Metéora: Monasteries on the Rocks

We decided to visit two of the six monasteries. Monastery of St. Stephen opened first at 9:00 a.m. On the way there in our rental car, we were able to overtake a few tourist buses that had stopped along the way to take photos.

Our plan worked out and we were able to enter the monastery via a small bridge without having to wait long. There is a strict dress code in the monastery. Women who dress too revealingly will be given a skirt at the entrance. In extreme cases, entry may also be refused.

Inside the monastery there is a church, a garden and a small museum. We saw everything in about 20 minutes. During this time, the monastery filled quickly with tourists. It was clearly worth arriving early.

A few cats were waiting to be pet at the exit of the monastery. Of course, we didn't miss this opportunity. We then made our way to the second monastery.

Our next destination was the Monastery of the Holy Trinity. This is built on a large free-standing rock pillar. There is a small cable car that connects the monastery to the road. However, this cable car is only for staff and goods transportation. We had to walk. We parked our car on the side of the road and set off.

From the road, a paved path led down about 50 meters in altitude. The path is well developed and shouldn't be a problem for most people. On the other side, a narrow rocky path leads up to the monastery. The walk took about 15 minutes. For us, this hike was a stroke of luck as it acted as an effective filter against over-tourism. We arrived a few minutes before it opened at 10 a.m. and the monastery was practically empty, which made our visit a special experience.

The entrance fee per monastery was very reasonable at 3 euros. If you have a rental car, you can reach the monasteries quickly and easily. If you don't have much time or don't want to enter the monasteries, you can simply visit the viewpoint. In my opinion, Metéora is definitely worth a visit. I give it 5 snacks.