# Meteora

Towers of sandstone and conglomerate beside Kalambaka with six Orthodox monasteries on their summits, founded from the 14th century onwards. Almost each one closes on a different day: plan around that. A World Heritage Site since 1988.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/greece/thessaly/meteora · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## Which monastery opens which day?

None is open every day, and almost each closes on a different one. Only on Saturday and Sunday are all six open at once. These are the timetables published by the local tourist office for 2026; the monks can change them without notice, especially during Orthodox Holy Week.

MonasterySummer (April – October)Winter (November – March)Closed

Great Meteoron9:30 – 15:009:30 – 15:00Tuesday; in winter, Tuesday to Thursday
Varlaam9:00 – 16:009:00 – 16:00Friday; in winter, Thursday and Friday
Roussanou9:00 – 16:309:00 – 14:00Wednesday
Holy Trinity10:00 – 16:0010:00 – 16:00Thursday
St Stephen9:00 – 13:30 and 15:30 – 17:309:00 – 13:00 and 15:30 – 17:00Monday
St Nicholas Anapafsas9:00 – 17:009:00 – 16:00Friday

Roussanou and St Stephen do not start the long summer timetable until 15 May. Between November and March, the Great Meteoron and Varlaam are only open on the same days from Saturday to Monday: if you go midweek, choose carefully.

## Admission and clothing

Admission costs €5 per monastery and is paid in cash at the door; don't count on cards. Under-12s don't pay.

There is a dress code and it is enforced. Women, skirt below the knee and shoulders covered; skirts to wrap around you are usually lent at the entrance, but not always. Men, long trousers. Nobody gets in wearing a vest top. Photos are usually not allowed in the churches and museums inside.

## How to get there from Athens and Thessaloniki

By plane from Spain. To Athens there are direct flights all year from Madrid (Aegean, Iberia, Sky Express), Barcelona (Aegean, Sky Express, Vueling) and Málaga (Aegean), and in season from Bilbao, Valencia, Seville, Alicante, Palma and Ibiza. To Thessaloniki, closer to Meteora, Aegean flies from Barcelona.

By car. From Athens it is about 340 km and 3 h 35 by motorway; from Thessaloniki, about 225 km and 2 h 15; from Ioannina, about 100 km and an hour and a half. Greek motorways are tolled: carry a card or cash for the booths.

By train. The train no longer reaches Kalambaka: the line from Palaiofarsalos has been closed since the 2023 storm and there is no reopening date. Hellenic Train sells a combined ticket: InterCity from Athens or Thessaloniki to Palaiofarsalos and its own bus on to Kalambaka, twice a day and about 2 h of bus. From Athens it is about 5 h 30 and about €28–31; from Thessaloniki, about €23–24, with a long wait at Palaiofarsalos. There is no ticket office at Palaiofarsalos or Kalambaka: buy beforehand on the website or app.

By bus. KTEL Trikala links Athens (Liosion station) and Thessaloniki with Trikala several times a day, and from Trikala a bus leaves every hour for Kalambaka, 45 minutes away. From Athens allow about 5 h in total.

## Kalambaka or Kastraki?

Kalambaka is the big village: bus station, more hotels and restaurants, better if you arrive without a car or are only sleeping one night. Kastraki is at the foot of the rocks, twenty minutes' walk from St Nicholas Anapafsas; it is quieter, the paths start from its streets and it has few beds, which fill up at weekends in season.

## Heat and season

In Trikala, 20 km away, average maximums are around 20 °C in April, 27 °C in May, 33 °C in June and July, 34.5 °C in August and 31 °C in September. Between June and August visit the monasteries from 9:00 to 12:00 and leave the afternoon for sunset. In winter maximums drop to 11–15 °C, it rains more, the monasteries close on more days (the Great Meteoron opens only four a week) and the Meteora Garden campsite closes; Camping Vrachos stays open.

## Dónde está
- Zonas: Film locations
- Cerca: Zagori (a 79.5 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Great Meteoron Monastery** (1 h 30 · With legs for stairs · Entry · €5 in cash; under-12s free): What it is and why it matters
The Great Meteoron is the largest and oldest of the six monasteries still inhabited. It was founded around 1356 by Saint Athanasios the Meteorite, a monk born in Ypati who had lived on Mount Athos, and dedicated to the Transfiguration. The second founder was Ioasaph, a Greek-Serbian prince who became a monk and built a first church in the second half of the 14th century; a piece of his wall is still embedded in the present church. It stands on the widest rock in the group, 613 m above sea level and more than 400 m above the Pineios valley. Its library once held 610 of the 1,124 codices catalogued in Meteora.
What you see inside

The katholikon, the main church, from the mid-16th century, with post-Byzantine frescoes of the same period. Photos are not allowed inside.
The museum, with codices, icons and liturgical objects.
The old kitchen of the monastery.
The ossuary, with the monks' skulls on shelves: it impresses some children.
The terraces, with a view of Varlaam and the other towers.

