Meteora

We stayed last night in Kalambaka and this morning went to Meteora to visit two monasteries. The thing about Meteora is that the monasteries were built on the tops of inaccessible rock peaks.

We visited two: Stephanos and Varlaam. Stephanos is a nunnery and Varlaam a monastery, both still in use. Stephanos is the easiest to reach since a foot bridge has been built across an abyss.

Inside it is a beautiful place.

The church is not very large but greatly decorated with frescoes and icons. Picture taking is not allowed in the church or the museum but I did sneak one in the Varlaam museum of some vestments.

Varlaam is accessed via a 150 step staircase. It is older than Stephanos and the paintings in the church have lost some of their brilliant colouration but are still impressive.

Both places were exceedingly crowded with tourists and we were packed like sardines so that it was difficult to get a proper “feel” for these sacred spaces. But it has been a long held goal to see them and I’m glad we went.

Afterwards, we stopped for lunch. I don’t think I have mentioned the dogs and cats here. They are everywhere. They’re not exactly strays since they attach themselves to a location and shop owners or site guards or restaurants put out food and water for them.

Then we drove back to Athens where the tour ends tonight.