Meteora, located in central Greece, is a place of natural beauty and man-made wonder. The huge natural rock towers found here are home to 14th-century clifftop monasteries built by Eastern Orthodox hermit monks who settled in the area in the ninth century and began living in the caves and fissures of the rocks. Originally built to fend off Turkish invaders, the inaccessible monasteries (six of 20 survive) have been identified by UNESCO has an area of world significance.
Visitors will need a bit of time to explore Meteora, and travelers often stay overnight in the modern town of Kalambaka or Kastraki, a smaller town closer to the rock. Guided tours often visit from Athens, while buses and trains run to Kalambaka, where another bus can be caught to Meteora.