Allow an hour inside and another half hour for the climb and descent.
Opening hours and closing days
According to the hours published for 2026, it opens from 9:30 to 15:00. It closes on Tuesdays from April to October, and from November to March, Tuesday to Thursday: in winter it is open only Friday to Monday. The monastery's page on the same website gives a winter closing time of 14:00, so in those months arrive before one o'clock. The monks may change hours without notice, especially at religious festivals and Orthodox Easter.
Entry and clothing
Entry costs €5 per person and is paid in cash at the door. Under-12s do not pay. There is no advance sale or reservation.
The dress code is enforced. Women, skirt below the knee and shoulders covered; at the entrance they lend or sell skirts and scarves. Men, long trousers, no shorts above the knee. Nobody enters in a vest top. Animals are not admitted, except assistance dogs.
The climb
From the car park there are about 300 steps cut into the rock. They are steep but manageable with good footwear; in the heat they are heavy going, so climb first thing. It is not accessible by wheelchair or with a pushchair: for that there is Saint Stephen's.
Getting there and parking
You reach it by the road climbing from Kastraki to the monasteries. The car park is small and from May to October it fills between 10:00 and 14:00. Arrive at 9:15 and you will be at the door when it opens. Without a car, half-day tours from Kalambaka pick up at your accommodation; you can also walk up from Kastraki by the monks' footpaths.
With children
Children like the kitchen, the museum and, the older ones, the ossuary. The steps are steep: hold little ones by the hand and, with a baby, use a carrier.
Combine it
Varlaam is opposite, ten minutes away. If both happen to be open, do the Great Meteoron first, at 9:30, and Varlaam after. For lunch, go down to Kastraki, where Stefanos Tavern and the Taverna-Ouzeri Pappas are.
- **Varlaam Monastery** (1 h · Entry · €5 in cash; under-12s free): What it is and why it matters
Varlaam is the second-largest monastery in Meteora and stands directly opposite the Great Meteoron, about ten minutes' walk away. It owes its name to Varlaam, a hermit who settled on the rock in the 14th century and built a small chapel of the Three Hierarchs. The monastery as you see it was organised in the early 16th century by two monk brothers who came from Epirus, Nektarios and Theophanes Apsaras, who renovated that chapel in 1518.
What most catches the eye is the winch tower, of 1536. Through it people and supplies were hoisted in a net hung from a rope, until steps were cut into the rock in the 1920s. The tower survives and you see it on the visit.
What you see inside

The katholikon of All Saints, of 1541. Its frescoes are from 1548, by Frangos Katelanos, with a second phase of 1566, by Georgios and Frangos Kontaris. Photos are not allowed inside.
The refectory, which holds relics and objects from the monastery.
The old hospital, with the chapel of the Holy Unmercenaries, opposite the entrance.
The winch tower, by which everything was lifted until the 20th century.
The terraces, with a view of the Great Meteoron.

Allow an hour in all, with the climb.
Opening hours and closing days
According to the hours published for 2026, it is open 9:00 to 16:00 all year. It closes on Fridays from April to October, and on Thursdays and Fridays from November to March. The monks set the hours and they may change at religious festivals.
Note how the closures cross: the Great Meteoron closes on Tuesdays, and in winter Tuesday to Thursday. In winter, the two are open together only Saturday to Monday.
Entry and clothing
Entry costs €5 per person, in cash, at the door. Under-12s do not pay. There is no reservation.
Women, skirt below the knee and shoulders covered; skirts and scarves are lent at the entrance. Men, long trousers. No vest tops. Animals are not admitted, except assistance dogs.
The climb
From the road it is about 140 steps, half those of the Great Meteoron. You climb them in a few minutes. There is no step-free access: with a pushchair or wheelchair, go to Saint Stephen's.
Getting there and parking
By the monasteries road from Kastraki, at the junction to the Great Meteoron. The car park is small and from May to October it fills between 10:00 and 14:00; arrive before 9:00. On foot, from Kastraki, the M13 section of the path network descends from Varlaam to the old aqueduct in 1.35 km and 270 m of ascent: you can climb it in the morning and return the same way. We explain it in monks' footpaths.
With children
The winch tower, and the story of the net, is what they remember most. The climb is short and works for the little ones holding hands. The path section from Kastraki is steep: better from age 7 or 8.
Combine it
Do the Great Meteoron at 9:30 and cross to Varlaam after, or the other way round if it is Tuesday. In the afternoon, sunset over the rocks can be seen a little over a kilometre away, on the road to Roussanou.
- **Saint Stephen Monastery (Agios Stefanos)** (45 min · With a pushchair, with grandparents · Entry · €5 in cash; under-12s free): What it is and why it matters
Saint Stephen's is the only Meteora monastery you enter without stairs: a short bridge links it to the road. That is why it is the one that works with a pushchair, a wheelchair or someone who cannot climb steps. It looks out over the valley from a height of about 300 m, above Kalambaka, with the Pineios river and the Pindus mountains beyond.
Tradition says the ascetic Jeremias settled on the rock in 1191–1192, and monks lived here from the late 12th century. Construction began in the 14th century and was completed in the 16th, when the monk Philotheos renovated it thoroughly; in 1545 it came under the direct authority of the patriarch. It suffered damage in the Second World War and the Greek Civil War. Since 1961 a community of nuns has lived there.
What you see inside

The old katholikon, a small single-nave basilica from the 15th century, renovated in the 16th, with two phases of frescoes.
The new katholikon, from 1798, of Athonite type, dedicated to Saint Charalambos, whose relics it holds. It was painted by Vlasis Tsotsonis in the 1980s.
The museum, beside the old katholikon and the refectory.
The viewpoint, with the view over Kalambaka and the valley.

Photos are not allowed inside the churches. Allow 30 to 45 minutes.
Opening hours and closing days
It is the only one that closes at midday. According to the hours published for 2026:

Summer (April – October): 9:00 to 13:30 and 15:30 to 17:30. The full timetable starts on 15 May: before then, confirm it.
Winter (November – March): 9:00 to 13:00 and 15:30 to 17:00.
Closed on Mondays all year.

