Climb in steep rocks that were formed some 60 million years ago and housing 24 monasteries in total.
The Meteora are a collective of natural sandstone rock pillars, which have served as places of worship throughout modern history. With an average elevation of 313m (1027ft), the Meteora rocks stand proudly at the centre of an extraordinarily beautiful Greek landscape, housing 24 monasteries in total, of which 6 remain active. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988, Meteora attracts tourists to the region in their thousands each year.
History of Meteora
The name, ‘Meteora’ stems from the Greek adjective, meteoros, which means ‘middle of the sky’. Aptly named, the rock formations of Meteora jut out of the ground like giant fingers made of stone, allowing the various monasteries to sit, suspended in the air. It has taken millions of years for various forces of nature to sculpt out these unique rock pillars. Geologists believe that this process began approximately 60 million years ago during the Palaeogene period.
As early as the 11th century, monks occupied the caverns of Meteora. However, monasteries were not built until the 14th century, when the monks sought somewhere to hide in the face of an increasing number of Turkish attacks on Greece. At this time, access to the top was via removable ladders or windlass. Nowadays, getting up is a lot simpler due to steps being carved into the rock during the 1920’s. Of the 24 monasteries, only 6 (five male, one female) are still functioning, with each housing less than 10 individuals.
Rock Climbing
Climbing in Meteora, apart from the unique experience that climbing alone offers, also gives us the opportunity to feel something similar to what the first climbers of the area felt; the hermits, monks when they tried to organize the monastic life on the rocks of Meteora. The area of Meteora is an area of unique natural and geological beauty. The rocks are mainly pebbled sandstones and cobblestones created 33 to 5 million years ago. The rocks are up to 200 meters high and some of them up to 300 meters wide. The area is located in the northwestern part of Thessaly where the plain meets the mountain range of Pindos and Hassia.
From the meeting point (in the monastery of Agios Nikolaos Anapafsas) and after a short walk (500 meters of asphalt and 500 meters of an easy path), we will reach the rock of Dubiani which is one of the most beautiful rocks for climbing and introduction to this beautiful activity. The routes are already set and insured by our guides/animators.
The next stage is the acquaintance with the equipment that we will use (belts, helmets, ropes, climbing materials). There will be an introduction to the basic technique of climbing but also to the rules of safety and movement on the rock.
Under the careful supervision of our guides, the participants wear their personal equipment and, being always insured, start the effort to climb to the highest point where the fuses are. With guidance and safety, the participants reach high from where they can admire the unique view and the feeling of "I did it"!
Hot spots:
• Learning some of the secrets of climbing
• The sense of achieving of the different.
• The view from up high.
• Direct contact with the rock
