Hi travellers, my name is Rani and I grew up in Belgium in an average family. Welcome to my travel guide on the incredible Meteora of Greece.
My father – a soldier – probably gave me the travel bug when I was growing up. He travelled through America with a friend for several weeks, went to Africa on his own and dreamed of living and working in Australia. Despite this, I never took long and distant journeys overseas with my family.
After travelling for a while, I wanted to capture these travel memories and so I bought my first compact camera. This became more and more of a passion for me. My Instagram account was then born. Later on, after my studies, I went on a word trip with my boyfriend and started a travel blog.
We are now a few years into this blogging and travelling lifestyle. My photography skills have improved enormously over this time. Due to this, I decided to invest in professional equipment. I guess the more you practice with photography, the better you get and the more fun it becomes!
Inspiration to Visit Greece
It was such a bummer because 2020 was supposed to be a year full of travel highlights and special destinations for us. Nevertheless, we decided to make the most of the situation and visit Greece which had been on my never-ending bucket list for some time. So it was a spontaneous trip.
After visiting these two stunning Ionian islands, it was time to return the car and take a domestic flight to Santorini. Our final destination was then Milos. All of the Greek Islands we visited were beautiful. The mainland also has so much to offer with impressive nature and landscapes everywhere.
Two Incredible Days in Meteora
Since we were travelling on a tight schedule, we only had two days in Meteora. For us this was actually enough time to see all the highlights of this region of Greece. When the unique rock formations come into view, you will undoubtedly blink your eyes a few times to see if they are real.
We arrived in a magical fairytale world with the craziest rock formations and six floating monasteries. It was a joy to see the beauty of Meteora. I have visited many countries but I have never seen anything quite like Meteora. It’s a place that doesn’t look real – truly a magical spot.
Due to COVID-19, there were hardly any tourists there which made it even more special. Photos and videos don’t capture the essence of a place like this. Meteora is the kind of place you just have to experience for yourself.
Watching the Sunset of Meteora
The most impressive part of Meteora was watching the sunset. We experienced two sunsets at different viewpoints. It was fantastic to see the mountains and monasteries from different angles. During golden hour, this place is at its best and the atmosphere comes to life.
There are two viewpoints to watch the sunset. I recommend visiting both, as the view is different at each place. Ideally, you go one night to one viewpoint and the next night to the other. Make sure you arrive on time. The best light is during golden hour. This is the hour before the sun sets.
We arrived earlier to get ahead of the crowds and this way you have enough time to take photos without hordes of tourists in the background. I recommend a car to reach these viewpoints. From Kalambaka – the town at the foot of these rock formations – it is less than a ten minute drive!
Watching the changing colour palette in the sky and the glow that falls over the rocks was breathtaking. Meteora was without a doubt my favourite place on the mainland. I recommend everyone add it to their bucket list.
Need to Know Before you Go
There are many hiking trails in Meteora so make sure you bring some good shoes. It’s worthwhile to take half a day or a full day to discover Meteora on foot. Hiking routes are indicated on a large map in Kalambaka.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to go inside the monasteries themselves but there are six in total to visit. Keep in mind that shoulders must be covered and shorts should be left at home. Not every monastery is open every day. So I recommend looking on the website for more info.
Finally, Kalambaka is a pleasant town that comes to life in the evening. There is lots of fun, music, laughter and drinks to be enjoyed on one of the many terraces. We also had a fantastic meal in the town. All in all, we can’t recommend Meteora enough. Thanks for reading and have fun!
