The gigantic rocks of Meteora dominate imposingly in Kalambaka between the mountains of Koziaka and Antichasion.  Nature reveals all its greatness for centuries now, while it constitutes a unique beauty, geological phenomenon and an important monument of Orthodoxy. Meteora have been characterized as the second Mount Athos and continue the monastic tradition for six centuries.

From the 24 monasteries today only six are occupied while the remainder 15 are uninhabited.  Today, the tradition of Orthodoxy is continued by the Holy monastery of the Great Meteoro, the Varlaam monastery, the Holy Trinity monastery and the Saint Nicholas Anapafsas monastery which are male dominated monasteries although Saint Stefan and Roussano are female dominated monasteries.

U.N.E.S.C.O has characterized the Holy Meteora as a monument of Humanity that has to be maintained. So the monasteries of the Meteora are included in the Monuments of the world cultural Heritage.

 

http://www.kalampaka.com/gr/meteora/index.asp

Price: 350,00€

The Monastery of Hosios Loukas, one of the finest, 11th century Byzantine monuments in Greece, is set on a pictures slope on the western foothills of Mount Helikon, near the ancient town of Steiri.
The monastery’s two large churches (the Church of Panagia and the Katholikon), its Crypt, belfry, monk’s cells and other buildings, all devoted to the local, miracle-making Hosios, have a unique standing as they are considered paragons among all 11th century monuments in Greece.

The visitor apart from the Temples can admire the splendid view and enjoy the all around green landscape and be revived from the splendid climate.

http://www.culture.gr/h/3/gh351.jsp?obj_id=8081

Price: 200,00€

 

Prokopi is located on the north side of the island Evia hidden amongst pines and plane-trees and it’s the village where the relic of Saint John the Russian is kept, brought over by refugees from Asia Minor.  The valley of Prokopi is simply amazing, full of huge plane-trees and running waters.

Near Prokopi the villages of Pili and Blachia are situated.  The route leads you through an amazing pine forest. Here the visitors can admire the sandy beaches that blend with the waters of the Aegean.

 

http://www.hellas1.gr/evia/axiotheata/osios-ioannes-rosos.html

Price: 220,00€

 

44 km from Tripoli and 5 km from Saint Petros, on the way to Astros is the feminine Monastery of Virgin Mary Malevis.  It is the most famous monastery of Kynoyria and attracts a large number of people.  Built on the hillside of mt. Parnona and at an altitude of 950 meters.

The first monastery was built in the 14th century.  It was first reported as a monastery in 1320 by the emperor Andronikos Palaiologos.  The monastery was then situated above the current monastery.  Todays abbey was build in 1616 and made an importance in the revolution of 1821.  Five klm from Saint Petros, on the way to Astros, is the monastery of Virgin Mary of Malevis. Next to the monastery is a beautiful small church of Saint Nile.

 

http://www.parnonas.com/index.php?c_id=165

Price: 300,00€

 

On the red cliffs of Mount Parnona there is a canyon that goes into the mountain for several miles and comes out to the Monastery of Elona. The Monastery symbolized an icon of hope during the Turkish occupation for Greeks throughout the province of Arkadia.  The hope that oneday the Greekswould be free by the brutal occupation of the Ottoman Empire.  It is said that the villagers of Cosmas (a village near Elona) oneevening witnessed a bright glow shining from a cliff.  At first they thought the light was perhaps a figment of their imagination, yet for the next few nights the light kept appearing, and they knew it was impossible for any human being to be able to physically sit or climb up that rough and rocky cliff, the bright glow came from the icon of Virgin Mary.

 

http://www.parnonas.com/index.php?c_id=165

Price: 280,00€

 

The monastery of Virgin Mary were the icon of Saint Efrem is found is in the region of Nea Makri on the Mount of Amomon, a place that everyone should visit in order to relax and find comfort in their soul.

