L
Great Meteora sunset rour
Great tour. Loved the guide, Jim
Meteora Sunset with Monastery & Hermit Caves Tour in Small Group
+46 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 4 hours
- Price from
- $40 / person
- Location
- Meteora
- Rating
- 4.9 / 5 · 729 reviews
- Languages
- DE, RU, KO, PT
- Group
- Small group, up to 18
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Hotel pickup
- Available
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Visit Meteora
Description
Experience the awe-inspiring beauty of Meteora at its most magical hour on our Meteora Sunset Tour. Join us as we explore the breathtaking rock formations and monasteries that have made this UNESCO World Heritage site famous. Join our Meteora Sunset Tour for a mesmerizing adventure! Explore stunning rock formations and ancient monasteries. Visit Saint Stephen Monastery and the Byzantine Church of Virgin Mary. Discover the secrets of Hidden Monasteries and Hermit Caves. discover the fascinating stories of the hermits and monks who once lived in these remote areas. You'll have the chance to witness the remnants of their dwellings and gain a deeper understanding of their way of life. Enjoy the breathtaking sunset over Meteora. Book now for an unforgettable experience!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meteora
Meteora is an area that covers few square kilometers, where an ancient monastic community and a rare geological phenomenon of huge rock pillars coexist in absolute harmony. Located at the northwest tip of the plain of Thessaly, Meteora today has become one of the most popular destinations of mainland Greece. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an archeological site and an officially declared holy place! At the foothills of the rocks, there are 2 settlements, the town of Kalabaka and the village of Kastraki.
Byzantine Church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary
It is a must-see church, not only for its age and precious 11th century Byzantine frescoes, but also because of the construction material of its walls. Relics of an ancient Greek temple dedicated to God Apollo have been embedded in the wall. In its interior one can also pay attention to the older mosaic floor that is revealed in specific spots beneath the current floor. This is definitely one of the most precious early Christian basilicas around Greece and even now days serves as an active church for the locals.
Agios Stefanos
This is the most accessible monastery, where instead of steps you simply cross a small bridge to reach the entrance. It is ideal for visitors who cannot use the steps and yet they wish to have a real experience of a Meteora monastery. The beginning of monastic life on the rock of Agios Stephanos dates back to early in the 12th century. Hosios Antonios, in the first half of the 15th century, and Hosios Philotheos, who renovated or rather rebuilt from its foundations the old small and elegant Catholicon, the present church of Agios Stephanos, in 1545 are mentioned as its founders.
Great Meteoron Monastery
The Great Meteoron Monastery is the biggest and oldest one of all. It was called the monastery that was “suspended in the air” (meteoro), because of the formation of the gigantic rock on top of which it was built. The Great Meteoro Monastery was founded by Saint Athanasios the Meteorite who was the first founder of the monastery and the organizer of the systematic koenovion. For this reason, the foundation of this monastery is considered to be a turning point, or even better, the beginning of the organized monastisicm in Holy Meteora.
Holy Trinity Monastery
Roussanou Monastery
The Holy Monastery of Roussanou has received the name of the first probable hermit who settled on the rock. The main cathedral was founded at the end of the 16th century and was decorated thirty years later. Compared to other rocks where monasteries were built, the one of Roussanou has a lower elevation, which makes it more accessible. The monastery was initially founded by monks and it suffered severe damage during World War II. It became a convent in 1988.
Varlaam Monastery
The Holy Monastery of Varlaam is the second biggest monastery. It is located opposite of the Great Meteoro Monastery and it was founded in the mid 14th century by the exercitant Hosios Varlaam. 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. The main church was decorated in 1548. Based on stylistic criteria, this magnificent wall-painting is attributed to the famous hagiographer from Thebes, Frago Catelano.
What's included
Included
Audio guide:Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Korean, Chinese, Japanese
Visit The hidden Hermit Caves
Visit Inside the Byzantine Church of Virgin Mary
Bottled water
Visit Inside the Monastery Saint Stephen
Hotel pickup and drop-off to/from Kalambaka or Kastraki
Not included
Food and drinks
Gratuities
State licensed guide inside the monastery
Meteora
Pickup Locations & Times
We offer pick up and drop off from all the hotels and AirBNBs that are located at Kalambaka and Kastraki village.
