HOW TO VISIT METEORA MONASTERIES AND SURROUNDS IN 2024

updated January 2024

Are you ready to explore some of the most amazing and unique geography that Greece has to offer? Whether you’re on your first Greek holiday, or you’re now planning to visit after many years of Greek Island hopping, the mainland of Greece should not be overlooked. When you visit Meteora you will experience one of the most prized cultural and historical landmarks in the country, and in fact in all of Europe.

There is nothing quite like Meteroa anywhere in the world!

Often described as stunning works of architecture set in a landscape that is as unique as it is breath-taking, the six monasteries of Meteora are visited every year by many tourists yet still seem uncrowded and completely accessible.

They also represent an important part of Greek history and the link between the early formation of Christian doctrine and the Turkish occupation of Greece during the 11th century AD.

What is the Meteora meaning and its history?

The word “meteora,” means “hovering in the air” which, whist a literal description of the famous monasteries, also shows just how otherworldly they seem.

The complex is made up of twenty-four Eastern Orthodox monasteries that were built on giant sandstone rock pillars between the 14th and 16th centuries. Six of them are still in use today and can be visited by the public, whilst others are popular for sightseeing externally by hikers and photographers.

The origins of the extraordinary geological formations are difficult to explain. Instead of being volcanic rock which tend to form similar structures, they are largely formed of sandstone and various deposits of stone, sand and mud that have arisen from the deposits brought by streams flowing into a delta at the edge of a large lake.

About 60 million years ago, a series of earth movements from the seabed created a vertical plateau featuring many distinct fault lines in its layers of stone.

In the 9th century, hermit monks with impressive climbing skills settled into the rock caves and hollows taking on a life of great isolation and solitude. You can see still some of these caves, or ‘hermitages’ in use for similar purposes today.

Many centuries later, a monk called Athanasios Koinovitis from sacred Mount Athos, traveled to Thessaly in search of the hermits and initiated the construction of the first monastery, Great Meteoron.

The monasteries provided great protection during the Turkish invasions over the years and particularly during the 14th century. Today the Meteora Monasteries are on the UNESCO World Heritage List and the Meteora-Antichassia region has been officially declared a Natura 2000 Ecological Zone by the Greek Ministry of Environment and the EU.

The six monasteries that are still in use today are the Monastery of Great Meteoron, as well as Roussanou/St. Barbara, Varlaam, St. Stephens, St. Nicholas Anapausas and the Monastery of the Holy Trinity.

Beyond the monasteries and mountains, Meteora houses the world’s oldest known man-made structure  – a wall believed to be 23 000 years old, which lies at the entrance of the Theopetra Cave. This cave is just a few kilometers away from Kalambaka and holds evidence of continuous human habitation for over 130 000 years.

How to get to Meteora

There are two ways to get to Meteora: either by signing up for one of the numerous guided Meteora tours from Athens or Thessaloniki or by using your own means of transport and staying a night or two in the city of Kalambaka or the village of Kastraki, and visiting the monasteries at your own pace.

  Book a Meteora Tour

The great thing about joining a Meteora Tour is that you don’t have to plan much of anything, and the itinerary you follow takes into account when each of the monasteries is open.

There are a number of tours you can consider, such as the 3 day Rail Tour, the stunning Meteora Sunset Tour or the 3-day coach tour. If you’re in a hurry, you can even consider a quicker tour like the Half-Day Sightseeing Tour which only takes about four hours plus travel time.

The tour we recommend the most involves staying overnight in the area. This means you can see Meteora at sunset (and sunrise if you are really keen) which really is the best time to see it in all its glory. The colours of the sky behind the extraordinary rock formations is truly something to behold!

This tour is done by a private driver who picks you up in Athens and includes a guide for your time at the Monasteries. You will also stop off at Thermopylae, the battlefield for the ‘300′ Spartans in their legendary fight against the Persians. The price is for two people and increases with more people. By using this link you will also receive a 10% discount! 

Important tips for visiting the Meteora Monasteries!

1. Most of the Monasteries have a lot of stairs! The Grand Meteoron Monastery has the most with over 300 steps, so it does require a reasonable level of mobility and fitness.  Rousanou, Varlaam and Saint Nicolaos have an average number of 140. St. Stephens is the most accessible with only a couple of steps and a small footbridge over to the entry.

