Hiking around Meteora

Nestled in a beautiful valley in central Greece lies Meteora, an outlandish rock formation home to some of the most dramatic ancient architecture in the world. It is a complex of monasteries built on top of immense rock pinnacles by Eastern Orthodox monks in the14th century. They were built in such an abrupt way to serve as shelters for the monks against the Ottoman invasions at the time. The history of the area, however, goes back 50,000 years ago, when the caves used to serve as a refuge for ancient humans against the elements of nature. Meteora is full of mysticism and amazing natural beauty, it is one of the most awe-inspiring places any traveler can see. The charming little town of Kastraki is the perfect start point to explore the rock formations. There are 6 monasteries open to the public, although there are roads to access all of them, they are also accessible by foot through fantastic hiking paths in the forest spread all around the valley. Some of the abandoned monasteries and caves, as well as some of the stunning panoramic points are only accessible hiking.