Kastráki, Village in central Greece
Kastráki is a village in central Greece, nestled between the town of Kalambaka and the rock formations of Meteora. Its narrow lanes are lined with stone houses topped with red-tiled roofs, and local building rules keep the village's appearance close to what it looked like generations ago.
The village was founded in the 16th century and became a refuge for people from Epirus during the Ottoman period. It takes its name from a small fortress that once guarded the area, and the ruins of that structure are still visible today.
On Saint George's Day, villagers climb a nearby rock using ropes and exchange colored handkerchiefs, leaving them hanging on the rock for a year. Visitors who time their trip to this festival can watch the tradition unfold in person.
The village is easy to walk through, and the trails to the Meteora monasteries can be reached directly on foot from here. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons for hiking, as summer temperatures can get quite high.
Local women once made flower pots out of tin cans to bring color to their homes during hard times, and this habit of decorating yards with simple, homemade containers can still be spotted in some courtyards today. The view from the Holy Spirit Rock, a short walk from the village center, looks out over the rooftops directly toward the tall cliffs of Meteora.
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