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.9
729 reviews
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Saint Steven Monastery is closed on Mondays. Due to this fact, on this day of the week Saint Nicholaos Monastery or Roussanou Monastery will be visited
- The monasteries have a strict dress code: men must wear trousers and long sleeves, women must wear a long skirt. If you do turn up in shorts, trousers and skirts will be provided.
- Tour is available in English only! Additional languages are available with a smart audio guide app
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does this tour take?
Meteora Sunset with Monastery & Hermit Caves Tour in Small Group lasts about 4 hours. The itinerary has 7 stops.
How much does this tour cost?
Prices start at $40 per person for this Meteora experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel this tour for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup is offered. We offer pick up and drop off from all the hotels and AirBNBs that are located at Kalambaka and Kastraki village. Pickup points include Hotel France.
What languages is this tour offered in?
The experience is available in DE, RU, KO, PT, JA, EN, EN, ZH-CN, IT, PL, FR, ES.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 18 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap Specialized infant seats are available
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is this tour worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.9 out of 5 across 729 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Visit Meteora.
Reviews(729)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
S
Great fun
Great fun and good value - we saw places that would usually be missed off the beaten track . The scenery was wonderful
S
Beautiful and Safe.
Very well organized. Trained and certainly empathetic staff. Really good driver. Highly recommended.
A
Amazing!
We had an incredible half-day tour of Meteora to watch the sunset, and it was truly unforgettable! Our guide, Chris, was fantastic — very knowledgeable and explained everything so well, making the experience even more special. Our driver, Theo, was also wonderful: very careful, friendly, and professional. They took us to some absolutely breathtaking spots, and the whole experience was amazing from start to finish. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Meteora! Cheers from Portugal! 🇵🇹
Operator response
Thank you so much for your wonderful review and greetings to Portugal! We’re delighted that you had such an unforgettable sunset experience in Meteora. Thank you especially for your kind words about Chris and Theo — we’ll be very happy to share your comments with them. It’s great to hear that the viewpoints, stories and overall experience made the tour so special. Thank you for choosing Visit Meteora and for your recommendation!
L
Great tour to take
Great guide, he explained many things to us. The sites where we stopped are magnificent. I really had a very good afternoon
Operator response
Merci beaucoup pour votre excellent commentaire ! Nous sommes ravis que vous ayez apprécié votre guide, ses explications et les magnifiques sites visités pendant notre tour au coucher du soleil. C’est un plaisir de savoir que vous avez passé un si bel après-midi à découvrir les Météores. Merci encore d’avoir partagé votre expérience, et nous espérons avoir le plaisir de vous accueillir à nouveau lors d’une prochaine visite !
E
Nice...I recommend the tour
Tour was great. It avoid hurdle of organising all visits, heat, car parking. Our guide was great and provided extensive explanations, he was friendly and very knowlegeable. Only one remark, the tour name was "sunset" and we missed the proper sunset, I.e. see the sun disapearing... because of clouds...so sun disappeared early. But we could have arrived earlier if we did not spent 30 mn in the mini market....so my advice, arrive early for sunset ...I had to go by myself onthe next day to see the sunset....
Operator response
Thank you very much for your detailed review and recommendation. We’re delighted that you enjoyed the tour and especially appreciated your guide’s knowledge, explanations and friendly approach. We are sorry, however, that you did not get to experience the sunset as expected. Of course, cloud cover is beyond our control and can sometimes hide the sun earlier than anticipated, but the 30-minute stop you mentioned is certainly longer than it should have been. Our Sunset Tour is designed to reach the final viewpoint with enough time for guests to enjoy the scenery and sunset without feeling rushed. We have already addressed this with our team and are reviewing the timing of this stop so that unnecessary delays are avoided. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Your feedback is genuinely useful in helping us improve the experience, and we’re glad you were able to return the following evening and finally enjoy the Meteora sunset!
L
So unforgettable!!
