Greece | Thessaly | Kalambaka | Meteora

 Update 08 / 27: USA Today has a story today about Locales Where “Game Of Thrones” is filmed. Meteora is conspicuously missing. The Greek Orthodox authorities and local monks nixed the idea of filming at Meteora, at least according to local informants (see below). The Greek Orthodox Church has near-complete control of Meteora. Even the Greek Air Force is not allowed to fly over the area below a certain altitude, again according to locals. 

Took the train from Thessaloniki south to the province of Thessaly and the town of Kalambaka, located just below the famous Meteora monasteries.
View from my hotel in Kalambaka (click on photos for enlargements)
View from the town square of Kalambaka
View from Kalambaka
View from Kalambaka
View from Kalambaka
View from Kalambaka
The 16th century Monastery of St. Stephen, in the middle of the photo, from Kalambaka. It is now a nunnery.
Monastery of St. Stephen
Kalambaka from the Monastery of St. Stephen
Four of the six now active Meteora monasteries can be seen in this photo.
Three of the monasteries
Two of the monasteries
Varlaam Monasteries, founded in 1541
Varlaam Monastey
Another view of Varlaam Monastery
Another view of Varlaam Monastery
Another view of Varlaam Monastery
Grand Meteora Monastery, founded in mid-fourteen century
Remains of Grand Meteora Monks
Remains of Grand Meteora Monks
Monastery of Rousanou, also known as the Monastery of St. Barbara, founded in the sixteenth century. Now a nunnery.
Monastery of St. Barbara


Monastery of St. Barbara
 On the pinnacle to the left is the Monastery of the Holy Trinity, founded in1475
Monastery of the Holy Trinity
If this monastery looks familiar, it is because a Famous Scene in the James Bond movie “For Your Eyes Only” was filmed here. Locals claim that Meteora’s reputation as internationally famous tourist attraction was spawned by its appearance in the 007 flick. Reportedly the current TV program “Game of Thrones” wanted to film here in Meteora but the monks, after witnessing the hubbub surrounding the Bond movie, refused to give permission. I have been told by locals, however, that some digitized images of Meteora were used as backgrounds in  “Game of Thrones” (I do not know for sure because I myself have not seen the show).

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