2. Not all monastaries are open every day – see the opening times further down in the article. Most people visit two or three monastaries, although they can all be admired from the outside of course.

3. It costs 3 euro per person to visit each one. Children under 12 are free.

4. It is a requirement of all religious sites in Greece to dress modestly. This means covered knees and shoulders. It is good to dress appropriately but if you forget they can rent you scarves/wraps to use for a small fee.

5. It is illegal to fly drones over religious sites in Greece without a permit.

Visit Meteora independently

It is also quite easy to visit Meteora yourself by driving or using public transport. Once there you can either drive yourself around the Monasteries or join a local tour such as this tour from Kalambaka.

Driving to Meteora

To get to Meteora from Athens, you have to travel northwest of the Greek capital and keep going through the Greek countryside until you reach your destination. The roughly 358km trip can be completed in 6-7 hours.

Hiring a taxi or renting a car is a popular choice among foreigners since it provides a more personalized approach to the trip and to the route that you can take. Although more expensive than a bus or a train, this is a good way to visit Meteora, especially if you want to stop at a few other destinations along the way.

If you wish to discover the country at your own leisure,the best option is to hire a car.

To get to Meteora from Athens by car, take the freeway E75 and head to Lamia-Karditsa-Trikala-Kalambaka. It will take around 4 hours and 30 minutes (375 km away).

Parking at Meteora

There is plenty of parking at each of the Monasteries and overflow parking at some of the bigger ones. It can get busy between April and October from about 11 am when tour buses arrive so try and get there early or late.

The ring road delivers you quickly and easily from one to the next and is very well kept and maintained. Far from being a hair-raising road experience as is sometimes the case in Greece, this is a very easy place to drive even for novices.

How to get to Meteora by Train 

If you plan on taking the train from Athens, the nearest stop to Meteora is Kalampaka ( see below).

This is a very long day with over 9 hours of traveling and limited time in Meteora. It’s a pleasant enough journey but you won’t be able to stop and see anything else along the way.

There are several trains that depart from Athens (Larissa Railway Station) to Kalambaka every day. The direct train leaves at 8:20 am and takes 4 hours and 50 minutes. The price of a one-way ticket costs between €15 and €20. The direct train back to Athens departs at 5:22 pm and gets to the capital at 10:12 pm.

For more information check out the Hellenic Train Website (you can usually only book tickets about a month in advance).

If you do want to visit Meteora by train it’s a good idea to do an organised train tour as that way you are managed door to door. You will be picked up from your hotel and taken to the train station, assisted when changing trains, collected at Kalambaka train station, and taken up to see three Monasteries and then return again. 

Announcement!

In 2023 many train tracks were badly damaged in the September floods and  some trains have been suspended until further notice. Part of a train trip to Meteora may involve a bus service instead.

Visit Meteora by Bus

It is possible to visit Meteora by bus from many locations including Athens, Volos, Ioannina, Thessaloniki or Patras as well as numerous small towns along the way.

For more information check out the KTel website.

E-Bike Tours of Meteora

This is a relatively new way of getting around the Monasteries and is great for people with some e-bike experience. Once you arrive by car, train, or bus you can rent a bike or join an e-bike tour. It’s especially nice to do this on a sunset tour when the weather is much cooler and the sunset is breathtaking. The Monasteries are still magnificent to see even when closed and the background is simply stunning.

Obviously, these can be weather affected, however.

Hiking in Meteora

Hiking up to the Monasteries is a popular activity. From Kastraki it is possible to do a short hike to two of the monasteries but a serious hike can get you to all of them, as well as the hermit caves. There are several routes and a number of guided tours you can do too. Be mindful of the dress requirements for the Monasteries as stated above.

Fly to Meteora

There is no airport at Meteora nor in the surrounding towns. Athens airport is over four hours away by car. You can however fly from Athens to Ioaninna and hire a car as we have done in the past. This is a very easy and pleasant drive that takes about 90 minutes and there is some stunning scenery along the way. 

Weather in Meteora

Summer is the driest time, storms occurring all year round especially at higher altitudes.

Average monthly temperatures are; 

Where to stay – which Meteora hotels are best?

Do NOT stay in Trikala or anywhere else many of the booking sites will have you believe are in Meteora. They are not. Don’t get me wrong they are nice towns and if you have a few spare days they are really worth some time but not if your objective is to stay near the Monasteries of Meteora.

