A unique day private tour to Meteora Monasteries from Athens

Pick up from your accommodation in Athens, and travel through Central Greece and Thessaly. Thessaly is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey. Thessaly is a region of sheer beauty with mountains, rivers, beaches, the popular Plastira Lake, Tempi valley, and last but not least the unique Meteora, the most photogenic spiritual site in Greece. Archeological areas, Byzantine monasteries and churches, traditional settlements, and ski resorts make it a popular holiday destination. According to Homer's epic the Odyssey, Thessaly is the home to Achilles, and the hero Odysseus visited the kingdom of Aeolus, which was the old name for Thessaly. The Plain of Thessaly lies between Mount Oeta/Othrys and Mount Olympus.

Kastraki is located in the western part of Meteora, amphitheatrically built, among the towering cliffs, and is a municipal district of Kalabaka. Its history is lost in the course of time. In the eastern part, there is the old picturesque district of the village and above the spindle, small but impressive because of the form and the support position. It is mainly the base of climbers coming from different parts of the world, to admire the wonderful landscape formed by the towering rocks. Kastraki has an important local tradition, customs, and folk songs, which all have a uniqueness. The impressive landscape with canyons, plateaus, and the ghostly figures of “sacred rock” pops up through the lush landscape and strives, as if to touch the heavens. Today the village has been declared with the entire region of Meteora Monument and World Heritage by UNESCO, while it has grown into a wonderful place for recreation with camping, taverns, and guest houses, offering pleasant relaxation.

The Meteora is a rock formation in central Greece hosting one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, second in importance only to Mount Athos. The six monasteries are built on immense natural pillars and hill-like rounded boulders that dominate the local area. Meteora monasteries; the miracle of Greece. A few kilometers northwest of the town of Kalabaka, the impressive rocks of Meteora are rising from the plains of Thessaly one of the most amazing places in Greece. Many centuries ago, on these gigantic rocks with the breathtaking landscape reaching heights of more than 600 meters, it was formed one of the most important monastic communities of Greece. In 1988, the Meteora monasteries have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and the Meteora-Antichassia area is part of the Natura 2000 network hosting some rare species of birds and flowers.

The Great Meteoro (Grand Meteor), also known as the Holy Monastery of the Metamorphosis (Transfiguration of Christ), is a male monastery and is the oldest and largest of all the monasteries of Meteora. Closed on Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday (winter season), closed on Tuesday (summer season) The foundation of the Monastery of Great Meteoron is the starting point of the organized life at Meteora. On the most imposing rock, it occupies a commanding position among the monastic complex of Meteora. It’s the largest and most formal of the extant Meteora Monasteries as its name implies. Founded shortly before the middle of the 14th century by Saint Athanasios the Meteorite, who was also its first founder and the first to organize a systematic monastic community.

St. Stephen was inhabited by monks in the late 12th century. The assembly of the building of the monastery which was founded in the 14th century completed in the 15th and 16th century. First founder of the monastery is the monk, later abbot of it Antonios Kantakouzenos. Antonios in the opinion of some researchers was the son of the Serbian Despot of Epirus Nikephoros II (1359) and a descendant of the great Byzantine family. Secondly, the founder is Monk Philotheos “ex Sklatainas”. Theophilos erected a new the old, now Catholic, built the cells and other facilities of the monastery. During his days(1545) the monastery became stavropegic and retained this privilege of 1743. In 1798 a new church was built dedicated to Saint Charalambos, who in the 17th century was referred to as the second patron of the monastery. In the 18th and 19th century for the first time several buildings and the abbey was built and took the form it has today. (Closed on Mondays)

The monastery Varlaam owes its name to the hermit-anchorite Varlaam, who first inhabited the rock in the 14th century. The history of the monastery begins substantially from the early 16th century when the rock settled and organized their priory by the Ioannina brothers Theophanes and Nektarios Apsaras. The Apsaras in 1518 renovated fundamentally the chapel of the Three Hierarchs, which was built on the site of the original Catholic monastery that was built by Varlaam, in 1536 built the winch tower, and in 1541 built the present church dedicated to All Saints. In 1627 the chapel of the Three Hierarchs was rebuilt in place of the Old Catholic who had built the Apsaras and in 1637 was decorated by the artistic crew of John priest and children, who came from Kalabaka. The monastery is distinguished in spiritual prosperity and its participation in national struggles in recent years.(Closed on Thursdays-Fridays winter season & Fridays summer season.