Since it is open later than the others, it is the monastery for the last visit of the day. Monastery phone: +30 24320 22279.
Entry and clothing
Entry costs €5 per person, in cash, at the door. Under-12s do not pay. There is no reservation.
Women, skirt below the knee and shoulders covered; skirts and scarves are lent at the entrance. Men, long trousers. No vest tops. It is a convent: speak quietly in the courtyard.
Getting there and parking
It is at the end of the monasteries road nearest Kalambaka, on the same side as the Holy Trinity. There is parking beside the entrance, but from May to October it fills between 10:00 and 14:00, like those of the Great Meteoron and Varlaam. Go first thing or from 15:30, when it reopens. More details on the car park page.
Without a car, Visit Meteora's afternoon tour goes into Saint Stephen's; we explain it in sunset over the rocks.
Accessibility, children and older visitors
You enter without stairs: it is the option with a pushchair, a wheelchair or anyone who cannot climb steps. Inside, ask at the entrance whether any corner has steps. With small children it is the most comfortable visit, and its short duration helps.
Combine it
Start here at 9:00 and cross to the Holy Trinity, which opens at 10:00. Or leave it for the afternoon, after lunch in Kalambaka, where Valia Calda and Meteoron Panorama are.
- **Monks' footpaths from Kastraki and Kalambaka** (3 h · 7 km · With mountain footwear · On your own · free): What they are
Before the road was opened, the monasteries were reached on foot, and many of those paths are still there. The Meteora Trails network has mapped them in fourteen sections, M1 to M14, which link up with one another. They are short, from a few hundred metres to 4.6 km, but very steep: they climb 100, 200 or almost 500 m in a short distance. They start from Kastraki and the old town of Kalambaka and reach the door of the monasteries.
The most useful sections

M8, Kastraki to Roussanou: leaves from Kastraki's old aqueduct and climbs 250 m in 1.72 km to Roussanou. It is the most direct from the village.
M13, Varlaam to Kastraki's old aqueduct: 1.35 km with 270 m of ascent. It is used to go down from Varlaam and the Great Meteoron to the village, or to climb up.
M6, Kalambaka to the Holy Trinity: leaves from the Byzantine church of Kalambaka and climbs 470 m in 2.22 km to the Holy Trinity. It is the hardest in the network.
M7, Holy Trinity to Kalambaka high school: 3.22 km and 365 m of ascent, to return to the village another way.
M1 and M2, Doupiani to Varlaam via Ypapanti: 2.43 km and then 1.36 km, through the north of Kastraki, beside the Doupiani rock and the Ypapanti monastery.

A half-day circular route
From Kastraki: climb by the M8 to Roussanou, continue along the road for a few minutes to the Great Meteoron and Varlaam and descend by the M13 to the aqueduct. It is a little over 3 km of path, 250 m of ascent and 270 m of descent, plus the road stretch. With a visit to two monasteries, allow a whole morning. Check beforehand which monasteries are open that day: the Great Meteoron closes on Tuesdays and Varlaam on Fridays.
Difficulty and signposting
There are no great distances, but the slopes are steep. You need mountain footwear with a good sole: not sandals. Some sections are poorly signposted and others pass beside drops. Download the maps and GPS files from the Meteora Trails website beforehand, or buy the 1:12,500 trail map from the publisher Terrain. In 2021, after some earthquakes, Meteora Trails warned of rockfalls from the towers: do not stop at the foot of the walls.
When to go
Spring and autumn are the best seasons. In July and August, in Trikala the average high exceeds 33 °C: walk from 7:00 to 10:00 and be back before midday. In rain, the rock and earth are slippery on the slopes: if it rains or a storm threatens, leave the paths and go by road.
Water, shade, children and dog
Do not count on springs or shops on the way: carry at least a litre of water per person, a hat and something to eat. With children, the M8 or M13 are manageable from about age 7, holding hands on the rock steps; the agencies set 7 as the minimum age for their walks. With a dog, bear in mind that animals are not admitted at the monasteries, except assistance dogs.
With a guide
If you prefer not to find the way, two Kalambaka agencies run guided walks with pick-up at your accommodation: Meteora Thrones, about 8 km in 4 hours with a monastery visit, and Visit Meteora, 7 km and 200 m of ascent in 5 hours, from the Doupiani rock. Monastery entry tickets are paid separately, in cash. For the afternoon walk to the hermit caves, see sunset over the rocks.
- **Sunset over the rocks, between the Great Meteoron and Roussanou** (1 h · Everyone · On your own · free): What you see
As the afternoon ends, the sun sets towards the south-west and the low light tints the sandstone and conglomerate towers orange. From the high lay-bys on the monasteries road you see at once Roussanou on its rock, Varlaam, the Great Meteoron and, below, Kastraki and the Thessaly plain. At that hour the monasteries have closed and what remains is the landscape.
Where to see it on your own
The spot we suggest is between the Great Meteoron and Roussanou. From the Great Meteoron car park, drive back 1.2 km towards Roussanou: after a tight right-hand bend there is a dirt lay-by with room for three or four cars and an open view to the south-west. If it is full, there are more wide spots along the road: park only where you will not obstruct, because it is narrow and winding.
Arrive half an hour before sunset. Check the sunset time for the day on a weather app: it changes a lot between summer and winter. After sunset, drive down with lights on and slowly: there are pedestrians and groups on the road.
It is free and no reservation is needed. There are no facilities: no toilets, water or bar.
With a tour from Kalambaka
If you do not have a car, or do not want to drive down the road at night, two Kalambaka agencies run afternoon outings with pick-up at your accommodation in Kalambaka or Kastraki:

