The Meteora Monasteries, Μετέωρα, near the town of Kalabaka, Καλαμπάκα. The long, painful, crowded trip from Athens to Kalabaka is ultimately worth it. While lounging under the grape vines overlooking the blue bay on Andros, I was wondering whether to bother with the long trip inland to visit what could potentially have become a very crowded, tiring tourist attraction. One traveller I met suggested that given time and effort taken to get there, it's overrated, but another encounter assured me the magical place was not to be missed. So after an evening ferry back to the mainland, an airbnb for the night near the train station, and a one-way ticket (as ever I was non-committal as to how long I'd remain) to Kalabaka station the following morning, I headed to the next part of my exploration of Greece. A day suffices, is what they all said. You go up, visit a few monasteries, back down again, have dinner and be on your way through Greece. But why! A quick recommendation led me to the 'world's best hostel', at least in so far as the beds are solid wooden cubby holes with curtains and there is a SHOE RACK outside the rooms so that stinky smell is reduced somewhat. Upon learning of the rarity of the bus to the top, I had no choice but agree to the cross-country trekking route up the mountains. Fortunately I had a couple of travellers from the hostel to guide me, and help out with the photo opportunities on the way up. And thank goodness...because the way back down in the dark is just a little bit scary, no matter how beautiful the moon! Even once at the top, what you do have to know, is that the monasteries are not close - so if you are without a vehicle, walking is paramount. Nevertheless, I had the misfortune that despite my efforts that most of them were closed to the public on the day I went! Oh well, I didn't really need an excuse to stay longer, and the scenery is worth it even if you don't enter the monasteries, but I stuck around and managed to fit in another 2 trips to the top. |
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