Unforgettable afternoon, Meteora Sunset Tour. Towering monasteries perched high on ancient rock pillars, fascinating history, hidden viewpoints, and an awesome sunset. A huge thank you to our fantastic guide, Chris, whose knowledge, humour and passion brought Meteora to life. If you're visiting this incredible UNESCO World Heritage Site, I can't recommend this tour highly enough. Truly one of the highlights of our time in Greece! 🌅🇬🇷 P.S. 💯 ask for Chris.
Operator response
Thank you so much for this wonderful review! We are delighted that the sunset, hidden viewpoints and history of Meteora made the afternoon so unforgettable. Chris will be especially happy to hear your kind words about his knowledge, humour and passion. Thank you for your enthusiastic recommendation. We are honoured to have been one of the highlights of your time in Greece!
V
One of the most fascinating and informative tours ever
The booking correspondence with Ioanna was excellent, answering my emails promptly and adjusting the tour to our needs. We were met in Thessaloniki by a very comfortable bus and very pleasant driver Maki’s.The guide Apostolis, who joined us in Meteora was one of the best we have every had. He was very professional, extremely knowledgeable with a good sense of humour; he made our experience memorable. Meteora itself was fascinating and memorable, nothing could ever compare to it. We would highly recommend this tour and company without hesitation.
Operator response
Thank you for your exceptional review and recommendation! We’re delighted that Ioanna’s assistance, Makis’ comfortable transfer, and Apostolis’ knowledge, professionalism, and sense of humour made your experience so memorable. We’ll be very happy to share your kind words with the entire team. It was a pleasure welcoming you to Meteora!
B
Beautiful tour but hot day
We enjoyed this “small” tour, a bus of approximately 25 people. Great tour guide, friendly. Beautiful views, wonderful stops. Great history and information. It was tough though because it was so hot. We brought our own water but it was quickly depleted and the bus provides just 1 bottle each. There was a stop in town before heading back up to the sunset view. So you can load up again. The other thing is that in order to see the hermit caves you must have proper shoes for walking up and down rocky pathways that include steep inclines. I have a daughter with dyspraxia and this was really hard for her. She had to turn around. Older couples were also struggling and still other members of the group just turned back. And given the heat, it was probably the part of the tour that wore everyone out.
Operator response
Thank you for your thoughtful review. We are pleased that you enjoyed the beautiful views, historical information, stops, and the friendly service provided by our guide. We are sorry that the extreme heat made parts of the tour uncomfortable. One complimentary bottle of water is provided per guest, and the stop in town offers an opportunity to purchase additional drinks, but we understand that more water may be needed during particularly hot days. The walk toward the hermit caves includes uneven, rocky ground and some steep sections, so it may not be suitable for every guest. Participation in this part is optional, and guests can wait safely if they prefer not to continue. We appreciate your comments, as they help us communicate the physical requirements of the tour more clearly.
1
Sunset tour in a small group from Kalambaka with Chris (the best!!)
I pre-booked my sunset tour from Kalambaka via booking dot com but also pooped into the office to check few things and the lady there was so nice and helpful. On the day, they were so busy that a small group was created for the 6 of us with Chris (the best tour guide of all!!!) and we had a great time with him. He's shown us hidden places, he knew the answer to every question we had. And he is a great driver and a awesome person! But all the people I met (and I have met quite a few other guys who work there) were so accommodating and nice! I'd highly recommend this trip and company for anyone (couples / solo travellers) and from anywhere (Kalambaka, Thessaloniki, Athens) and their website is full of useful info about the monasteries and hiking routes (that's how I planned my stay + solo hikes and in 3 days, I visited all the monestaries) if you are planning to book a trip, look no further: choose the best!
Operator response
Dear Traveler, Thank you so much for your wonderful review and for choosing our Meteora Sunset Tour. We are delighted to hear that you had such a great experience, both at our office and during the tour. Your kind words about Chris mean a lot, and we will be very happy to share them with him. He will be thrilled to know that his knowledge, driving, and friendly approach helped make your visit so special. We are also glad that our website helped you plan your stay and solo hikes around Meteora. It is wonderful to hear that you managed to visit all the monasteries during your time here. Thank you again for your trust and recommendation. We hope to welcome you back to Meteora one day for another experience. Warm regards, The Visit Meteora Team
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from$40
4.9(729) Free cancellation