Meteora Thrones: a tour of about 4 hours by minibus, from 16:00 depending on the season, passing the six monasteries, entering one and ending at a viewpoint at sunset. €30 per adult and €25 for ages 4 to 12; free under 4. Monastery entry tickets, €5, are paid separately.
Visit Meteora: a 4-hour outing with entry to Saint Stephen's, the Byzantine church of Kalambaka and the Badovas hermit caves, ending at a viewpoint. The time changes with the season; the booking states it.
Visit Meteora, on foot: a 3-hour, 4 km walk from Kastraki square, beside the geological museum, via the Holy Spirit chapel and the Saint George caves, to the top of the Agio Pnevma rock to watch the sunset. It is of medium difficulty, with a steep climb; from age 7, in groups of up to 12, March to October.

When to go
All year. In spring and autumn the light is cleaner and the temperature good. In July and August there are more people at the lay-bys, but sunset is the best time to be among the rocks, when the heat eases. In winter, with highs of 11 to 15 °C in the valley, bring a coat.
With children
It works for all ages if you go by car: you get out and look. The walk to Agio Pnevma is for children from age 7 used to walking. Watch small children at the lay-bys, which face the road and slopes.
Afterwards
Go down for dinner in Kastraki, at Stefanos Tavern or the Taverna-Ouzeri Pappas, or in Kalambaka, where Valia Calda and Meteoron Panorama are.
- **Roussanou Monastery** (45 min · Entry · €5 in cash; under-12s free): What it is and why it matters
Roussanou occupies the whole summit of a narrow rock, at 484 m above sea level, and is the monastery best seen from the road: the walls reach the edge and there is not a metre left free. The rock was already called Roussanou in the early 16th century, when two monks, Ioasaph and Maximos, settled on it and rebuilt the monastery, which was in ruins. In 1545 they rebuilt the katholikon.
In the 19th century it declined and came under Varlaam. It was restored in the 1980s and today is a convent of nuns.
What you see inside
The building has three floors clinging to the rock. On the ground floor are the katholikon, the reception room and cells; above, more cells and service rooms, which are not visited.

The katholikon, dedicated to the Transfiguration and also to Saint Barbara, of Athonite type, with a dome. Its frescoes are from 1560 and cover the walls. Photos are not allowed inside.
The courtyard and terraces, with a view of Kastraki, the Great Meteoron and Varlaam.

It is small: between the climb and the visit, allow 45 minutes.
Opening hours and closing days
According to the hours published for 2026:

Summer (April – October): 9:00 to 16:30; on Sunday, until 16:00. The long hours start on 15 May: before then, confirm.
Winter (November – March): 9:00 to 14:00; on Sunday, until 16:00.
Closed on Wednesdays all year.

The nuns may change it at religious festivals without notice.
Entry and clothing
Entry costs €5 per person, in cash, at the door. Under-12s do not pay. There is no reservation.
Women, skirt below the knee and shoulders covered; skirts are lent at the entrance. Men, long trousers. No vest tops. It is an inhabited convent: speak quietly in the courtyard.
The climb
From the road you go down and climb a stairway, about 140 steps, and cross two bridges built in 1930, which replaced a wooden one. They are short, but the last stretch is steep. It is not accessible with a pushchair or wheelchair.
Getting there and parking
By car. It is on the monasteries road, near the junction to the Great Meteoron. There are few spaces beside the access: read the car park page and arrive early.
On foot from Kastraki. The M8 section of the path network leaves from the village's old aqueduct and climbs to Roussanou in 1.72 km with 250 m of ascent. It is short and steep: wear mountain footwear and bring water. It is the way to arrive as the monks did. We explain it with the other sections in monks' footpaths.
With children
They like the bridges and the stairway, and the visit is short. The path from Kastraki is demanding for under-7s.
Combine it
If it is Tuesday and the Great Meteoron is closed, start here. A kilometre towards the Great Meteoron is the lay-by for sunset over the rocks.
- **Holy Trinity Monastery (Agia Triada)** (1 h · Entry · €5 in cash; under-12s free): What it is and why it matters
The Holy Trinity, Agia Triada in Greek, is the most isolated monastery in Meteora: it stands alone at the top of a rock tower, separated from the road by a ravine. Sources mention it as early as 1362, although tradition attributes its foundation to the monk Dometios in 1438. Its main church has an inscription dating it to 1475–1476. It is the monastery that appears in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only (1981).
The monastery of For Your Eyes Only
In the film, with Roger Moore, the Trinity is the abandoned monastery of Saint Cyril, at the top of the rock. The producers had permission from the Greek Ministry of Culture to film inside, but the monks objected and only the exterior was filmed; for the interiors a set was built on a nearby crag. Filming lasted months and many locals worked on it as stuntmen and technicians. What you recognise today is the rock tower and the monastery on top, seen from the road. Inside there is nothing from the film: it is still an inhabited monastery.
What you see inside

The katholikon, a cross-shaped church with a dome on two columns. Its frescoes were begun in 1741 and painted by two monks, Antonios and Nikolaos.
The narthex, wide and vaulted, built in 1689 and painted in 1692.
The chapel of Saint John the Baptist, a small rotunda cut into the rock, with frescoes of 1682. It held a treasure that the Germans took in the Second World War.
The garden and viewpoint, from where you see Kalambaka at your feet and the Pineios valley.

