Meteora Monasteries, Greece

Meteora (Μετέωρα) means "suspended in the air" in Greek. The Eastern Orthodox monasteries here are hidden in the mountains and rocks. The history of the monasteries can be traced back to the 9th century AD, when ascetic hermits came to the natural caves of the Kalambaka cliffs to practice. By the 15th century AD, monks who had taken refuge here to escape Turkish massacres spent more than 200 years building 24 monasteries on the cliffs of Meteora. Six of them are still intact, two of which are nunneries. These monasteries are built on top of towering rocks, forming a unique megalithic landscape known as the "City in the Sky." The monasteries have a unique architectural style, combining elements of Byzantine and Greek traditional architecture. The interiors are beautifully decorated, with many precious frescoes and sacred objects, and have both religious and artistic value. In the evening, have a drink at the foot of the mountain in the town of Kalambaka. 🥂