We drove from Volos (🛣️ 10 EUR / Class 3) through Larisa, where we bought some food at Lidl, to the extraordinary rock formations of the Meteora. The rock masses were formed some 60 million years ago, their distinctive and varied shapes sculpted over time by earthquakes, rain, and wind. It is located near the town of Kalabaka at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and the Pindus Mountains. There, on top of almost inaccessible sandstone peaks, monks settled from the 11th century and established one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Byzantine monasteries. The six (of an original twenty-four) were built between the 13th and 14th centuries. It took us the whole day to explore it from nearby modern Kalabaka town, where is a large touristic infrastructure with plenty of restaurants (Gyros in pita – 2,50 EUR) and a great nightlife scene (Draught beer – 4 EUR / 0,4 l).
Parking location – Kalabaka: 39.702828N 21.626854E (💦, 🚻 – Kaoil 06:00-23:00)