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Meteora

Monasteries on the rocks of Thessaly

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Best time to visit: Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct
Currency: EUR
Time zone: UTC+2
Country: Greece

Photo: Berthold Werner, CC BY-SA 3.0

Meteora is a UNESCO World Heritage complex of Eastern Orthodox monasteries perched on towering rock pillars above the towns of Kalambaka and Kastraki in Thessaly, Greece. Visitors come to see the six active monasteries, hike the trails between the rocks, and take in one of Greece's most dramatic landscapes.

Largest cities

Athens
Thessaloniki
Patras
Heraklion
Larissa

Quick facts

Figures are rounded recent official estimates.

Country: Greece
Capital: Athens
Region population: 21,000
Population of Greece: 10.5M
Country area: 131,957 km²
Official language
Currency: Euro (EUR) · 1 USD ≈ 0.8952 EUR
Time zone: UTC+2
Calling code: +30
Drives on the: Right
Elevation: 393 m
Plugs: C / F · 230V
Emergency numbers: 112 · 166 · 100 · 199
Best time to visit: Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct

Temperatures through the year

Average daily high and low for each month in °C. Months marked with a drop are often rainy.

Temperatures through the year

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High	10°	11°	14°	18°	23°	29°	33°	32°	26°	20°	15°	11°
Low	1°	1°	3°	7°	11°	17°	20°	19°	15°	10°	6°	3°

Best time to visitOther months

Approximate daily cost

Per adult per day: food, local transport and half a double room, without activities or flights.

ConservativeSimple stays, free and low-cost sights first.$51
HighComfortable hotels, a balanced mix of sights and trips.$108
LuxuryLuxury hotels, more paid experiences and day trips.$230

Plan a trip to Meteora

Top things to do

≈ $5
Great Meteoron Monastery
The oldest and largest monastery, with its Transfiguration church, museum and wide views over the plain; climb the hundreds of steps early before tour groups arrive.
- Half day
- Great Meteoron and Varlaam area
- Good for kids
- Indoors
- Closed: Tuesday
≈ $5
Varlaam Monastery
The second-largest monastery, reached by a stairway and ladders on the north side, with a museum of relics and ecclesiastical treasures.
- Half day
- Great Meteoron and Varlaam area
- Good for kids
- Indoors
- Closed: Friday
≈ $5
Roussanou Monastery
A convent on a central rock with frescoes from around 1540 and clear views of the neighbouring monasteries; access is by a short stairway from the parking area.
- Half day
- Roussanou and St. Nicholas area
- Good for kids
- Indoors
- Closed: Wednesday
≈ $5
St. Nicholas Anapafsas Monastery
The smallest monastery and the first one reached from Kastraki, with 14th-century frescoes on its upper floor; a ten-minute uphill walk from the village.
- Half day
- Roussanou and St. Nicholas area
- Good for kids
- Indoors
- Closed: Friday
≈ $5
Holy Trinity Monastery
A 15th-century monastery on a dramatic isolated rock, reached by a steep stepped path; a fifteen-minute walk from St. Stephen.
- Half day
- Holy Trinity and St. Stephen area
- Indoors
≈ $5
St. Stephen Monastery
A working convent on a plateau-like rock and the easiest monastery to reach, with a small museum in the old refectory; it closes for two hours in the early afternoon.
- Half day
- Holy Trinity and St. Stephen area
- Good for kids
- Indoors
Free
Meteora hiking trail
Walk the old paths between the rock pillars and connect the monasteries on foot; the full circuit takes a day, so carry water and start early in summer.
- Full day
- Kastraki
≈ $4
Theopetra Cave
A prehistoric cave about 4 km from Kalambaka with evidence of human presence going back 50,000 years, including the oldest known built stone wall; check opening hours before going.
- Half day
- Kalambaka
- Good for kids
- Indoors

Before you go

Entry and visas

Greece is in the Schengen area, so many visitors from the Gulf, India, Spain and Latin America can enter visa-free for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, while others need a Schengen visa applied for in advance; check your nationality's rules before booking. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is being introduced, and travellers may need to register fingerprints and a photo at the border, with no fee. Always confirm current requirements with the Greek embassy or consulate and the official EU travel site.

Official website

From the airport

The nearest major airports are Athens (ATH) and Thessaloniki (SKG); from Athens the drive takes about 4 hours, and buses run roughly every two hours from Athens's Liosion KTEL station to Kalambaka in about 5 hours, sometimes with a change at Trikala. Kalambaka also has a train station, and taxis wait there to take visitors up to the monasteries.

Getting around

A local Kalambaka–Meteora bus (about €2 one way, €5.50 for an all-day ticket) runs a few times a day to Kastraki and the six monasteries, while taxis, rental cars and guided tours are the other common ways to move between the sites.

Local tips

Men must wear trousers covering the knees; women must wear a skirt or sarong (not trousers) with shoulders covered — loan skirts are available at the entrances but are not washed between users.
Each monastery charges about €5 entry, so budget around €30 to visit all six, and carry cash since card facilities are limited.
Each monastery closes one day a week in summer and more often in winter, with staggered closure days, so check schedules before planning a route.
Summer brings intense heat and heavy crowds; visit early in the morning, carry at least two litres of water, and expect snow and cold in winter.