Meteora (Mετέωρα)

Most people come to Meteora to visit the monasteries that were built on top of huge pinnacles to protect its monks from harm during the demise of the Byzantine Empire at the end of the 14th century. Originally the monasteries could only be reached by ladders, which were removed when unfriendly people tried to enter. Later monks were hauled up in nets, hanging from windlasses. This method was used up to the 1920's and nowadays provisions are still entered that way. Tourists however can enter by climbing the steps hewn into the rocks.

Meteora is in the province of Thessaly, 270 km northwest of Athens. It was inscribed into the UNESCO list of world heritage sites in 1988.