Photos are not allowed inside the churches. Allow an hour with the climb and descent.
Opening hours and closing days
According to the hours published for 2026, it is open 10:00 to 16:00 all year and closed on Thursdays. It opens an hour later than the others: if you are an early riser, start with Saint Stephen's, which is next door and opens at 9:00. Hours may change on religious holidays.
Entry and clothing
Entry costs €5 per person, in cash, at the door. Under-12s do not pay. There is no reservation.
Women, skirt below the knee and shoulders covered; skirts are lent at the entrance. Men, long trousers. No vest tops.
The climb
It is the hardest of the six. From the road you go down to the foot of the rock and climb again by a stairway cut into the stone. The stairway has about 145 steps; counting the descent from the road, Visit Meteora speaks of more than 300. There is also a lift, which is not for visitors. It is not accessible with a pushchair or wheelchair, and in the heat it is heavy going: go in the morning or late in the day.
Getting there and parking
By car. It is on the monasteries road, on the side facing Kalambaka, near Saint Stephen's. There are few spaces beside the access: read the car park page.
On foot from Kalambaka. The M6 section of the path network leaves from the Byzantine church of Kalambaka and climbs to the Trinity in 2.22 km with 470 m of ascent. It is the steepest in the network: set out early, with mountain footwear and at least a litre of water per person. You can return by the M7 section, 3.22 km, which descends towards the Kalambaka high school. We explain it in monks' footpaths.
With children and teenagers
Teenagers like knowing a James Bond film was shot here, and the climb is a small challenge. With small children, the stairway is long: consider whether it is worth it or whether you prefer Saint Stephen's, next door and without steps.
Combine it
Saint Stephen's is a few minutes by car, on the same side of the road. If you sleep in Kalambaka, the M6 path leaves from the village: you climb to the Trinity, continue along the road to Saint Stephen's and come down.
- **Saint Nicholas Anapafsas Monastery** (40 min · Entry · €5 in cash; under-12s free): What it is and why it matters
Saint Nicholas Anapafsas is the first monastery you meet when climbing from Kastraki by road, and one of the smallest. The rock is so narrow that a monastery would not fit sideways, so it was built upwards, in stacked storeys. The name probably comes from a 14th-century ascetic who lived on the rock. In the early 16th century it was rebuilt by Metropolitan Dionysios of Larissa and the monk Nikanor.
What makes it special is inside: the katholikon was painted in 1527 by Theophanes Strelitzas, the Cretan painter known as Theophanes the Cretan, one of the great figures of post-Byzantine painting.
What you see inside
The visit is a climb through the storeys:

Below, the chapel of Saint Anthony, from the 14th century, with remains of frescoes, and a crypt.
In the middle, the katholikon of Saint Nicholas, with Theophanes's frescoes of 1527. Photos are not allowed inside.
Above, the reception room, the ossuary and the chapel of Saint John the Baptist.

Allow about 40 minutes.
Opening hours and closing days
According to the hours published for 2026:

Summer (April – October): 9:00 to 17:00, without a break.
Winter (November – March): 9:00 to 16:00; on Sunday, 9:30 to 16:00.
Closed on Fridays all year.

Varlaam also closes on Fridays: leave both for another day. Hours may change on religious holidays.
Entry and clothing
Entry costs €5 per person, in cash, at the door. Under-12s do not pay. There is no reservation.
Women, skirt below the knee and shoulders covered; skirts are lent at the entrance. Men, long trousers. No vest tops.
The climb
From the road you climb a steep path of about 140 steps, and inside you keep climbing from storey to storey. It is not accessible with a pushchair or wheelchair.
Getting there and parking
By car. It is the first on the monasteries road from Kastraki. The car park, at the foot of the access, is also the meeting point for Visit Meteora's climbing outing, so first thing it coincides with groups. Read the car park page.
On foot. From Kastraki you can walk there in about twenty minutes. If you sleep in the village, at the Hotel Kastraki or the Camping Vrachos, you can go without a car and continue to Roussanou afterwards; we explain it in monks' footpaths.
With children
Climbing from storey to storey keeps them entertained, and the visit is short. The ossuary impresses some: warn them beforehand. With a baby, a carrier.
Combine it
Since it opens at 9:00 and closes at 17:00 in summer, it fits at the start or end of the day. A reasonable morning from Kastraki: Saint Nicholas at 9:00, Roussanou after, and the Great Meteoron before its car park fills. If you are interested in frescoes, this is the monastery you must not skip because it is small.
- **Climbing and scrambling on the Kastraki rocks** (3 h · Fit and with no fear of heights): What it is
The Meteora towers are sandstone and conglomerate: a rock made of cemented pebbles, formed in an ancient delta and uplifted millions of years ago. When climbing, you grip rounded stones embedded in the wall. Around Kastraki there are nearly 800 routes spread over about 15 sectors, at all levels, many traditional and multi-pitch, and some sport routes. The best-known rock is Doupiani, beside the village, which also has routes for beginners.
There are two ways to do it here: with a guide, if you have never climbed or have no gear, or on your own, if you already climb.
With a guide: scrambling or climbing
Visit Meteora, a Kalambaka agency, runs two outings:

Scramble and via ferrata to the Great Saint rock. About 3 hours, leaving at 8:30 from Mesochori, the old quarter of Kastraki. It is about 3 km and about 400 m of ascent to the summit of the Great Saint, the highest rock in Meteora, with scrambling sections, fixed ropes and carved steps. No experience is needed, but good fitness is. It includes an English-speaking mountain guide, harness, helmet and via ferrata equipment. From age 8, in groups of up to 12. Hotel pick-up is paid separately.
Rock climbing. About 3 hours, at 8:30, meeting at the Saint Nicholas Anapafsas car park. The guide chooses routes to suit your level, from beginners to experienced climbers, and teaches technique and safety. Groups of up to 4. It includes harness, helmet, ropes, belay devices and climbing shoes.

