Walking among the ruins of Delphi
To most travelers, Greece is all about Athens and the Aegean – and nothing else. It’s a mistake I made myself on my first trip to this bucket list country. Being lucky enough to go back a second time, I knew I wouldn’t make the same oversight again. Which is why I signed up for a Two Day Trip to Delphi and Meteora.
Though my longstanding enchantment with images of Meteora was what drove me to book this tour, Delphi was a much-appreciated pit stop. The journey north from Athens is a long one and while the scenery is disarmingly distracting, Delphi is the perfect place to break up the bus ride.
The ruins of Delphi
Nestled in a postcard-perfect valley, the ancient city of Delphi is one of the most important sites in Greek history. Our guide brought the ruins to life, weaving mythological tales as we weaved up through the winding paths. Forgotten memories of high school history class resurfaced as I listened to the story of Zeus releasing two eagles from opposite ends of the Earth, and his declaration that where they crossed paths was the center of the earth – and that center was Delphi. And that wasn’t the city’s only claim to fame. It was also the site of the Pythian Games and the Temple of Apollo, and home to the most powerful oracles in history. Our hour and a half at the site was enough to enjoy both a guided tour and some free time, which I used to wander with my camera.
Beautiful Delphi
At this point, those of us continuing on for the two day tour were handed over to a new tour guide, while those returning to Athens in the afternoon stayed put. I immediately warmed to my bubbly new leader, Joy, who was as colorful as a character from My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Though our push to make it to the base of Meteora before nightfall meant we didn’t have time to explore the Delphi museum, we did stop for lunch with a view over modern day Delphi, a final wave goodbye to the beautiful destination.
Though I fought to stay awake and listen to Joy’s running commentary, the winding route soon put me to sleep and when I woke again we were arriving in Kalambaka, the small city from which travelers set off for Meteora. Before continuing on to our hotel, we took a fifteen-minute stretch stop to hit up ATMS, shop for snacks and strain to see the famous monasteries in the distance.
Inside my Grecian hotel
Upon checking in we had just enough time to sneak in an evening swim in the hotel’s peaceful pool before dinner. I debated an evening soak in my room’s inviting tub, but turned in early instead. After all, we were off to Meteora in the morning!
Meteora cliffs
I was already awake with anticipation when my alarm went off. My excitement was reaching a fever pitch when our bus turned a corner and Meteora’s definition, “suspended in the air,” suddenly became clear. Climbing dramatically from the floor of a vast valley, the cliffs of Meteora were one of the most unique geographical formations I’ve ever laid eyes on. And perched atop six of them were bustling, still active Eastern Orthodox monasteries.
Meteora
Originally, the area was home to twenty-four monasteries, of which six are still open today. We’d be visiting two out of the five that are open daily – the monasteries rotate turns being closed to visitors for a day so their inhabitants may tend to more spiritual affairs.
Candles ready to be lit at Varlaam Monastery
After a steep hike from the road, we reached the doors of The Holy Monastery of Varlaam. Wrapping a floor length skirt around my waist and adjusting the scarf around my shoulders, I followed Joy and the rest of the group inside. Photography was not allowed inside at this or any other monasteries, which allowed me to focus on listening to seven centuries worth of history.
The pulley system at Varlaam Monastery
Walking outside again, I marveled at a case of plastic water bottles being raised to the tower of the monastery by an old-fashioned pulley system. This was, in fact, how all the monasteries were built – there were no roads around when these sky-high holy structures were erected.
At the tranquil ground of Agiou Stefanou
Finally, we made our way to Agiou Stefanou. I was intrigued to learn this pink-hued place was home not to monks but rather to nuns – the only monastery of the bunch in which women were welcomed to join. Again we enjoyed a guided tour followed by ample time to explore and absorb on our own.
As we boarded the bus to take us back to Athens, I reflected on the past two days. I was relieved to have found a way to squeeze in both Delphi and Meteora into my time left in Greece, and was pleasantly surprised by how easily the hours in transit passed thanks to the beautiful views and the insights of our guide Joy. It’s an easy compromise for those with limited time or energy to arrange the complicated transportation themselves – no direct public transportation between Delphi and Meteora means independent travelers hoping to replicate this route will have to rent a car, hire expensive private shuttles or brace themselves for a whole host of bus transfers.
Athens and the Aegean – both are fantastic highlights of Greece that are simply not to be missed. But I’d easily add a third destination to that list – the ancient sites of the north.
-Contributed by Alex Baackes
Highlight of Greece: Visiting Delphi and Meteroa from Greece Things to Do
