Monastery of Rousanou

Monastery of Rousanou tickets: which one to buy

Rousanou is one of the six monasteries still active at Meteora, and it is the easiest to reach: a short path and a bridge lead from the road to the entrance, with far fewer steps than at the Great Meteoron or Holy Trinity. That makes it the best choice for visitors with limited mobility or little time. Entry is ticketed, cheaply. Rousanou is a convent run by nuns, and like the other monasteries it closes one day a week, usually Wednesday, so check before planning a route.

Minibus tours from Kalambaka and Kastraki often include Rousanou together with Varlaam and the Great Meteoron, whose entrances are close by, and hiking tours pass beneath its rock on the old footpaths. Sunset tours stop at the viewpoint opposite, which gives the classic photograph of the convent balanced on its pinnacle. Dress rules are enforced, with skirts lent to women at the door. Photography is allowed in the courtyard but not inside the church.

Visiting Monastery of Rousanou: what to see

The convent occupies the whole top of a narrow rock pillar, so the buildings seem to grow out of the stone, with walls and wooden balconies right at the edge of the drop. Hermits lived here from the fourteenth century, and the present buildings date largely from the sixteenth century, when two monks from Ioannina rebuilt the monastery. For centuries the only access was by rope ladder or net; the bridges were built in the twentieth century. After a period of decline, the monastery was re-established as a convent in 1988.

The church, dedicated to the Transfiguration and also to Saint Barbara, is decorated with frescoes painted in 1560 by artists of the Cretan school, including vivid and graphic scenes of the Last Judgement and the martyrdom of saints, which startle many visitors. The carved and gilded iconostasis is of fine workmanship. The nuns tend flowers in the courtyard and sell icons and embroidery. A small chapel off the courtyard is dedicated to Saint Barbara, and the refectory below the church is sometimes opened to show the old tables and cooking area.

Monastery of Rousanou opening hours and the best time to go

Rousanou is open daily except for its weekly closing day, with shorter hours in winter. Mornings are the best time, before tour buses arrive. Because it is compact, it fills quickly when a group is inside, and waiting a few minutes can make a difference. Spring and autumn are the best seasons at Meteora; summer is hot, winter is cold and misty, with occasional snow that makes the rocks spectacular.

The view of Rousanou from the road above at sunset is one of the most photographed at Meteora. Allow about thirty minutes for the visit, and combine it with Varlaam, which stands on a nearby rock and is reached from the same stretch of road. The path from the road to the bridge has handrails and a few shallow steps, and is manageable in any season.