Monastery of Varlaam

Standing on a rock far above the Thessalian plain, Varlaam is the second largest of the monasteries of Meteora, after the Great Meteoron, and one of the most rewarding to visit. The site takes its name from a hermit who settled on the pillar in the fourteenth century and built a small church and a few cells. After his death the rock stayed empty for around two centuries, until two brothers from Ioannina, Theophanes and Nektarios Apsarades, arrived in the sixteenth century and refounded the monastery, building the main church and the structures that remain today.

The approach is part of the experience. A path and then a long flight of steps carved into the rock, some two hundred in all, lead up from the road to the entrance, so comfortable shoes are important. For centuries, monks and visitors were pulled up in nets or baskets by a winch, and the old tower with its rope and net is preserved above the cliff, a vivid reminder of how isolated the place once was. From the courtyard, the view across the Pindus mountains and over to the neighbouring Monastery of Roussanou is superb.

The main church, the katholikon, is dedicated to All Saints and was built in the first half of the sixteenth century in the Athonite style, with a dome, a large narthex and a magnificent interior in the Byzantine tradition. Its frescoes, painted around the middle of the sixteenth century, cover the walls and show scenes of martyrdom, the lives of saints and the Last Judgement, in the vivid and sometimes violent style of the period. A carved wooden iconostasis and gilded decoration add to the effect. Another chapel, dedicated to the Three Hierarchs, stands nearby. The Monastery of the Holy Trinity, with which Varlaam is sometimes confused, is a separate monastery on a different pillar.

A museum in the old buildings displays icons, manuscripts, vestments and church objects, and the old refectory contains a huge wine barrel, evidence of the monks' self-sufficiency. A visit usually takes an hour or more, depending on how long you spend in the church and on the terraces.

As in all of Meteora's monasteries, visitors must dress modestly according to Orthodox custom, with covered shoulders and knees, and wrap skirts are often available for those who need them. Each monastery closes on one day a week, and Varlaam's closing days and hours change with the season, so check the schedule locally. It pairs naturally with the Great Meteoron, which lies a short walk or drive away.