Meteora Monasteries & Caves DayTrip from Athens with Greek Lunch
Description
Visit Meteora from Athens for an amazing experience on this full-day tour. Travel by our air-conditioned coach-bus from Athens and see all 6 Monasteries on this Panoramic tour with a Live Local, expert in the area, Tour Leader. Relax in comfort aboard your Bus with WIFI as you take in the spectacular views. You'll have plenty of time to stop for wonderful pictures and enter 3 of the most popular monasteries before your return to Athens. See also the Hermit Caves and many secrets points that only locals know. You can also choose to include a traditional lunch in a Local restaurant with a beautiful view of Meteora. Free Smart audio guide available in the following languages: English | Spanish | French | Italian | Deutsch | Portuguese | Polish | Russian | Japanese | Korean | Chinese
Tour Options
Itinerary
Depart from Athens at 8:00am to Kalabaka with our coach-bus and admire the beautiful Greek landscapes during your trip. Shortstop midway to Meteora. Arriving in Kalabaka around 12:30 , our highly educated Tour Leader will be waiting for you. MARIA or CLEMENT , who are the top rated guides in Greece (read reviews) , will give you full attention and care. We will do a shortstop for food for 30 min to relax from the trip. Choose one dish and a Greek salad from our 10 flavors (vegetarian plate also available). We've reserved the best local restaurant , fully air-conditioned. You can choose to include lunch in the package during your booking. Continue with an amazing 4 hours Meteora tour, see all 6 monasteries and visit inside the 3 most popular of them. Plenty of photo opportunity stops and secret places that only locals know will make your tour a lifetime experience. Finally, will be transferred back to Kalabaka to travel back for Athens. You will arrive in Athens around 22:30.
During your journey from Athens to Meteora, you will enjoy the stunning Greek landscape, with views of the central Greek coastline visible to your right. Midway through your trip from Athens to Meteora , you will have a short stop to refresh at an exclusive , top-rated bus-stop restaurant by the beautiful seashore , by the water called “Kamena Vourla. Just across you will see the island of Evia on a clear look.
See the picturesque village of Kastraki under the rocks of Meteora. Kastraki is a charming village nestled between the dramatic rocks of Meteora, just a short distance from Kalampaka. With its traditional stone houses and quiet atmosphere, it offers an authentic Greek mountain village experience. It's an ideal starting point for hiking trails leading to the monasteries. Surrounded by stunning natural beauty, Kastraki feels both peaceful and timeless.
Visit Great Meteoron , the biggest and oldest monastery of Meteora. The Great Meteoron Monastery founded in the 14th century by Saint Athanasios. Inside, visitors can explore historic chapels, impressive frescoes, and a small museum. Its hilltop location also offers stunning views of the surrounding rock formations and valleys.
Admire the monastery of Varlaam , the second largest in Meteora, known for its rich history and beautiful setting. Built in the 16th century, it features striking frescoes, a remarkable wooden barrel, and a peaceful courtyard. The climb is rewarded with sweeping views and a deep sense of serenity.
See the hermitage of Badovas and the secret hermit caves. The Hermit Caves of Meteora offer a glimpse into the earliest monastic life, where ascetics lived in solitude high up in the cliffs. Carved into the rock, these simple shelters reflect a deep devotion and spiritual discipline. Nearby, the Monastery of Saint Nicholas Badovas is built into the side of a cliff and blends naturally with its surroundings. It’s a peaceful and lesser-known spot that tells the story of Meteora’s humble beginnings.
Admire St Stephen (Agios Stefanos) Nunnery the most accessible in Meteora, connected by a small bridge instead of stairs. Originally built in the 14th century, it is now home to a vibrant community of nuns. Inside, visitors can admire beautiful frescoes and a serene chapel. Its location offers stunning views over the valley and the town of Kalambaka.
Holy Trinity Monastery is one of the most iconic in Meteora, dramatically perched on a steep cliff. Dating back to the 15th century, it offers a unique blend of isolation and beauty. The journey up includes a scenic path and stairs carved into the rock. From the top, the panoramic views are truly unforgettable.tery of Holy Trinity
Rousanou Monastery is one of the most picturesque in Meteora, built on a narrow rock pillar in the 16th century. It stands out for its beautiful frescoes and well-preserved architecture. Now home to a community of nuns, it offers a peaceful and welcoming atmosphere. The views from its balconies are simply stunning.
Admire St Nicholas (Agios Nikolaos) Monastery. Saint Nicholas Anapaphsas Monastery is the smallest in Meteora, uniquely built on a narrow rock with limited space. Founded in the 14th century, it features impressive frescoes by the renowned painter Theophanis Strelitzas. Despite its size, the monastery holds rich spiritual and artistic value. Its compact setting offers a peaceful and intimate experience.
