Meteora & Kastraki

There were once 24 monasteries on the tops of these towers of rock. The first monks were hermits who lived in the caves on the sides of the monoliths and they eventually decided it was worth setting up permanent residency. There are only 6 remaining (5 inhabited by monks and nuns – not in the same venue, of course!) and they are truly amazing engineering feats to behold. These days they have some bridges and decent stairways to ascend these towers. Once you had to climb a ladder or be winched up in a basket. No thank you! We only managed the up and down climb for 5 out of the 6 before we called it quits to have some lunch. The old knees had had enough. The favourite of the day for both of us was the small Agios Stefanos (St Stephens) which is now a convent housing some very industrious nuns who maintain pretty impressive, immaculate and beautiful gardens. There were the most impressive frescoes in the churches – new ones, or restored ones, not sure which …they were painting onto plain white walls while we were there. Such vibrant reds and golds – beautiful! Without the tourists it would be a very peaceful place, indeed (not us, all the OTHER tourists!).