Meteora: Morning Half Day Sightseeing and Monasteries Tour
Description
Join this classic, authentic, morning tour in Meteora and meet its most cherished local legends through the eyes of a local. Explore centuries-old monasteries, enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views and discover unearthing hidden gems most travelers don’t know about.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Join this morning sightseeing tour to Meteora and fully experience this true wonder accompanied by a knowledgeable local guide. The tour starts with a convenient pick-up (with our VIP minibus) from your hotel in Kalabaka or Kastraki. During this guided tour you will have the opportunity to see all six magnificent monasteries and admire the interior of three of them. Additionally, view some of Meteora’s most spectacular hidden gems like the ancient Chapel of Doupiani and the magnificent St. George “Mandilas” cave. You will also discover the “other side” of Meteora, like the truth about why the hermits settled in these imposing caves a thousand years ago and how the monks achieved the “impossible”. If English isn’t your primary language, don’t worry! We offer free audio guides in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese & Korean. Last but not least, take the opportunity to enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views and capture some amazing photos that you will cherish forever.
At the bottom of the Holy Meteora Rocks and not far from Kalambaka is located Kastraki (translated as small castle in Greek). This picturesque village took its name from a small Byzantine castle, whose ruins are still saved today.
The Monastery of Saint Nicholas of Anapafsas is literally suspended in air on a small rock and is the first monastery that we meet on our way from Kastraki village to the stone forest of Holy Meteora.
The Roussanou Monastery, also known as Arsani, stands on top of an impressive vertical and steep cliff of Meteora, between the Monasteries of Saint Nicholas Anapafsas and Varlaam.
The Monastery of Great Meteoron or Transfiguration of Christ, expresses the greatness and history of the Holy Meteora, as it is the oldest and most important monastery.
The Varlaam Monastery or Monastery of All the Saints is located on an imposing rock exactly opposite of the Great Meteoron and it is the second largest monastery of Meteora.
The Monastery of the Holy Trinity is the third oldest monastery in Meteora and is the most difficult to reach, since visitors should cross a downhill path and then ascend 145 steps carved into the rock. It is said that the first hermits used a rope ladder and a net to build it and they spent 70 years to carry the all the materials needed.
The Monastery of Saint Stephen’s (Agios Stefanos) is located just above the city of Kalambaka and is the most accessible monastery in Meteora, as there are no steps to reach the entrance and the access is easy through a small stone bridge.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We offer convenient pickup from your hotel in Kalabaka or Kastraki. If your hotel's name is not listed please reach directly to us after your booking. The pickup time from Kalambaka is between 08:45 to 09:00 while from Kastraki between 09:00 to 09:15.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The monasteries of Meteora impose a dress code for visitors. Men are required to wear long trousers and shirts with sleeves. Women must wear skirts that fall below the knee (trousers are not permitted) and cover their shoulders. Alternatively, women can use a long scarf wrapped around the waist to meet the dress code requirements.
- The monasteries of Meteora only accept cash for the entrance fees (€5 per person/monastery).
- To use our free audio guide, please be sure to bring your smartphone and earphones with you.
Reviews(194)
Great trip, informative, punctual and gave us everything we expected! Highly recommend to anyone with limited time - you will see the best of the monasteries.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that the trip was informative, punctual, and delivered everything you expected. We’re especially glad it was a great way to experience the highlights of Meteora when time is limited. Thank you for the recommendation!
This is a great tour. The guide is very informative and provided information during all the time we were on the bus between locations. The monasteries are beautiful. They generally provide enough time to visit them, however we wished we could have had about 10 more minutes at Valaam since it is very beautiful on the outside. This tour is very much worth the money to avoid the stress of parking and get a lot of information about the history and area. Since we were not staying in the main towns we did have to meet them at the old train station, but that was fine as there is plenty of parking there.
Thank you for your detailed review! We’re delighted you enjoyed the tour, the monasteries, and the historical insights provided along the way. We appreciate your feedback about the time at Varlaam and will keep it in mind. We’re glad the tour made visiting Meteora convenient and stress-free, and that you found it great value for money!
