Monastry of Hosios Loukas
Ecclesiastical peace & solitude
Essentially two Byzantine churches built next to each other, the monastery was founded around the middle of the 10th century AD by the monk Loukás from Stýri. Today it preserves some of the finest Byzantine mosaics in Greece.
It’s listed on the UNESCO World Heritage site and wandering around the well-preserved building, built to honour the hermit the Venerable Luke the Stiriote, it’s easy to find peace and solitude and understand why UNESCO lists it.
The only sound on during my visit on a warm February day came from the elderly men sitting, clicking their worry beads and the far off drone of a tractor in the surrounding fields and valleys.
Distomo 320 05, Greece
Daily 9am–4pm (Sun from 10am)
Entry €3
Transport: You need to have your own transport or take a taxi from Distomo 6km east the monastery, which is served by regular buses from Delphi.
Odysseus Culture