See the city under the rocks and learn the amazing history. Kalambaka is the gateway town to Meteora, nestled at the foot of the towering rock formations. It blends traditional charm with modern comforts, offering cozy tavernas, shops, and local hospitality.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Departure place: Athens Train Station (Larissis Station) be there at least 15 min before the departure of the bus at 08:00 am exactly
- There will be a sign “METEORA THRONES – TRAVEL CENTER” on the window and the side of the bus , waiting outside the train station on the road across the street from the train station.
- Supplier is not responsible if you miss the bus please be there on time
- Your guide will be waiting for you upon your arrival at Kalabaka Bus stop
- Appropriate clothing for everyone is required to enter the monasteries. For ladies skirts by the knee or longer are required. No pants for ladies, no shorts, no sleeveless shirt. For men sleeveless clothing and shorts over the knee are prohibited.
- Please make sure you have cash for the monasteries 5 euro each entrance. There is no ATM machine in the area.
- Lunch: The lunch includes a main dish, an atomic salad, bread & water. Vegetarian and vegan options are also available.
- Tour is guided in English or Spanish with Live Local Guide.
- Smart audio guide available in the following languages: English | French | Italian | Dutch | Spanish | Portuguese | Polish | Russian | Japanese | Korean | Chinese
- Climbing Steps to Monastery Tops: Please be aware that reaching the top of the monasteries involves climbing steps. There are no elevators available, so please consider this if you have any mobility concerns.
Reviews(1,015)
The trip was well plannned starting with the pick up and all the way till return, including. Nadia, the tour guide, is to be rated more than five stars. She was (and sure still is :)) professional, client attentive, clear english speaker, provider of well resumed and extremely comprehensive information. Length of visits for the monasteries was right enough. The admission fees - fair enough. We had little to wait for one monastery to visit. For the others two we didn’t had to stay in line. Congrats!
Incredible to see how these Monks and Nuns lived on top of high peaks. There spiritual dedication and way of life is inspiring. You won’t forget this place !!
This trip was an amazing experience and should be in the bucket list of every traveller to Greece. The guide was the best part of this trip which made the experience very enjoyable.
Our guide Maria was excellent- as was our driver. Both did everything in their power to ensure our comfort and safety-Maria’s knowledge and experience is a real bonus - Wear comfortable non slip shoes - if you are not comfortable with stairs make sure at least, that St Stephen’s is open
Lots of stairs, but worth every step. Women should wear skirts and cover their shoulders. No shorts for men.
The bus ride of 4 hours each way is a little daunting, but Meteora itself is awe inspiring. There was no commentary at all during the 8 hrs there and back. When we arrived in Kalambaka, we picked up our guide Clement who was lovely and informative. We walked up at least 700 steps, definitely got the cardio today! I don’t remember it being quite as difficult 30+ years ago. Food was cafeteria style, got us in and out. Bathroom stops were clean and ok.
Well organized. Tour guide and driver was great. Place was worth spending the whole day. Food at stops was just about ok but for us that was not the focus of the trip.
The monasteries are one-of-a-kind wonders perched on top of the mountains. Our guide Clement brought a lot of knowledge, energy, and enthusiasm to the tour. Things to be aware of: There are a good amount of stairs and steep uphill walks to get up to most of the monasteries that you visit. It can be strenuous especially when it is hot. The bus ride was ~4-4.5 hours each way, so you spend about 8-9 hours on a bus for a 4 hour tour (still worth it). My only real complaint was the WIFI on the bus was slow and would cut out a lot.
Meteora monasteries: caves, monks, cats, wine. Solo female traveler in June and felt safe and well taken care of. Rarely is there an opportunity to see such unique monasteries build high on cave induced mountaintops. Our beautiful young local tour guide Maria made the whole trip with her energy humor knowledge and enthusiasm, She was the tour guide everyone else wished they had. There are hundreds of stone steps to climb. The churches inside are small and packed with ordained chandeliers, frescoes, candles, little hidden window in the walls to peer out overlooking thousand on feet down the cliffs! Heart pounding landscape. Be careful with the lunch. The tour title says it comes with lunch, but you have to scroll down and select the lunch option. I did not do this but Maria went above and beyond to make sure I got lunch and salad. It’s a cafeteria style highway bus stop but food was good and true traditional Greek tasting. There is comfortable, shady outdoor seating with friendly kitties looking for pets and snacks. Plenty of free bathroom breaks on this tour. Lots of cement stairs to climb. If you’re afraid of heights-be prepared. I actually saw the head Monk at one of the monasteries. He had long black robes and a cell phone. Definitely buy the white wine from the nuns- you won’t get another opportunity and drove 8 hours to get there plus hundreds of years in the making. It’s only 12 euros and very good perfect balances of dry citrus with rich oak barrel finish. Unfortunately I know of people who didn’t see Meteora because it’s too long of a drive from Athens. If you get to Athens don’t miss this opportunity of a lifetime to sit back relax on the bus and let Viator safely take you to heights you deserve to experience.
Absolutely worth every mile to get there and every climb up stairs to the monasteries. Clement was such a wonderful tour guide, 100% recommend!