Fabulous experience. Our guide was polite, funny, informative and easy to understand (we are Americans). The trip was just the right length of time. They picked us up on time and even offered to drop us off anywhere on the way back, or at our hotel. I wish I remembered our guide and driver’s names. They were great! Cannot recommend either more highly!
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a fabulous experience and found the guide friendly, funny, and informative. We’re also glad the timing and transportation worked so well for you. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with our team. Thank you for the recommendation!
The visit is simply extraordinary, the monasteries are magnificent, walking through the weather is something wonderful. On the other hand, the provider Meteora Trip was very disappointing, I had booked a small group, we were 36 people, they were supposed to pick me up at my hotel, and they canceled the day before to give me a meeting point that was the train station. I was really disappointed because I had made arrangements with my hotel to leave my vehicle and my luggage on-site. And the guide was really unpleasant from the start when I asked him why the group was so large when I had paid more to have a small group.
Thank you for your detailed feedback! We’re very happy to hear that you enjoyed the incredible beauty of Meteora. We’d just like to clarify a few points regarding the arrangements, as we wouldn’t want other guests to be left with the wrong impression. The pickup was not cancelled, the meeting point was changed because the accommodation provided was not a hotel and could not be safely accessed by a bus. Regarding the group size, there were not 36 guests on board. During some extremely hot summer days, we choose to operate with slightly larger buses because they provide better and more efficient air conditioning, while still keeping the group at a comfortable small size. Finally, we do not have different prices for small or large groups. We appreciate your feedback and hope this helps clarify the arrangements.
Excellent communication before and after the tour. Punctual. Informative and friendly guide. We were lucky to be in a small group van. Our guide was knowledgeable and gave us plenty of time to explore the monasteries which you did on your own. Beat the crowds! A super tour. Highly recommended especially with a historian guide.
Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re delighted to hear you appreciated the clear communication, punctuality, and our knowledgeable guide. We’re especially glad you enjoyed the smaller group and had plenty of time to explore the monasteries at your own pace. Thank you for the wonderful recommendation!
Nikos was an awesome tour guide and Giorgos made us feel very safe with his driving skills . It has been a wonderful experience .
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that Nikos made your tour special with his excellent guidance and that Giorgos’ safe driving helped you feel comfortable throughout the journey. We’ll be happy to share your kind words with them. Thank you for traveling with us!
Meteora is a fabulous place to visit, with tremendous cultural and geographical wonders. On our tour, we visited 3 monasteries. Our guide and driver were very helpful. A word of caution for travelers with physical challenges such as bad knees or hips--you have to climbs a LOT of stairs and walk some distance up hills to visit some of the monasteries. Plan your visit accordingly!
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the cultural, historical, and natural beauty of Meteora and that our guide and driver helped make your experience enjoyable. We also appreciate your helpful advice for future travelers, as some monastery visits do involve stairs and uphill walking. Thank you for choosing our tour.
Dress appropriately, wear closed and supportive shoes, enjoy! You will see the interior of 3 monasteries and the other 3 from the exterior.
Thank you for your review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the experience and appreciated the opportunity to visit three monasteries while viewing the others from scenic viewpoints. Your practical advice about appropriate clothing and supportive footwear will be helpful for future travelers. We’re glad you enjoyed the experience!
Excellent organization, precise and punctual from the booking to the pickup at the meeting point. Exceptional Vassili, the guide who accompanied us and filled our gaps in English knowledge with his explanations in Italian.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that everything was well organized and ran smoothly from booking to pickup. Vassili will be thrilled to know that his Italian explanations helped make the experience even more enjoyable and accessible. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with him. Thank you for choosing our tour.
Absolutely awesome! Incredible scenery, breathtaking beauty! Wonderful guide and driver provided information about the monasteries without overdoing it. Well organized tour, good communication emails with organizers on meeting point, dress code, etc
Thank you for your fantastic review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the incredible scenery and breathtaking beauty of Meteora. It’s wonderful to know that the guide and driver, along with our organization and communication, helped make your experience so enjoyable. We truly appreciate your kind words and are glad everything met your expectations. Thank you for traveling with us!
