Greece has more tricks than David Copperfield! And, unlike him, the magic you see in Greece is all real. And if you think that’s hyperbole, you clearly haven’t been to Meteora, one of the most singularly odd natural rock formations in the world. Rising up to 300 meters at their highest, these monolithic sandstone boulders are said to have been formed 60 million years ago during the Paleogene Period, and, adding to their alluring mysticism, it is still unclear how exactly these formations came to be. And as if that´s not reason enough to satisfy your curiosity, on top of these gigantic moon boulders there are monasteries!
In what can only be described as nothing short of a feat of engineering, as much as a triumph of man over nature, 30 monasteries have been constructed over the centuries to house this esoteric sect of Orthodox Christian monks. Nowadays, only 7 are in actual use.
Life for these monasteries began in the 11th century AD, and even though the monks are a pretty isolated bunch, it didn’t stop the producers of the James Bond movie ‘For your eyes only’ from shooting there. Anathema to some, a lifeline for others, Meteora has been a source of life and spirituality for ever it seems. In fact, just a pebble’s throw away, Theopetra Cave is testament to that, as archaeologists have found Neanderthal and Homo sapiens remains dating back 130,000 years!
Meteora sits right on top the picturesque town of Kalambaka, giving it a very Game of Thrones-esque medieval feel. In Kalambaka one can visit some popular museums such as the Natural Museum of Meteora & Mushroom Museum or the Museum of Hellenic Culture, or you can take it easy and do some people watching in the main square.
Lovers of the outdoors will surely be wanting to hop on the Pelion bandwagon. There are few places in the world that combine beach and mountain so well like Pelion does, and we’re not talking any old beaches; Horefto and Agios Ioanis are considered some of the best in Greece.
Similarly, Agriolefkes ski center is a top notch facility with some neat slaloms that can match any slope out there. Within an hour of each other, this means that one can enjoy some sweet Mediterranean holiday sunshine by the sea, and the next day Alpine-ing it like royalty up on the slopes.
And it goes without saying, Athens Express can set you up with the whole nine.. deluxe accommodation, private transfers and bespoke services and a plethora of other personalized applications are some of what we do to make sure everything goes smoothly for you.
