Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Alternatively, take the bus (€1.20, 20 minutes) that departs from Kalambaka and Kas-
traki at 9am, and returns at 1pm (12.40pm on weekends). That's enough time to explore
three monasteries - Moni Megalou Meteorou, Moni Varlaam and Moni Agias Varvaras
Rousanou. Perhaps the best route is to take the bus one way to the top and then work
your way down and around on foot, finishing at either Moni Agiou Nikolaou on the Kas-
traki side, or at Moni Agios Triados on the Kalambaka side.
Keen walkers should definitely explore the area on foot on the old and once-secret
monopatia
(monk paths).
Walking and climbing around the rocks can be thirsty work. In summer mobile
canteens sell drinks and snacks at some monastery car parks.
Moni Agiou Nikolaou
MONASTERY
(Monastery of St Nikolaou Anapafsa; 24320 22375; 9am-3.30pm Sat-Thu Nov-Mar, to 2pm
Apr-Oct)
Moni Agiou Nikolaou is the nearest
moni
to Kastraki, just 2km from the village
square to the steep steps leading to the
moni
. Many people bypass this, but they
shouldn't. The monastery was built in the 15th century, and the exceptional frescoes in
its
katholikon
were painted by the monk Theophanes Strelizas from Crete. Especially
beautiful is the 1527 fresco
The Naming of Animals by Adam in Paradise
.
Moni Megalou Meteorou
MONASTERY
(Grand Meteoron; 24320 22278; 9am-5pm Wed-Mon Apr-Oct, to 4pm Thu-Mon Nov-Mar)
The best known of the monasteries in Meteora, Moni Megalou Meteorou, is an imposing
form built on the highest rock in the valley, 613m above sea level. Founded by St
Athanasios in the 14th century, it became the richest and most powerful monastery
thanks to the Serbian emperor Symeon Uros, who turned all his wealth over to the mon-
astery and became a monk. Its
katholikon
has a magnificent 12-sided central dome. Its
striking series of frescoes entitled
Martyrdom of Saints
depicts the graphic persecution of
Christians by the Romans.
Moni Varlaam
MONASTERY
( 24320 22277; 9am-4pm Sat-Thu Apr-Oct, Sat-Wed Nov-Mar)
About 700m down from
Moni Megalou, Moni Varlaam has a small museum, an original rope-basket (until the
1930s the method for hauling up provisions and monks) and fine late-Byzantine frescoes
by Frangos Kastellanos. The mural
The Blessed Sisois at the Tomb of Alexander the
