Meteora, Greece

This little 14th-century monastery of the Meteora is approached by a relatively gentle path. Inside it features splendid frescoes by famed Cretan painter Theophanes the Monk.

The most famous and important of the Meteora monasteries, Great Meteoron has a large church topped by a 12-sided dome and decorated with elaborate frescoes.

An active nunnery in the Meteora with a pleasant courtyard, accessible by a new bridge.

The second largest monastery in the Meteora, Varlaam features a frescoed church, a pleasant garden and a friendly resident monk who often chats with visitors.

Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) is perhaps the most dramatically positioned monastery of the Meteora.