The Holy Monastery of Rousanou was founded in 1529, over the ruins of older buildings, by the monks Ioasaf and Maximos, who came from Ioannina. (Closed on Wednesdays) The monastery of Rousanou is an impressive 4 story complex that reached its main form during the 3rd decade of the 16th century. The Church of the Transfiguration was built from scratch in its present form from the extinct and destroyed by the ravages and neglect of time Old Catholic monastery onto 1530 AD.

The Monastery of St. Nicholaos Anapafsas is located close to Kastraki village. The rock is imposing, elegant, and cramped, but it is definitely eye-catching. The monastery was renovated in the early 16th century. The second floor is occupied by the church of the monastery which was painted by the renowned Cretan painter Theophanes Strelitzas, who was the founder of the Byzantine Cretan School of hagiography.

Kalabaka is a town and seat of the municipality of Meteora in the Trikala regional unit, part of Thessaly in Greece. The city of Kalampaka is built on the feet of the Meteora and it is on the left side of the river Pinios. It is the starting place for those visitors who wish to be familiar with the monuments and the magnificent sites of Aspropotamos of Hasia, Koziakas, and the Meteora. Kalampaka has known all over the world for the famous monasteries that exist on the top of the rocks of the Meteora. Every year, millions of visitors come from all over the world in order to admire and honor them. Kalampaka is a city of rich history and important monuments. One of the greatest importance is the Holy Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary which is in the north-eastern part of the city under the very high rock of Aea. Free time for lunch (not included)

Thermopylae is a place in Greece where a narrow coastal passage existed in antiquity. It derives its name from its hot sulfur springs. In Greek mythology, the Hot Gates is one of the entrances to Hades. The Battle of Thermopylae was conducted in 480BC among the Greeks and the Persians at the same time the Naval Battle of Artemision took place. The Persian Army led my Xerxis to reache the passageways of Thermopylae. The Greeks have chosen this strategic spot to face the Persian attack. Xerxis has commanded Leonides, the leader of the Greek Army to surrender his armory but he replied 'Come and Get them'. For two days, the Greeks fought heroically. On the third day, Efialtes betrays the Greeks, showing the Persians the passageway so as to get to the backside of the Greeks. So, the Persian Army surrounds the Greeks. Leonides remains at the site of the battle along with 300 Spartans, 700 Thespieis, and 400 Thivaious, loyal to his homeland laws. He falls dead from Persian arrows.

Why did the battle of Thermopylae become one of the most world-famous battles? Thermopylae battle is a perfect example of selflessness, sacrifice, and obedience to the laws of the country. The resistance in the passage is a result of hard military training, better gear, and strategic use of the land in order to multiply the defense abilities. Where is the Thermopylae Memorial? The passage of Thermopylae (that literally means "Hot Gates") doesn't exist anymore since the mud deposition made by the Spercheios river moved the beach and the sea a few kilometers away. Near Thermopylae, next to the national road connecting Athens to Thessaloniki there is a memorial statue of King Leonidas and his soldiers with an inscription saying: "Ὦ ξεῖν’, ἀγγέλλειν Λακεδαιμονίοις ὅτι τῇδε κείμεθα, τοῖς κείνων ῥήμασι πειθόμενοι", which means: "Stranger, tell Spartans that we lay here, staying faithful to Sparta’s laws."