In the 9th century, an ascetic group of hermit monks moved up to the ancient pinnacles. They were the first people to inhabit Metéora. They lived in hollows and fissures in the rock towers, some of which reach 1800 ft (550m) above the plain. This great height, combined with the sheerness of the cliff walls, kept away all but the most determined visitors. Initially the hermits led a life of solitude, meeting only on Sundays and special days to worship and pray in a chapel built at the foot of a rock known as Dhoupiani. As early as the 11th century AD hermit monks were believed to be living among the caves and cutouts in the rocks.

The exact date of the establishment of the monasteries is unknown. By the late 11th and early 12th century, a rudimentary monastic state had formed called the Skete of Stagoi and was centered around the still-standing church of Theotokos (mother of God). By the end of the 12th century, an ascetic community had flocked to Metéora. In 1344, Athanasios Koinovitis from Mount Athos brought a group of followers to Metéora. From 1356 to 1372, he founded the great Meteoron monastery on Broad Rock, which were perfect for the monks; they were safe from political upheaval and had complete control of the entry to the monastery. The only means of reaching it was by climbing a long ladder, which was drawn up whenever the monks felt threatened.

At the end of the 14th century, the Byzantine Empire's 800-year reign over northern Greece was being increasingly threatened by Turkish raiders who wanted control over the fertile plain of Thessaly. The hermit monks, seeking a retreat from the expanding Turkish occupation, found the inaccessible rock pillars of Meteora to be an ideal refuge. More than 20 monasteries were built, beginning in the 14th century. Six remain today. There is a common belief that St. Athanasius (founder of the first monastery) did not scale the rock, but was carried there by an eagle. In 1517, Nectarios and Theophanes built the monastery of Varlaám, which was reputed to house the finger of St John and the shoulder blade of St Andrew.

Access to the monasteries was originally (and deliberately) difficult, requiring either long ladders lashed together or large nets used to haul up both goods and people. This required quite a leap of faith – the ropes were replaced, so the story goes, only "when the Lord let them break". Until the 17th century, the primary means of conveying goods and people from these eyries was by means of baskets and ropes. In the 1920s there was an improvement in the arrangements. Steps were cut into the rock, making the complex accessible via a bridge from the nearby plateau.

During World War II the site was bombed and many art treasures were stolen. Only six of the monasteries remain today. Of these six, four were inhabited by men, and two by women. Each monastery has fewer than 10 inhabitants. The monasteries are now tourist attractions.

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Every year, millions of visitors come from all over the world in order to admire and honour them. If it's needed, they stay at Kalampaka and Kastraki. Kalampaka is a city of rich history and important monuments. The one of the greatest importance is the Holy Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary that is at the north-eastern part of the city under the very high rock of Aea.

The city of Kalampaka is built on the feet of the Meteora and it is at the left side of the river Pinios at the point that it enters the plain of Thessaly. It is the starting place for those visitors who wish to be familiar with the monuments and the magnificent sites of Aspropotamos of Hasia, of Koziakas and especially of the Meteora.

The town is built on the location of the ancient city of Aiginion. It is attested since the 10th century, when it was known as Stagoi, a Byzantine fortress and bishopric. Of its medieval monuments, only the cathedral, the Church of the Dormition, survives. It is a late 11th/early 12th century building, built on the remains of an earlier, late antique church. The name "Kalabaka" was given 6-7 centuries ago. It is of Turkish origin and means "powerful fortress". On the 27 August 1881, Kalabaka left Ottoman rule to join the Kingdom of Greece. In 1995 an ancient tomb was found in Kalabaka dating from the 20th century BC.

The city of Kalampaka is the capital of the homonymous province that takes up the north-western part of the prefecture of Trikala. There, one can find nice hotels, modern campings, restaurants, tourist shops etc.

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