Travel challenge #26: ΜΕΤΈΩΡΑ - Meteora in Greece

"Up in the heavens", "hanging in the air" - this literally translates the word Meteora, which is the name of the name of the area famous for its rocks and monasteries in Greece. The stories of exalted visitors for incredible views that make you feel like a world come true when you stand up against the "needles", as dozens of steep cliffs over the city of Kalambaka call it. Everyone has heard about the place, and I've been fortunate to visit him twice and experience the emotions of this miracle of nature and civilization twice.

It's easy to get to Meteora in Greece - from Sofia it's about 6 hours, most of the highway. For the second trip we tried another route - from Stara Zagora through Makaza, then on the Greek highway and with a trip to Veria (Veria) and Vergina, but for them another time. The end point is one - the town of Kalambaka at the foot of the rocky complex where there are plenty of hotels and guest houses for every taste and pocket.

My second trip to Meteora was in October 2015, this time a little more lazy and lighter than the first one because we were traveling with a 9-month-old man, but no less pleasant. We stayed in a lovely guest house at the end of Kalambaka, just below the monastery "St. Stefan, "which I was not able to see the previous time. We took a bit of cloudy and foggy weather, which made the views of good still better and we hurried to go up.

Monastery "St. Stefan "

Exactly "St. Stefan "was the first monastery we decided to subdue. It is the only one that can be reached directly by car and there is no climbing stairs, and at the same time we were the closest. Today "St. Stefan is a relatively large and very beautiful female monastery, which thrives thanks to the nuns that have lived there in recent decades.

Monastic life began there in the 12th century, and in the 16th century the small church, built in 1545, was built. In the 18th century, a larger church dedicated to Sts. Haralampy, where his skull is still preserved.
During the Second World War, the monastery was bombed by the Nazis who believed there were rebels, and was abandoned accordingly. In 1961, however, the monastery was given to nuns who rebuilt it, and to date it is one of the larger monasteries in Meteora, inhabiting around 28 nuns in 2015. Access for tourists is limited to the church and the terraces, but From all over the place, there is a tranquility and humility, which also contribute to its inhabitants, kindly welcoming the crowds of tourists.

The monastery "St. Trinity "(Agia Triada) was the second to visit because it is naturally on the way from" St. Stefan "to the other monasteries. According to tourist guides, it is the most difficult to access, as it rises to a 400-meter cliff and access to it is through 140 steps and tunnels cut into the rock.
The monastery is believed to have been built around 1458 - 1476. In the late hours of the day (late for visitors), when most tourists are satisfied with the larger sites, it is a majestic and peaceful place. In the monastery church, one can remain alone with himself and think of things he does not pay attention to in his everyday life. One of the many spiritual places in this area.

Today "St. Trinity "is not a functioning monastery but is open to visitors. Legends, however, tell that centuries ago there were 50 monks at that moment, but only five remained at the beginning of the 20th century. History tells that in general "St. Trinity "was one of the poorest monasteries in the region. Today, however, the buildings are well maintained, and another plus is that tourists are comparatively small compared to other monasteries, and you can find the sought-after serenity and privacy.

Monastery "St. Varvara "or Rusanu is the next on the way - a thriving female convent with beautiful gardens, but also many visited by tourists. When exactly was Rusuanu created, where did the name come from, nobody knows. But in the 16th century the Joasaf and Maxim brothers built the monastery in its present form at the site of ruins of an older monastery called Rusanu, I learned from a Russian guide on the first trip.

A functioning monastery was until the middle of the 20th century, but after the German occupation it was completely closed. And for twenty years, an old woman, Eveseva, from the neighboring village of Kastraki, supported the three-storey building. It is resumed once it has become a tourist destination. The Monastery's Church "Holy Transfiguration" has many beautiful frescoes dating back to 1560. And an unusual altar (the monasteries themselves are not allowed to shoot). At present, the monastery is a female convent inhabited by between 6 and 13 nuns, according to various sources.
However, one of them's black robes managed to scare our 9-month-old daughter to death, although the nun was genuinely enjoying the child, and all the visitors understood that there was a small guest in the holy cloister. Finally, they gave the child candy, and after careful consideration of every corner to which tourists admitted, we left. Meanwhile, a group of Italian tourists stopped their lap to watch the baby.

Three monasteries in Meteora in Greece for one day are enough to visit, in our opinion, although most tourists are doing daylong marathons through all (or as successful) monasteries, then boarding buses and departing. We chose a quieter option with three nights in Calamba, so we have time to sit back and enjoy the atmosphere. If you are a believer and take the monasteries as something more than another museum or tourist attraction and want to feel the energy of the place, three times a day are really enough, even emotions can come too far. That's why we finished the tour for today and we went to a relaxed dinner at our wonderful hotel in Calamba.

And although the daytime was not with us, and the dense fog was alternating with pleasant low clouds, we were not endlessly disappointed by the day, which was accompanied by incredible views and wonderful experiences from the "photographic" playgrounds scattered all over The whirling path. Here, sitting on the rocks, Mimeo, Ani and I, we loved the peace and quiet of the place outside the tourist season, and not only we ...
We waited for another day, filled with beautiful places, and headed for the taverns in Kastraki for a light and enjoyable dinner.

Varlaam Monastery

Varlaam is one of the great monasteries in Meteora, located in close proximity to the Grand Meteor. Unfortunately, he was