Kalambaka Hotels

Kalambaka is a nice town of roughly 12,000 inhabitants. The city’s architecture, culture, and fascinating history make it worth a few days or even longer here.  There are a number of places of interest here including the Natural History Museum of Meteora and Mushroom Museum as well as the Church of Dormition of the Virgin Mary ( see other Things to Do below).

Hotels in Kalambaka that we recommend are Hotel Kaikis and Epavlis Hotel.

If you don’t have a car you can join a tour from Kalambaka.

Kastraki Hotels

Kastraki is a small and quite charming Greek village that has a number of excellent tavernas and some really picturesque scenery.

It is quiet and peaceful and there are some truly stunning views from some of the hotels especially at sunset and sunrise. You can even walk up to the Monasteries from here if you are fit and adventurous.

We really enjoyed our stay at Doupani House which is a traditional hotel with very friendly service and absolutely breathtaking views. It’s a great choice for a Meteora Hotel. If this is booked out then we recommend Hotel Kastraki which is just around the corner or Tsikeli Hotel for an adults-only experience.

If you are travelling in a group and would like to stay in the area a while ( which I strongly recommend!) then then check out Zosimas House which has 2 bedrooms, can sleep 6 people and has amazing views. For something even bigger then Vista delle Rocce has 3 bedrooms and can sleep up to 8.

If you would like to join a tour to visit the monasteries this tour will pick you up from either Kalambaka or Kastraki.

Where to eat in Meteora

The fertile plains of Thessaly are the food bowl of Greece and grown a multitude of crops year-round that feed the country and other parts of Europe.

As a result, the food on offer at cafes and tavernas is first-rate and has to be some of the most delicious, and best priced, in the country.

If you are able to drive around the area you will see many food stalls selling fruit and vegetables such as berries, apples, walnuts, figs, and grapes as well as honey and smallgoods. Wine in this area is very good and it is possible to visit some local wineries.

Every meal we had in Kastraki and Kalambaka was excellent but these 3 places are exceptional; 

•  Tavern Ouzeri Pappas, Kastraki
•  Taverna Bakaliarakia, Kastraki
•  Meteoron Panorama, Kalambaka
  

Visit Meteora Monasteries

Each of the six Meteora monasteries have their own stories to reveal and are steeped in history and intrigue. They are all unique and impressive, filled with spiritual wisdom, serenity and the promise of a remarkable travel experience you will never forget.

Opening hours for Meteora Monastaries

Each monastery has its own visiting days and hours, and while one monastery might be open on a certain day, others might be closed. If you’re not following a tour, and you plan on visiting Meteora by taxi, by car or by train, it’s important to plan ahead and consider avoiding the times when the monasteries you are interested in are closed.

That said they are all good and you can still view all of them from the outside, which is arguably the best vantage point anyway.

In 2024 the opening hours for Meteora Monasteries are:

Great Meteoron  09:00-15:00 closed Tuesdays, and Nov 1 to March 31 09:00 – 14:00  closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
Holy Trinity  09:00-17:00 closed Thursdays, winter is 10:00 to 16:00
Varlaam  09:00-15:00 closed Tuesdays, and Nov 1 to March 31 09:00 – 14:00 closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
Roussanou  10:00-16:00 from April 1 to October 31, and closed Wednesdays. November 1 to March 31st  09:00-14:00  closed Wednesdays
St. Stephen  09:00-13:30 and 15:30-17:30 closed Mondays, 09:30 to 13:00 and 15:00 to 17:00 in winter
St. Nicholas Anapafsas  09:00-17:00, closed Fridays and Nov 1 to March 31 closes at 17:00 with Sundays being 09:30 to 16:00

The Great Meteoron Monastery

The Great Meteoron Monastery is the oldest, largest and most famous of the monasteries. It is located at an impressive 615 meters above sea level, and it towers above the other monasteries atop a giant and highly imposing stone pillar.

More like a small village than a single Monastery the complex is made up of a series of different buildings.  There are numerous icons and artifacts dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries, as well as a museum, a kitchen and a wine cellar. 

The main cathedral in the central courtyard is embellished with beautiful 16th century frescoes. 

Roussanou monestary

The beautiful wall-paintings of the Catholicon were executed in 1560, when the priest-monk Arsenios was the abbot of the monastery.