 

http://agiosefraim.netfirms.com

Price: 85,00€

 

Monastery of St. John the Huntsman

The Monastery of St. John the Huntsman was built during the 12th or beginning of the 13th century.  It’s located on the northern slopes of Mount Hymettus overlooking both the city of Athens and the plains of Messogia. Dedicated to the memory of Prodromos and called "the philosophers" the family name of its founder.

http://www.ag-ioanniskinigos.gr

The Monastery of Kesariani

It’s the most famous of all monasteries of Hymettus surrounded by an aesthetic forest which gives you the chance for a brief escape from the city.
It is built on an ancient temple, possibly dedicated to the goddess Dimitra, whose parts can be seen in the yard of the church.  Estimated that it was built around the 11th century and is considered one of the most beautiful Byzantine churches of Athens.

Climbing the hill there are two temples.  The Temple of Taxiarches half ram shackled and a temple, next to the first.  Its estimated that the temple of Taxiarches was built during the Early Christian period, around the 6th century AD and later, around the 10th century, a Byzantine church was built which still remains and divides both ancient temples. T he ram shackled temple was completed during the period of the Franks on the right side with a smaller temple, the Temple of St. Mark.

http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/2/gh251.jsp?obj_id=1524

Asteriou Monastery

The beautiful ‘’Asteriou’’ monastery is an excellent example of Greek religious art standing in a cool, bird inhabited grove of pines and cypresses on the middle site of mount ‘’Hymettus’’ a completely peaceful place dedicated to prayer and worship of God.  The natural beauty of mount ‘’Hymettus’’ is extraordinary.  The small monastery is founded in a quite mountainside to a cross and wooden bench at an altitude of 545 meters enjoying at the same time the attractive view of the capital city of Athens.

However the date of the establishment of the monastery is unknown. In one version, the name associated with Saint Lucas Steirioti or Asterioti, founder of the homonymous monastery Viotikis who resided for some time in Athens, probably in the monastery.  If the scenario is true, then the foundation of the monastery Asteriou must have been built before the year 1000.

http://www.monipetraki.gr/asteriou.html

Monastery of St. John Theologos

The Monastery of St. John Theologos lies on the western side of Hymettus.  The Monastery is surrounded by a rectangular yard.  The katholikon is a simple, four-columned, cross-in-square church, while the dome is Athenian. Its foundation is around 1120AD.
Chronologically the construction of the Monastery and the old buildings can not be determined because there is no testimony or evidence for the year or even the century it was built.  The design of the church gives an indication implicitly accepted that it dates back to the 12th century.  The oldest written information on the operation of the monastery is the proof of payments found for taxes in Athens in the early 18th century.  Today the monastery has 15 nuns and celebrates on the 8th May and on the 26th September.

http://www.dimos-papagou.gr/Ag.Ioannou.htm

Dafniou Monastery

On the edge of the grove Haidari, on the left of Iera Odos Avenue which remains from ancient times the road from Athens to Elefsina, we find the church which was built on the ruins of a temple sacred to Apollo, and who was named after the laurels brought to the god (Dafni=Laurel), only an Ionic column has survived in the narthex of the church and probably in place of the ancient temple of Apollo Dafneou or Daphni is the fortified Monastery of Dafniou.

The monastery is protected by fortified towers and battlements square enclosure with the two gateways in the east and west side.  Alongside, the four sides of the enclosed fortress but a short distance from them are the remains of buildings, perhaps the original cells.  Inside the fortress dominates the Katholico, the church of the monastery, while to the north are the ruins of the bank (ie dining room).  The Katholico south was tetragonal with arch shaped; wing cells and auxiliary buildings which were renovated and rebuilt several times in one thousand years of existence of the monument, as shown in recent excavations.

http://www.culture.gr/h/2/gh251.jsp?obj_id=1514

Pendelis Monastery or Moni Pendeli

Pendeli Mountain has an altitude of 1109 meters above sea level, is situated in Attica. Rises northeast of Athens.
In an emotive area of the mountain is the monastery of Pendeli, founded in 1576.  At the time of the Turkish occupation it was a Cultural Centre, school and library.  The monastery is dedicated to Virgin Mary.  Particularly striking is the Katholico of the church which is decorated with frescoes.

http://www.penteli.gr/xri.htm

Price: 180,00€