Monastery of Ayios Ioannis Prodromos (Prodromos Monastery)

We’ve been to many monasteries on our trips including several in Tibet, which are really breathtaking. All are beautiful and fascinating and there is a sense of peace about them all. The Monastery of Ayios Ioannis Prodromos (Prodromos Monastery) was pretty special given the effort it took to get there but more because it is constructed in the face of the limestone cliffs. It’s tucked  high up in the Lousios Gorge on the Peloponnese Peninsula of Greece.

It’s a relatively short hike once you reach the small red domed church with all the goats running around. It’s only a mile or so on a well worn, well marked trail. The views along the path are pretty amazing and you can hear the roar of the river in the spring even though you are high above it. There’s lots of greenery as well as small animals darting all around you. Once at the monastery, you can walk all around the outside across paths with small waterfalls. Although we weren’t able to go through the monastery when we were there, you can wander all through it to see how it was constructed and really get deep into the history of it. Even without the tour and background, the Prodromos Monastery was a serene and peaceful place to spend an afternoon. Just one of the many magical and less well known parts of Greece.

If you want more details on walking the entire trail through Lousios Gorge the embeded maps from route*you below are a great reference: