Meteora, with its incredible towering rock formations and stunning monasteries perched atop, is a UNESCO World Heritage site that I considered to be one of the most beautiful places to watch the sunset in the world and it is my favorite place to visit in Greece, even more so than the Greek islands.
The rock formations here are believed to have formed millions of years ago, and the monasteries themselves were constructed by monks seeking refuge from invaders and seeking a spiritual retreat somewhere around the 14th Century.
At its height, there were more than 20 monasteries in the Meteora region. Today, there are only six surviving monasteries remaining that you can explore.
Within this travel guide, we are going to explore some of these monasteries as well as the best viewpoints to visit, while providing you with all the information you need to make this trip happen. Without further ado, here is a complete guide to Meteora. Let's get packing!
- Meteora Itinerary Map
- Where to Stay in Meteora ?
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8 Best Things to Do in Meteora
- Visit The Holy Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary
- Check Out the Monastery of the Holy Trinity
- Admire the City View From the Monastery Viewpoint
- Get Inside the Monastery of St. Stephan
- Check Out The Great Meteoron Holy Monastery
- Be Blown Away By the View of Rock Formations at the Monastery of Varlaam
- Have a Sweeping 180° View of Meteora Rock Formation at this viewpoint
- Witness the Best Sunset In Your Life at the Sunset Viewpoint
- More Meteora Activities
- When to Visit Meteora?
- How Long to Spend in Meteora?
- How to Get to Meteora?
- How to Get Around Meteora?
- Meteora Tickets, Costs, and Discounts
- What to Pack for Meteora?
- Further Reading for Greece
Meteora Itinerary Map
8 Best Things to Do in Meteora
1. Visit The Holy Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary
Before we start exploring the beautiful rock formation of Meteora, we first have to explore the town we are staying overnight in and see what Kalabaka has to offer.
Located in the highest and oldest part of Kalabaka, the Holy Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary was built sometime between the 4th and 5th centuries and is considered to be the oldest still-standing building in town.
While the church may be old, most of the exterior you see today was renovated during the Byzantine era, and many of the features you see today date back to around the 11th Century, hence why it features Byzantine wall paintings and a paleochristian pulpit inside.
- The Holy Rock - Hostel at meteora (Budget)
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- Hotel Doupiani House (High-End)
- Athens: Meteora Monasteries & Caves Day Trip & Lunch Option (14 hours) 🏅 Top Pick
- From Athens: Full-Day Meteora Tour with Greek Lunch (15 hours)
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The church is rich in history and you can see just how old the place is from all the imperfections of the frescoes and decors of the church you will find inside which give the church its unique charm.
Not many people know about this church as most tourists will go straight up to the rock formation and call it a day so if you decided to rent an e-bike, be sure to drop by here before we proceed to explore Meteora.
The church is open every day from 08:30 AM to 1 PM and from 3 PM to 8 PM so be sure to plan your visit carefully. The entrance fee is 3 EUR per person.
Where to Stay in Meteora (Kalabaka)?
2. Check Out the Monastery of the Holy Trinity
It is time to explore some of the monasteries perched atop the beautiful rock formation of Meteora, starting with the Monastery of the Holy Trinity from the eastern side of the loop. The Eastern Orthodox monastery was constructed in the 14th Century and is situated at the top of a rocky precipice over 400 meters high and forms part of the 6 remaining active monasteries in Meteora.
Inside the monastery, you will find a beautifully renovated church with the typical colorful eastern orthodox frescoes covering the entire interior and a quiet courtyard offering an incredible view over Kalabaka and the surroundings.
To reach the temple, you are going to have to hike down from the trailhead, along its cobblestone walking path for about 10 minutes, and then you have to climb the stairs up to the monastery. It is a good place to visit if you are looking to do something active here. The monastery is open from 9 AM to 5 PM every day except on Thursdays and the entrance fee is 3 EUR per person.
3. Admire the City View From the Monastery Viewpoint
After you are done at the Monastery of the Holy Trinity, do not forget to walk a little bit on the road and check out this Monastery Viewpoint where you will be able to see the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in its entirety.
From this viewpoint, you will also be able to see some of the beautiful rock formations Meteora is known for as well as Kalabaka and its mountainous surroundings in the background. Fun fact, one of the James Bond movies (For Your Eyes Only) was filmed at this monastery.
If you waited there, long enough, you will also see how the people here resupply the monastery without having to climb, using only a rope and a metal basket-like contraption. Very cool!
Tours & Tickets You Might Like
Looking to save some costs on your travel? Why not join a shared group tour? Here are some activities you might be interested in:
4. Get Inside the Monastery of St. Stephan
As you continue east, you will find the Monastery of St. Stephan, a monastery perched atop a rock that is believed to have been built between the 16th - 18th century AD and you can access the church easily by a connecting footbridge.
The monastery consists of a museum, a beautiful courtyard, and a garden with an incredible view of the surroundings, and hands down the best part of the monastery, the colorful frescoes inside.
This is the most accessible monastery out of all the 6 remaining monasteries in Meteora and it is likely one of the most popular ones out here so expect to find a lot of tourists inside.
Since it is still an active monastery, be sure to stay quiet as you go inside the chapel and dress appropriately. Shorts and tank tops are fine but make sure it is not too short.
The monastery is open from 9 AM to 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM every day except on Mondays so please plan your visit carefully. The entrance fee is 3 EUR per person.
5. Check Out The Great Meteoron Holy Monastery
The Great Meteoron Holy Monastery is considered to be the biggest and oldest monasteries out of the 6 remaining monasteries in Meteora and it is a must-visit if you want to see how the monks lived on these rock formations for centuries.
The monastery was founded in the 14th century by Saint Athanasios the Meteorite who is celebrated as the first founder of the monastery that kicked off the systematic monasticism of the whole region of Meteora, hence why it is the biggest out of all.
Inside, you will find a museum containing religious icons and historical codices on display while the main monastery boasts incredibly well-decorated 16th-century colorful frescoes. It is probably the most lavishly decorated monastery out here which is to be expected given how important the monastery is to the region.
Since the monastery is the highest out of all the 6 monasteries here, you will have a pretty incredible view over the entire area from the parking lot although, the better view of Meteora for photos is actually at the lower monastery which we will discuss next.
6. Be Blown Away By the View of Rock Formations at the Monastery of Varlaam
Another monastery I highly recommend you visit is the Monastery of Varlaam, a mid-14th Century monastery located atop another rock featuring a chapel with beautiful frescos and a museum just like the Monastery of St. Stephan.
Although, the inside is alright, what I really love about this place is the view it offers from the viewpoint nearby. Just off the road heading towards the monastery, you will find a parking space at a collection of rocks perching off the cliff.
At these rocks, due to how high it is, you will have an incredible vantage point over the entire Meteora rock formation as well as the monasteries you have just visited, set against the formidable cliffs surrounding it.
In the evening, as the sun lowered itself towards the horizon, the towering rock formations and the ancient monasteries perched atop them are bathed in warm golden light, creating a breathtaking shade of rocks that gives them depth, perfect for photography.
Do not come to this viewpoint during sunset as you will not see much of it since the viewpoint is facing south. We have a better sunset spot for you in the next part of this guide.
Come to this viewpoint about an hour before sunset which should give you ample time to take photos of Meteora when the light is best before we head over to the sunset spot.
7. Have a Sweeping 180° View of Meteora Rock Formation at this viewpoint
As you move towards the sunset viewpoint, be sure to stop by Meteora's Sweeping 180° Viewpoint located along the road for a few snaps before sunset.
At this viewpoint, you will be able to have a sweeping 180° view of Meteora with the rock formations aligned symmetrically around the valley that leads to Kalabaka and the surrounding mountains in the background, which makes for a great photo opportunity.
Snap a few quick pictures here before continuing east toward our last stop of the day, one of the most beautiful sunset spots in the region.
8. Witness the Best Sunset In Your Life at the Sunset Viewpoint
Since this Sunset Viewpoint is considered to be the most popular spot in the area, expect to see a lot of people waiting to crowd the whole area during the golden hour.
Even though the area may be crowded, it is still spacious enough for you to find a place to sit and admire the gorgeous sunset without having to push through a crowd. However, if you want the prime spot, I strongly suggest arriving at least 30 minutes before sunset to secure an excellent vantage point.
For the best spot, go as close to the cliff as you can and stay there until sunset. That way, there won't be any people in front of you if you choose to take photos of yourself and the view during the golden hour.
Sit, relax, and experience the best sunset you will ever have in your life before heading back down to Kalabaka. Since it will get dark pretty fast and you will be sharing the road with many cars, be sure to make your way back down before it is completely dark.
When to Visit Meteora?
The best time to visit Meteora is between late April to early September when the weather is nice and warm, perfect for outdoor activities while also increasing the chance of clear days which is a must for Meteora as it is one of the best places to watch the sunset in the world.
In order to make the best out of Meteora, you are going to have to spend at least a night here and start exploring the rock formation at around 3 - 4 PM so that you will be at the sunset viewpoint in time for the golden hours. This is when Meteora is the most magical in my opinion so be sure to plan your visit accordingly.
How Long to Spend in Meteora?
If you travel from Athens or Thessaloniki early in the day, you should have enough time to explore the rock formation around Meteora that same evening. If that is the case, staying in Meteora for one night is more than enough.
If you want to explore Meteora thoroughly at your own leisure and you want to visit all 6 monasteries atop the rock formation, I highly recommend you stay 2 nights and dedicated an entire day to doing that.
Either way, as long as you are able to experience the sunset in Meteora, you can stay as short or as long as you want here depending on your schedule.
How to Get to Meteora?
The closest cities to Meteora are Athens and Thessaloniki and you can easily find a flight to both of these places without problems.
From the US, there are plenty of direct flights flying from places like New York and Atlanta via Emirates and Delta Airlines. The whole journey should take about 9 hours.
From Europe, there are a ton of low-cost flights from Wizz and Ryanair flying to both Athens and Thessaloniki from different European cities and the price can be as low as 40 EUR.
From Asia, you can fly to Athens directly from cities like Tokyo and Singapore via JAL and Singapore Airlines respectively or you can fly via middle eastern airlines transiting through cities like Dubai which is more often than not, cheaper than direct flights.
To find a cheap flight to Athens/Thessaloniki, I would recommend you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest route and schedule so you can compare and pick the best one.
How to get from Athens/Thessaloniki to Meteora?
Since the closest town to Meteora is Kalabaka, you are going to have to get there from either Athens or Thessaloniki. Here are ways you can travel to Kalabaka:
From Athens, you can take a metro straight from the airport to Athens Train Station and from there, you can catch the 7:52 direct train to Kalabaka or train the other 4 trains running between 9:22 AM to 3:22 PM that transit through Palaeofarsalos. The whole journey should take about 5 hours and cost 36 EUR per person.
From Thessaloniki, you can take the X1 bus from the airport for 2 EUR to get to Thessaloniki Train Station, and from there, you can catch one of the 6 trains running between 8:05 AM to 5:40 PM that transit through Palaeofarsalos. The journey should take about 3 - 4 hours and cost 27 EUR.
You can book the train ticket online from the train's official website. On there, be sure to type in KALAMBAKA as a destination instead of Kalabaka because, I believe, that is the actual way of pronouncing the name. Once you paid for the ticket, you will get a PDF of the ticket in your email and you just have to show the conductor the QR code on the PDF and that is it.
How to Get Around Meteora?
By E-Bike: One of the best ways to get around Meteora is to rent an e-bike and ride around the rock formation. You will be able to stop and take photos anywhere you like, whenever you like, and you can stay as long as you like.
Since the road is mountainous and can get quite steep, I highly recommend you go for an e-bike instead of a regular bike as the motorized paddle will assist you in going uphill without feeling like you are biking going uphill which makes it so much easier. I'm not a biker and I can do the whole loop easily without a problem.
The best place to rent an e-bike is from Meteora E-Bike Shop which has a ton of bikes you can choose from. They will also provide you with a map, and a suggested itinerary, and will teach you how to operate the bike. The e-bike costs around 20 EUR for 4 hours or 25 EUR for an entire day.