Neither publishes a price on its page: the booking calendar gives it. You can cancel free up to 24 hours before. If the weather is bad, the outing is changed or cancelled.
On your own
If you climb, bring your gear. There are two reference route guides: the Sport Climbing Guide Meteora & Theopetra by Vangelis Batsiou, a local climber, and Greece Sport Climbing: The Best Of, by Aris Theodoropoulos. Many routes are multi-pitch. For Doupiani, the approach is a short walk along the old monks' path, and people usually stay in the area of Camping Vrachos, in Kastraki. Bear in mind that in 2021, after some earthquakes, stones fell from some towers.
When to go
Spring and autumn are the season. In July and August the rock heats up and in Trikala the average high exceeds 33 °C: climb only first thing, which is why guided outings start at 8:30. In winter there are good days, but cold and rain; with wet rock, do not climb.
What to bring
For the guided outing: mountain footwear with a good sole or closed trainers (no sandals), sportswear, at least a litre of water per person, sun protection, sunglasses, a light waterproof and a small rucksack. The technical gear is provided by the agency.
With teenagers
The Great Saint scramble works well with teenagers: there is height, ropes and a summit, and you do not need to know how to climb. The minimum age is 8, although the agency says it depends on the child. It is not for anyone with a fear of heights.
Where to sleep and eat
Kastraki is the climbers' village: besides Camping Vrachos, there is the Hotel Kastraki. For dinner, Stefanos Tavern and the Taverna-Ouzeri Pappas are in the village.
- **Monasteries road and the Katara pass** (1 h · 20 km · Car and motorbike · On your own · free): What it is
It is the paved road that climbs from Kalambaka to Kastraki, winds among the rock towers, passes beside the six monasteries and descends again to Kalambaka on the other side. In all it is a circuit of about 20 km. It takes an hour without stopping, but nobody does it that way: with the viewpoints and one or two monasteries, it is half a day.
The route, step by step

Kalambaka – Kastraki. You leave Kalambaka heading north and in a few minutes you are in Kastraki, at the foot of the rocks.
Saint Nicholas Anapafsas. Past Kastraki, the first monastery is Saint Nicholas, small, in tiers on a narrow rock.
Roussanou. Higher up, Roussanou occupies a whole rock. Between the two, the lay-by for sunset over the rocks.
Great Meteoron and Varlaam. At the junction, a branch leads to the Great Meteoron and Varlaam, the two great ones, facing each other. It is a dead end: you return the same way.
Holy Trinity and Saint Stephen. From the junction, the road continues along the side facing Kalambaka to the Holy Trinity and Saint Stephen.
Descent to Kalambaka. From Saint Stephen's the road descends in bends to the village and closes the circle.

How to drive it
It is two-way and has many bends, and between the monasteries there are people walking and tour minibuses stopping at the viewpoints. Drive slowly and park only in wide spots. The monastery car parks are small and from May to October they fill between 10:00 and 14:00; read the car park page and start before 9:00.
On a motorbike it is a short ride; by bicycle it can be done, but the ramps are hard. Without a car, note that Visit Meteora says the KTEL bus no longer goes up to the monasteries: ask at the bus station, or walk up by the monks' footpaths.
Onwards: Metsovo and the Katara pass
If you have another day, continue west on national road 6, the old Trikala to Ioannina road. About 60 km from Kalambaka is Metsovo, already in Epirus. Before arriving, the road crosses the Katara pass, at about 1,705 m, one of the highest in Greece, about 5 km from Metsovo, on the boundary between Thessaly and Epirus. Since the Egnatia motorway runs through tunnels further south, few cars go over Katara.
In winter there may be snow on the pass. If you go between November and March, check the forecast before setting out; with snow, go to Metsovo by the motorway.
When to go
All year. In spring and autumn there is less traffic and better light. In summer, from 10:00 to 14:00 the car parks are full: drive it early or at the end of the afternoon. For Katara, better without snow, spring to autumn.
Petrol
There are several petrol stations on Kalambaka's main road and one in Kastraki; on the monasteries road there are none. If you continue to Metsovo over Katara, fill up first. More on the petrol stations page.

## Dónde comer
- **Meteoron Panorama** (Restaurant, Kalambaka, €€€). Qué pedir: The trahanas, the monk's salad and the black pork chops
- **Stefanos Tavern** (Restaurant, Kastraki, €€). Qué pedir: Moussaka, soutzoukakia or grilled lamb chops
- **Taverna-Ouzeri Pappas** (Bar, Kastraki, €). Qué pedir: Several small plates to share with a tsipouro
- **Valia Calda** (Restaurant, Kalambaka, €€). Qué pedir: Vlach cooking with wild herbs and mushrooms, river trout or lamb.
- **Rombos (Rompos)** (Bakery, Kalambaka, €). Qué pedir: Halva saponé, the typical Thessaly sweet the shop is known for

