METEORA, GREECE

Where Monasteries Float in the Sky

- By Umasha Caldera

High above the plains of Thessaly in central Greece, beyond winding roads and sleepy villages, an ethereal sight emerges a cluster of colossal sandstone pillars stretching toward the heavens. Perched precariously on their peaks are centuries-old monasteries, seemingly suspended between earth and sky. This is Meteora, one of the world's most otherworldly, awe-inspiring destinations.

With a name that means "suspended in air," Meteora is more than just a UNESCO World Heritage Site; it is a place where geology, history, spirituality, and natural beauty converge to create an unforgettable experience.

Before the monasteries came the rocks. The towering stone spires of Meteora began forming over 60 million years ago, during the Paleogene period, when the region was still under a prehistoric sea. Earthquakes, wind, and water erosion over millennia chiseled these rocks into the dramatic pillars that rise as high as 400 meters today.

From afar, the pillars look like the fingers of the earth trying to grasp the sky. Some are smooth and dome-like, while others are jagged and sheer, with vertical cliffs that seem impossible to scale. Standing beneath them, one feels both insignificant and enchanted.

Meteora's true magic lies in what sits atop these stone towers. Between the 14th and 16th centuries, Orthodox monks seeking solitude and divine closeness fled persecution and worldly distractions by ascending to the tops of these inaccessible cliffs. Using ropes, nets, and wooden ladders, they carried stones, food, and even people to build what would become one of Christianity's most remarkable monastic communities.

At its peak, Meteora was home to 24 monasteries, each perched on a different rock summit. Today, six remain active, serving as both places of worship and as living museums of Orthodox Christian heritage. These monasteries blend so harmoniously with the rock that they appear to have grown out of it.