Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Meteora

Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Meteora tickets: which one to buy

Holy Trinity is the most dramatically sited of the monasteries at Meteora, perched on a narrow rock pillar above the valley, and it is reached by a walk down and then up about a hundred and forty steps cut into the rock from the road. Entry is ticketed, cheaply. The monasteries each close on a different day of the week, and Holy Trinity usually closes on Thursdays, so check before planning.

Minibus tours from Kalambaka visit two or three monasteries in a morning and may or may not include this one, since the climb takes time; hiking tours along the old footpaths often do. Holy Trinity is famous from the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only, which was filmed here, and tours sometimes mention it. Dress rules are strict: women must wear skirts, which are lent at the entrance, and shoulders must be covered. There is roadside parking above the steps, but spaces are few in summer.

Visiting Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Meteora: what to see

The monastery was founded in the fifteenth century, and for centuries it could only be reached by rope ladders or by being hauled up in a net; the steps were cut in 1925. The winch is still used today to lift supplies. The small church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, has a dome and is decorated inside with frescoes of the eighteenth century, painted in rich colours, and a carved wooden iconostasis. A second small church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist is cut into the rock itself.

The monastery is small, with a few monks, and much of the space is the courtyard and the terraces, which give extraordinary views over the town of Kalambaka below, the Pinios valley and the other rock pillars. The visit is brief but memorable, less for the buildings than for the sense of isolation and height and the vertiginous path that leads there. A small museum room displays icons, vestments and liturgical objects belonging to the monastery.

Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Meteora opening hours and the best time to go

The monasteries are busiest from spring to autumn and in the middle of the day. Arriving at opening time gives the best chance of a quiet visit and cooler weather for the climb. Spring, when the valley is green and the wildflowers bloom, and autumn are the best seasons. Summer is hot and the steps are exposed to the sun. Winter brings mist, snow and shorter opening hours, and the rocks can look extraordinary rising out of the fog.

The viewpoints near Holy Trinity are among the best places to watch the sunset over Kalambaka, though the monastery itself will be closed by then. Allow about forty-five minutes including the walk down and the climb up, and wear shoes with good grip. The footpath from Kalambaka to the monastery takes about an hour and a half on foot through woods.