## By car: The most comfortable: car and two nights
With a car you see the six monasteries in two mornings, move around according to each one's closing day and reach the viewpoint just in time for sunset. From Athens it is about 340 km by toll motorway.
Presupuesto orientativo: 70–110 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **Alsos House** (Small hotel): Guesthouse on Kanari Street, in the old quarter of Kalambaka, ten minutes' walk from the centre and with its own parking. It has apartments for families.
- **Hotel Kastraki** (Hotel): On Kastraki's main street, with rooms facing the rocks and triples for travelling with a child. The paths to the monasteries start a few minutes away.
- **Grand Meteora Hotel** (Spa hotel): Spa hotel at the foot of the rocks, in Kastraki, 3 km from the centre of Kalambaka. It has a restaurant of traditional cooking and suites. Pets are not allowed.
### Servicios
- **Monasteries car park**: Small at each monastery · full from May to October between 10:00 and 14:00
- **Kalambaka and Kastraki petrol stations**: Several on Kalambaka's main road and one in Kastraki
- **Car hire**: Best at Athens or Thessaloniki airport · 2 h 15 to 3 h 35 to Kalambaka

## Car-free: It can be done without a car, with patience
The train has not reached Kalambaka since 2023, but the Hellenic Train combined ticket (train to Palaiofarsalos and bus) and KTEL buses via Trikala drop you in the village. There, the monasteries are reached on foot by the paths or by the local bus.
Presupuesto orientativo: 45–70 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **Camping Vrachos Kastraki** (Campsite, desde 33 € / pitch): Operating since 1965, 1 km from Kalambaka, with shade on all pitches, a restaurant, minimarket, and cookers and barbecues free to use. The KTEL bus stops at the entrance, so it works without a car too.
- **Meteora Central Hostel** (Hostel, desde 17.5 € / bed): Hostel with bunk beds in the centre of Kalambaka: you arrive by bus, drop your rucksack and set off on foot for the paths.
- **Alsos House** (Small hotel): Guesthouse on Kanari Street, in the old quarter of Kalambaka, ten minutes' walk from the centre and with its own parking. It has apartments for families.
### Servicios
- **KTEL bus station, Kalambaka**: Buses to Trikala · to Athens and Thessaloniki via Trikala · local bus to Kastraki and the monasteries
- **Kalambaka railway station**: No trains since 2023 · Hellenic Train bus from Palaiofarsalos · taxis

## Backpacking: Hostel, footpaths and €5 entry tickets
The monks' paths, the viewpoints and the village of Kastraki cost nothing. All you pay for are the entry tickets, in cash, and the bed.
Presupuesto orientativo: 30–45 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're backpacking
- **Camping Vrachos Kastraki** (Campsite, desde 33 € / pitch): Operating since 1965, 1 km from Kalambaka, with shade on all pitches, a restaurant, minimarket, and cookers and barbecues free to use. The KTEL bus stops at the entrance, so it works without a car too.
- **Meteora Central Hostel** (Hostel, desde 17.5 € / bed): Hostel with bunk beds in the centre of Kalambaka: you arrive by bus, drop your rucksack and set off on foot for the paths.
- **Holy Rock hostel at Meteora** (Hostel, desde 15.5 € / bed): Hostel with shared dormitories in the upper part of Kalambaka, on the side of Kastraki and the rocks.
### Servicios
- **KTEL bus station, Kalambaka**: Buses to Trikala · to Athens and Thessaloniki via Trikala · local bus to Kastraki and the monasteries
- **Kalambaka railway station**: No trains since 2023 · Hellenic Train bus from Palaiofarsalos · taxis

## By campervan: Two campsites at the foot of the rocks
The two Kastraki campsites accept motorhomes and are 1 km from Kalambaka. The monasteries road is narrow and the car parks small: go up early or leave the motorhome and walk up.
Presupuesto orientativo: 50–70 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir in a campervan
- **Camping Vrachos Kastraki** (Campsite, desde 33 € / pitch): Operating since 1965, 1 km from Kalambaka, with shade on all pitches, a restaurant, minimarket, and cookers and barbecues free to use. The KTEL bus stops at the entrance, so it works without a car too.
- **Camping Meteora Garden** (Campsite, desde 31 € / pitch): Beside the national road west of Kalambaka, at the foot of Kastraki, with a pool and pitches of 40 to 100 m². Closed from mid-October to March.
### Servicios
- **Monasteries car park**: Small at each monastery · full from May to October between 10:00 and 14:00
- **Kalambaka and Kastraki petrol stations**: Several on Kalambaka's main road and one in Kastraki

## Camping: Tent with views of the towers
Kastraki has two campsites with a pool and shade, at the foot of the paths climbing to Roussanou and Varlaam. Outside them, sleep at the campsites: the rocks are protected monastic space, and from May to October lighting fires is prohibited throughout Greece.
Presupuesto orientativo: 30–45 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're camping
- **Camping Vrachos Kastraki** (Campsite, desde 33 € / pitch): Operating since 1965, 1 km from Kalambaka, with shade on all pitches, a restaurant, minimarket, and cookers and barbecues free to use. The KTEL bus stops at the entrance, so it works without a car too.
- **Camping Meteora Garden** (Campsite, desde 31 € / pitch): Beside the national road west of Kalambaka, at the foot of Kastraki, with a pool and pitches of 40 to 100 m². Closed from mid-October to March.
### Servicios
- **KTEL bus station, Kalambaka**: Buses to Trikala · to Athens and Thessaloniki via Trikala · local bus to Kastraki and the monasteries

