Varlaam is the second largest monastery of Meteora, founded in 1541 on a pillar of rock where the hermit Varlaam had lived two centuries earlier. For generations, people and supplies were hauled up in nets by the famous windlass tower — the rope, tradition says, was replaced «only when it broke».
Today 195 steps lead to the top. Inside, the katholikon holds remarkable post-Byzantine frescoes, while the old storerooms display the giant oak barrel that once stored twelve tons of rainwater.
Varlaam pairs naturally with the nearby Great Meteoron or with Saint Stephen for a comfortable two-monastery day. Our drivers time the visits to avoid the tour-bus waves.
