Look carefully at the top of this dramatic, finger-like rock formation near Meteora, Greece, and you’ll see a tiny human silhouette.
One evening, while dining amidst a skyline of ancient monasteries perched atop towering cliffs, Shawn and I watched in awe as a rock climber scaled the dramatic limestone pillar known as Adrachti (Greek for “spindle”). After a brief moment at the summit to take in the glow of the sunset, he began his descent.
The following afternoon, we hiked to the base of Adrachti, where the true scale of the climber’s feat became clear. Standing beneath the precarious, needle-like spire, we couldn’t help but marvel at the climber’s skill. We pondered how much longer this geological wonder will remain standing.
“It’s not just a question of conquering a summit previously unknown, but of tracing, step by step, a new pathway to it.”
Gustav Mahler
Where in the World?
Planning Pointers:
- Meteora is about 4 hours northwest of Athens. To get there, we traveled by bus from Skopje, Macedonia. (We departed Skopje before sunrise, then journeyed to Thessaloniki, Trikala, and Kalambaka, all in one day. We bought separate bus tickets for the various legs of the journey.)
- We spent about one week at the cozy Guesthouse Patavalis (affiliate link), in the village of Kastraki. We stayed in the ‘Purple Room’. From the terrace, we had great views of the surrounding rock formations. The guesthouse made a great hub for hiking to Meteora’s monasteries.
- It can be easy to get lost when hiking in the more remote wooded areas around the Meteora Monasteries. Be sure you have a good map, or consider hiring a guide to find those less-trodden paths, which are well worth exploring.
- The weather was sizzling during our springtime visit, and we were happy to have packed ample water and snacks. It’s possible to purchase refreshments near some of the more popular monasteries, but because the hike can be long, I recommend bringing your own for the ascent.
- Be sure to check the opening hours for the monasteries that you’re hoping to visit on a particular day. A different monastery is closed each day to allow the monks a workday without visitors. Visit Meteora is a useful planning resource, and we also enjoyed stopping by the agency’s office in Kalambaka. With a helpful team of staff members on hand, free Wifi, great reading material about the local attractions, and cozy chairs available to the public, it’s a one-stop shop.
- Visit the Kalambaka Tourist Center website for information about the monasteries, as well as other activities that you can do in Meteora.
- Need more inspiration? This link contains an index of all my posts from Greece.
Photography & text © Tricia A. Mitchell. All Rights Reserved.
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