If your travels are on a trails of an inherent spiritual mystery, then o backpacking traveler, do not forget to go to the monasteries of Meteora when you are in Greece. These bizarre monasteries, located atop bizarre rock forms in northwestern Thessaly create an unexplained feeling of awe and reverence in the mind of the traveler.
Perched on these erosion-carved rock faces are the monasteries of meteora, and their fragile balance have earned these monasteries to be hanging in the air. These places of peace and meditation were only accessible once by ladders, windlasses and bridle tracks, but nowadays they can be reached by carefully built winding roads. There are several monasteries in meteora, a few of which are described here.
· Monastery of Ayia triada and Ayia Stefanos: The monastery of Ayia Triada (1438) is adjacent to the nun’s convent of Ayia Stefanos. Ayia Stefanos was founded in 1367 by a Serbian prince, Antony Cantacuzene.
· Great meteoron monastery: The great meteoron monastery is dedicated to the metamorphosis of Christ or the transfiguration. Most parts of the monastery are closed to the visitors for the sake of privacy. The great meteoron monastery holds an interesting collection of rare books and icons. One icon of particular interest is that of Christ and the apostles with the cruel Thomas Preljubovicá of Ioánnina and his pious wife Angelina Comnena.
· The Rousanou monastery: Built in 1288, this monastery is the most fragile of all the meteoron monasteries as it is perched on a slender pinnacle of rock. The monastery contains frescoes of the Cretan school of 1960.