Today the Roussanou monastery is inhabited by nuns and has been since 1988. It is set on a lower rock, so you can access it quite easily via a bridge, and inside you’ll find some interesting frescoes.

Varlaam Monastery

Founded around 1350 by a monk named Varlaam, the Varlaam Monastery has a fascinating history, having been abandoned at one time for more than a century. It is the second biggest Monastery and is located across from Great Meteoron.

The elegant monastery Catholicon was built in the honour of Agioi Pantes in 1541-42, by two brothers from Ioannina, the priest-monks Hosioi Theophanes and Nectarios the Apsarades.

Renovated in 1512, it now houses a famous ecclesiastic museum and a barrel that could at one time hold up to 12 tons of rainwater. Varlaam gives you the best insight into the design, engineering and construction of the monasteries and how the Monks operated for many centuries without modern science or amenities.

You can still see the original winches and nets the monks used to haul goods and indeed, each other, up and down the rock face as well as original wine barrels and food storage.

Other buildings in the Monastery include a kitchen and a small hospital as well as a bibliographic workshop and workshop of equisite gold-embroidery

St Nikolaos Anapafsas Monastery

The word Anapafsis translates to ‘resting’ from Greek so it is thought this monastery is so named as a place to rest before the more arduous journey up to the other monasteries beyond.

The site is small and construction would have been very challenging. At the entrance of the Monastery lies the Church of St. Anthony and the crypt where the codes and the monastery’s heirlooms were previously stored. Each level is them built vertically and is accessed by a narrow staircase.

Also, you’ll find some prized artwork inside, including the frescoes of the well-known painter, Theophanes Strelitzas.

St. Stephen’s monastery

If your accommodation is in Kalambaka, chances are you can see St. Stephen’s monastery all the way from there, as it’s the only monastery visible from the city.

This monastery is now also inhabited by nuns rather than Monks. Visiting St. Stephens is quite a treat as you will be greeted by the hospitality of the nuns and the unique pieces found in the religious museum inside the monastery, as well as their beautiful gardens. 

St. Stephen’s Monastery also has two cathedrals; the old 16th-century chapel which was severely damaged during WWII and the consequent Greek Civil War, and the 18th-century main cathedral that is dedicated to Saint Charalambos and includes his holy relics.

The monastery is the most accessible and is the best Meteora monastery for people with mobility issues. There is a small solid bridge leading straight to the entry from the carpark and only a couple of wide steps to enter the main complex.

The gardens are really quite impressive as are the amazing views of the entire Valley of Thessaly and the mountain ranges beyond.

Holy Trinity Monastery

Famous for being featured in the James Bond movie, Four Your Eyes Only, the Holy Trinity Monastery, also known as Agia Triada,  is set on a very steep rock and is the most difficult monasteries to access. Close to the Saint Stephen’s Nunnery it has been an organized Monastery since 1362.

Visitors have to follow a pathway that directs them initially to the foot of the rock before they climb 140 steps. Once upon a time, it was only accessed by ropes!

According to its tumultuous history, the monastery was looted during WWII by the Germans, and only a few of the once-prized treasures housed there still remain to this day.

Most popular is the chapel of Timios Prodromos (St John the Forerunner), a small circular church with a cupola, decorated with wall-paintings of fine art dating from 1682.

Other things to do in Meteora and surrounds 

Holy Temple of Dormition of the Virgin Mary

Apart from the Monasteries of Meteora the Byzantine Temple of Dormition of the Mother of God is the most important monument in Kalabaka.

It was erected between the 10th and 11th century on the ruins of an early Christian Royal. It has a three-aisled basilica and, unique to Greece, a central Pulpit.

Part of the floor mosaic is intact whilst the walls are covered in restored paintings and frescoes from the 12th to 17th centuries.

Nowadays the church is still used as a place of worship although a small entry fee is charged for visitors outside service hours.

There are rarely many tourists and it is quite a remarkable place to see and feel the sheer age and gravity for yourself.

Trikala

Trikala is the capital of Thessaly and is a pretty town less than an hour south of Meteora by car and centrally located on the Thessaly plains. It sits by the Lithaios River and has had a colorful history since antiquity.

There is quite a lot to see and do in the area and you can do many of them as a day trip from Kalambaka or Kastraki whilst visiting Meteora or stay a night or two to dig a bit deeper.

