at Greece

Greece is where Olympic games  originated, a cradle of western civilization, and the birthplace of democracy. We are reminded about it every Olympic games, and we are referred to it once in a while in discussions. It had been a place in pictures, videos and TV screens until we visited Greece during this Thanksgiving week. 

We visited 5 places in Greece:  Athens, the heart of Ancient Greece, a powerful civilization and empire, and the current capital, Nafplio, a coastal city, the ancient Olympia archeological site, Meteora Kalabaka, where Eastern Orthodox monasteries were built on top of rock pillars, recognized as a World Heritage site because of its outstanding architecture and natural beauty, combined with religious and cultural significance, and Delphi, ancient town and seat of the most important Greek temple and oracle of Apollo. 

We used public transportation and our feet at Athens, we walked over 23km at Athens in one day. We drove outside Athens, we drove over 1200km!

Our driving trail at Greece

Day 0 - arrival at Athens

Arriving at Athens behind schedule due to flight delay. Go to Hotel from Airport by Train without transfer. Walked in the street, and visited a market.

Old town city streets are narrow, buildings are old, and food are cheap.

Day 1 Acropolis and other archeological sites at Athens

Acropolis of Athens is a must visit site...many ruins of ancient temples

Philopappos Hill - short hike from Acropolis with Views of Athens & the Acropolis, a stop by 
Prison of Socrates.

Mount Lycabettus - 277 meters above sea level, its summit is the highest point in Central Athens, a stop by unknown soldiers tomb. A great place for viewing Sunset!

Public transportation from hotel to Acropolis, and walked the rest of the way - 30k steps, about 23km!

Acropolis viewed from afar

Heroon of Mousaios

Athens' costal side

Change of Guards at unknown soldiers tomb 

Mt Lycabettus - viewed from Acropolis

Golden glow over Athens - viewed from Mt Lycabettus

Sunset at Athens - viewed from Mt Lycabettus

Day 2 - Nafplio, a coastal city, with two scenic stops on the way

About two hour drive from Athens. First Stop is Corinth Canal, second stop is Archaeological site of Mycenae. Nafplio itself is a neat coastal city, with side streets perpendicular to coast, many small restaurants. Great food!

Drove to Olympia, 200km away, arrived at Olympia in the afternoon - but late for the Archeological site

The Corinth Canal connects the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. Completed in 1893, it cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth

In the second millennium BC (2000BC - 1001BC), Mycenae was one of the major centres of Greek civilization

a yacht by the shore at Nafplio

Bourtzi Fortress @ Nafplio

A side street at Nafplio

Day 3 Olympia Archaeological site and Olympia Museum

Olympia is  an ancient site and a modern town, a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring extensive ruins such as the ancient stadium, the Temple of Zeus, and the Temple of Hera.

The museum is good place to visit after the visiting the ruins.

Temple of Zeus - destroyed by an earthquake in 500AD 

The ancient stadium

Temple of Hera - the queen of all gods

Olive trees and olives

disc thrower

Day 4  Meteora Kalabaka

The Meteora is a rock formation in northwestern Greece, hosting one of the most prominent complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, the most uniquely beautiful landscape on this trip.

We arrived the night before in the light rain, and saw the silhouette.

On the morning of day 4 we hiked around the hotel in the early morning before going to the Monasteries. We thoroughly enjoyed the landscape and the amazing monasteries on top of the rock formation. 

Day 5 Delphi,  Temple of Apollo and the museum

Delphi served as major site during classical times for the worship of the god Apollo - Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, music and dance, truth and prophecy, healing and diseases, the Sun and light, poetry, and more.

We visited  Delphi, the Temple of Apollo and museum in the rain.

Drove back to Athens and arrived at Athens in rush hour to return the rental car. Left for home early next morning

The Temple of Apollo -Ruins

The best preserved ancient Greek theater at the Temple of Apollo

The well preserved ancient stadium at the Temple of Apollo

Sphinx at the Temple of Apollo museum

Apollo - God of Oracles (Picture taken at Vatican Museum)