They also offer an organized e-bike tour you can join where the owner will ride with you as he explains each attraction with passion. I highly recommend them.
By tours: If you do not want to ride a bike, you can also go on organized sunset tours that will take you around the rock formation and visit some of the monasteries up there with a local guide.
This is very convenient but you will not have the freedom to stop and take photos wherever you like which is a shame as there are a ton of photo opportunities here. If you don't mind biking, I recommend you go for the e-bike option above instead but if you just want to enjoy the place without having to bike yourself, this is the way to go.
By Walking: Some mad lads have walked from Kalabaka to these monasteries before but I do not recommend it as the walk can take over 2 hours one way to reach the highest monastery and with the summer heat in Greece, you are not going to have a great time doing it. Go with an e-bike instead and you are going to have more time to explore all the viewpoints up there.
Meteora Tickets, Costs, and Discounts
The best part about Meteora is that entering the rock formation area, you do not have to pay anything. The things that you have to pay are the entrance fees to the monastery and the mode of transportation you chose.
For an e-bike option, you can expect to pay at least 20 EUR while if you go with an organized bus tour, it will be around 35 EUR per person.
For the entrance fees of these monasteries, you can expect to pay around 3 EUR each so depending on how many monasteries you plan to go in, you can expect to pay 0 - 18 EUR for entrance fees.
In total, you can expect to pay around 26 EUR for this itinerary including a 4-hour e-bike rental, and 3 entrance fees to the monasteries and that is it.
What to Pack for Meteora?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Meteora, Greece:
- Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
- Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
- Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
- Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
- Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
- Swim Suits: A swim trunk is a must-pack item if you are planning to visit Meteora, Greece in the summer, just in case there is a body of water you can jump in.
- Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
- Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
- Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
- Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
- Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
- Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
- Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Greece
I hope you found this Greece travel guide useful. If you want to read more about Greece, here is a selection of articles you might like:
- For a complete itinerary of Greece, check out: 2 Weeks Backpacking Greece Itinerary.
- Most journeys in Greece begin in Athens. For a complete travel guide to the capital city of Greece, check out: 13 Best Things to Do in Athens.
- Here is a complete 3 days itinerary for Athens: 3 Days In Athens: An Itinerary For First Timers.
- One of the best day trips you can make from Athens is to visit Delphi, an ancient Greek sanctuary that was considered to be the center of the world by the ancient Greeks. To visit this historical site, check out our Complete Guide to Backpacking Delphi.
- Have 3 days but want to see the Greek Islands? Check out this itinerary: 3 Days Backpacking Greek Islands Itinerary.
- Looking for things to do in Thessaloniki? Check out: 16 Best Things To Do In Thessaloniki.
- Want to explore the Greek Islands but not sure where to base yourself? Naxos is the best island for that. Here are the 10 Best Things To Do In Naxos.
- Santorini, despite the crowd, is a place you have to see once in your life. If you plan to visit Santorini, the best place to base yourself is Fira, the capital of the island. For a complete travel guide, check out 10 Best Things To Do In Fira, Santorini.
- Renowned for its picturesque streets and crystal-clear water, Mykonos is another great island to visit in Greece. Here are the 8 Best Things to do in Mykonos.
- One of the most interesting islands in the Cyclades that you shouldn't miss is Delos, home to stunning ruins of an ancient Greek city of Commerce. Want to visit Delos? Check out the Ultimate Guide to Backpacking Delos.
- Want to visit Santorini but not sure where to begin? Check out our 3-Day Backpacking Santorini Itinerary.
- Not convinced by my words? Here are 125 photos that will inspire you to visit Europe.
- To see all the articles about Greece, visit the Greece Travel Guide page.
- Traveling in Europe can be cheap, really cheap. These are the 12 Cheap European Countries to Visit.
- Looking for more travel guides for Europe? You can find more on my Europe Travel Guide page.
- Or if you want something more specific to the region, visit our Southern Europe Travel Guide, Western Europe Travel Guide, or Central Europe Travel Guide pages.
- For more of my travel guides like this, visit my Destinations page.
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