The main sites include:

• Trikala Byzantine Castle
• Osman Shah Mosque
• the archaeological site of Asklepieion of Trikke
• The Old City of Trikala – built between the 17th and 19th centuries 
• several Stone Bridges ( see below)

The stone bridges of Trikala

Sarakina Bridge

One of the largest of the Greek Stone Bridges at 123 meters long this bridge was originally built in 1520 and sits over the river Peneus near Trikala. It was built by Bishop Varrasion of Larisa and originally had six arches.

During the famous battle in 1878 between local Chieftains and the Turks here there were several casualties in the Turkish defeat. The bridge of Sarakina is approximately 1 Kilometer north-west  from Sarakina village and served the transport  route to Diava. 

Because of its impressive shape and stability Sarkina Bridge is consider a significant monument, not only for the Thessaly Plain, but also for the wider Greek and Balkan area.

Palaiokarya Stone Bridge 

This bridge is quite hard to find and we almost gave up after several wrong turns. I’m very glad we persevered however as it is incredibly beautiful, and due to its hidden nature, devoid of visitors!

The bridge was built at the beginning of the 15th century by the owner of the nearby Dousiko Monastery, Saint Bessarion.

It was built on a rocky trough above the riverbed bridging the Palsiokarites River and aided the Pylis community with their farms and water supply. The dam behind it was not built until 1975  which better helps to irrigate the surrounding valley. As a result, there are two waterfalls that make the bridge quite unique and very special.

To visit Palaiokarya stone bridge you continue west from Pyli and Pyli Stone bridge to Stournareika. Just before you reach Stournareika village you will see a sign for Ropotos village, you continue straight. After a few meters, you will come across the signs for “Ano Palaiokarya”, “Mesi Palaiokarya” and “Palaiokarya”.

Continue on and you will come across the sign below and you turn left on a dirt road. You will come across the bridge in about 100 meters and there is plenty of room to park. There are no shops or facilities here however there are a few good tavernas in the nearby village of Ropotos.

Stone Bridge of Pyli

The Stone Bridge of Pyli is located two kilometers west of the village Pyli and about 20 minutes away from Trikala. It is fairly easy to find and is right on the main road that heads into the mountains. The bridge sits over the Portaikos River and until 1936 this bridge was the only way to get from Thessaly to Epirus.

It was built in 1514 by Saint Bissarion and is the second-largest arch bridge of Thessaly. It has a high stone semicircular arch that is 29 meters wide and 13 meters high and is constructed of limestone and sandstone. The total length is 65 meters.The bridge was restored in 1968 and 1983 and again in2006.

The area around the bridge is lush and green with many big trees and is a lovely spot for a picnic.

There is a large car park  and a number of small shops and stalls selling fruit, snacks, and drinks and is a great stopping off point if you are planning on heading up to the villages of Koziakas, Elati, Pertoyli, Neraidohori and the larger area of Aspropotamos including the ski fields.

The Cave of Theopetra

Considered to be one of the most important prehistoric sites in Greece this cave is home to the oldest known man-made structure in the world, a wall that is believed to be 23,000 years old. It is also where the oldest human footprints in Europe have been found, thought to be from four children.

The site is believed to be over 130,000 years old and numerous artifacts including tools, animal remains and other relics have been found here.

Archeologists believe this is where Modern Humans first evolved from Neanderthals and later transition to farmers after the Ice Age. This truly is the birthplace of farming!

The Cave can be found just outside the village of Theopetra which is 5 kilometres south of Kalambaka/Meteora.

Check the official page for opening hours. 

Final thoughts on visiting Meteora

As you can see there is a lot to see and do when you visit Meteora and it’s not just limited to the Monasteries.

Its a truly extraordinary part of the world and is one of the most most beautiful regions we have ever visited anywhere. The Monasteries are comparable to visiting somewhere like Petra for their sheer grandeur and impressive architecture and engineering and the geology of the area only adds to the awe.

The surrounding valley and mountains are lush, green and provide a real contrast to the dry and sometimes desolate islands many tourists will only see and the area provides great insight into agriculture, farming and other industries based on nature and the environment.

Many people rush this part of the world in a single day or perhaps an overnight trip but in reality, it really is a destination that will continue to impress you even more if you invest a few days into it.

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