#1. Meteora
The World Heritage–listed Meteora is an extraordinary place and one of the most visited in all of Greece. The massive pinnacles of smooth rock could be the setting for a futuristic science-fiction tale, or an ancient one. The monasteries atop them add to the strange and beautiful landscape.
The geological heart of Meteora is the Adrachti, or obelisk, a striking column visible from anywhere in Kastraki. Nearby, on the east-facing side of the Pixari rock face, closer to Kastraki, look for the colourful cave chapel of Agios Andonios. To the left of the chapel, in the hollows and cavities of the rock face, are the Askitaria (Cave Hermitages), complete with hanging ladders and nesting doves.
The Askitaria were occupied until the early 20th century by solitary monks, and they remain a testament to the original spirit of Meteora.