MONASTERIES OF METEORA

(12-14 hours)

On this trip the time will stop for you. You won’t notice fatigue or hours spent on the road. Early in the morning (preferably as early as possible in order to have more time), we will go to the port, where we will get onto the ferry that’s going to take us to the port city of Igoumenitsa. This is the starting point of Egnatia highway, which will lead us from the Epirus region to the Thessallia region. This is where the Meteora complex is located, a miraculous structure consisting of 6 active monasteries.

We will be able to visit 2 of 6 active ones, and it is up to you to chose:

•  THE GREAT METEOR or THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE LORD – a male
  monastery, the most important in the Meteora complex (built in 1344). It was
  with him that monasticism began in this area, Athanasius of Meteora, who
  founded the monastery at an altitude of 613 meters. The monastery has a
  huge number of relics and several museums. The main icon – “Fadeless Color”
  – is a symbol of Meteor monasteries. You need to overcome 300 steps to get
  to the monastery.
•  THE MONASTERY OF ST. VARLAAAM or ALL SAINTS is the second most
  important in the Meteora complex. Founded in the 14th century by the
  ascetic monk Varlaam and built by two brothers from Ioannina in 1517,
  Feofan and Nektarios. For 22 years they lifted materials for the construction
  which took only 20 days. Today there are 7 monks in the monetary. The
  monastery is famous for the icon of the Mother of God Mediator.
• STEPHAN’S MONASTERY – a nunnery founded in the 14th century, the richest
  of all in terms of museums and relics, and the most populated by nuns. A
  bridge of 8 meters leads to the monastery, so this is the most accessible of all
  six monasteries. The relics of St. Charalambius are kept here.
•  MONASTERY OF THE HOLY TRINITY – the visiting card of the Meteor complex,
  but also the most inaccessible. You need to overcome 140 steep steps to visit
  it. This creates a special atmosphere of tranquility and peace. The monastery
  was founded in the 14th century, but nowadays there are a few monks here.
  The shooting of the film “For Your Eyes Only”, one of the series about the
  famous James Bond took place here, after which the first tourists began to
  come to Meteora.
• RUSAN MONASTERY or SAINT BARBARA – a nunnery, which is located on a
  steep rock, the passage to which stretches through an oak grove. It is
  believed that the monastery was founded by a monk named Rusan. In 1545
  hieromonk Iosaf and Maxim began its construction. The second name of the
  monastery got due to the relics of the Great Martyr Barbara.
• NICHOLAS ANAPAVS MONASTERY – the smallest, but very fertile. It was
  founded in the 14th century by the metropolitan of the city of Larissa, whose
  name was Dionisy. The temple is decorated with unique frescoes of the 16th
  century. The miraculous icon of Nicholas the Wonderworker is located to the
  right of the iconostasis. Many consider it miraculous. Two monks now serve
  in the monastery.