## By plane: Fly to Athens or Thessaloniki and Drive to Kalambaka
Meteora lies between the two big airports of Greece. There are direct flights to Athens all year from Madrid, Barcelona and Malaga; to Thessaloniki, closer, Aegean flies from Barcelona. From Thessaloniki it is about 2 h 15 by car to Kalambaka and from Athens about 3 h 35. Without a car, you travel by train to Palaiofarsalos and on the Hellenic Train bus to Kalambaka.
### Dónde dormir if you're flying
- **Meteora Central Hostel** (Hostel, desde 17.5 € / bed): Hostel with bunk beds in the centre of Kalambaka: you arrive by bus, drop your rucksack and set off on foot for the paths.
- **Holy Rock hostel at Meteora** (Hostel, desde 15.5 € / bed): Hostel with shared dormitories in the upper part of Kalambaka, on the side of Kastraki and the rocks.
- **Alsos House** (Small hotel): Guesthouse on Kanari Street, in the old quarter of Kalambaka, ten minutes' walk from the centre and with its own parking. It has apartments for families.
- **Hotel Kastraki** (Hotel): On Kastraki's main street, with rooms facing the rocks and triples for travelling with a child. The paths to the monasteries start a few minutes away.
- **Grand Meteora Hotel** (Spa hotel): Spa hotel at the foot of the rocks, in Kastraki, 3 km from the centre of Kalambaka. It has a restaurant of traditional cooking and suites. Pets are not allowed.
### Servicios
- **KTEL bus station, Kalambaka**: Buses to Trikala · to Athens and Thessaloniki via Trikala · local bus to Kastraki and the monasteries
- **Car hire**: Best at Athens or Thessaloniki airport · 2 h 15 to 3 h 35 to Kalambaka

## As a family: Two or three monasteries a day, not six

With children, Meteora works in short mornings: one monastery with stairs, one easy one and the afternoon free for the campsite pool and sunset. Saint Stephen's is the only one without steps; the rest have stairs, slopes and viewpoints without much protection.

### What works best
Saint Stephen's: you enter by a bridge, no steps, with a pushchair

Great Meteoron and Varlaam in the same morning, ten minutes apart

Sunset from the viewpoint, without walking: you get there by car

### Where to sleep
Kastraki campsites with a pool

Triple rooms and apartments in Kastraki and the old quarter of Kalambaka

### Eating
Kastraki tavernas with stews and grills, open at midday and in the evening

Sweets from the Rombos pastry shop for the climb

### Keep in mind
At the Great Meteoron and the Holy Trinity, a baby carrier: the pushchair does not get through

From June to August temperatures exceed 32 °C: visit from 9:00 to 12:00 and come back

Watch little ones at the viewpoints and rock edges

Under-12s do not pay entry, according to local agencies

### Qué hacer as a family
- Great Meteoron Monastery
- Varlaam Monastery
- Saint Stephen Monastery (Agios Stefanos)
- Monks' footpaths from Kastraki and Kalambaka
- Sunset over the rocks, between the Great Meteoron and Roussanou
- Roussanou Monastery

## With teenagers: Climb on foot what others drive up

For a teenager, the charm of Meteora is not in the icons but in reaching the monasteries by the monks' paths, scrambling with a harness or watching sunset from a rock.

### What works best
The guided scramble with harness and helmet, from age 8

The footpaths from Kastraki and Kalambaka: the climb to the Holy Trinity is 470 m of ascent

Sunset from the viewpoint or on the guided walk to the hermit caves

### Where to sleep
Campsite in Kastraki, with a pool

Hostel in Kalambaka, if they travel with friends

### Eating
Small plates to share at the ouzeri in Kastraki

Grills at the Kastraki tavernas

### Keep in mind
The dress code applies to them too: long trousers and shoulders covered

Some paths are poorly signposted and end at drops: better with a map or guide

In the churches and museums of the monasteries photos and video are usually forbidden

### Qué hacer with teenagers
- Great Meteoron Monastery
- Varlaam Monastery
- Monks' footpaths from Kastraki and Kalambaka
- Sunset over the rocks, between the Great Meteoron and Roussanou
- Holy Trinity Monastery (Agia Triada)
- Climbing and scrambling on the Kastraki rocks

## Consejos

### Start with the Great Meteoron and Varlaam
They are ten minutes from each other and are the first to fill the car park. At nine there is room.

### Carry cash
Six monasteries come to €30 per person, in notes and coins.

### Dress to get in, not for the photo
Long trousers and a T-shirt that covers your shoulders, even when it's hot. Women, a long skirt in the rucksack.

### Walk up at least once
The path from Kastraki to Roussanou is 1.7 km. You arrive the way the monks did.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### Which day are all six open?
Saturday and Sunday, in summer and in winter, according to the timetables published for 2026. Midweek there is always one closed.

### How much does it cost to enter the monasteries?
€5 per person and monastery, in cash. Under-12s don't pay.

### Is there a direct train from Athens to Kalambaka?
No. The line has been closed since 2023 and Hellenic Train covers it with a bus from Palaiofarsalos, twice a day.

### Which monastery can be visited without steps?
St Stephen: you enter over a bridge from the road. It is the one that works with a pushchair or with older people.

### Can you see all six monasteries in one day?
At weekends they are all open, but they close between 15:00 and 17:00 and there are queues. A reasonable pace is three per morning, over two days.

### Can you go without a car?
Yes. Kalambaka has buses to Trikala every hour and a local bus to the monasteries, and the paths start from Kastraki and Kalambaka.

### What clothes do I need?
A skirt below the knee for women, long trousers for men and shoulders covered for everyone.