By rail
Kalambaka station, ~4.5 h from Athens
Europe · Greece
Meteora, Greece
Monasteries on top of rock pillars
Getting there
By air
Athens (ATH), ~4 h by road
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October — mild
Don't miss
Great Meteoron
Varlaam
Roussanou
The Holy Trinity Monastery
Things to do
Visiting the monasteries
The sunset viewpoints
Rock climbing
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Stathis floros · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Modest clothing (long skirts for women are required inside), walking shoes
A quieter corner
The old monks' footpaths between the monasteries
Questions travellers ask
Is there a dress code for the Meteora monasteries?
Yes. Wear modest clothing — long skirts for women are required inside — and walking shoes.
How do I get to Meteora from Athens?
Athens (ATH) is about 4 hours away by road. By rail, Kalambaka station is about 4.5 hours from Athens.
Which monasteries can I visit at Meteora?
Great Meteoron, Varlaam, Roussanou and the Holy Trinity Monastery. Walk the old monks' footpaths between them, catch the sunset viewpoints, or try rock climbing.
When is the best season for Meteora?
April to June or September to October, when it's mild. For meals, head to Kalambaka's tavernas.
About Meteora
- Mountains
Where it is
Meteora is a group of towering sandstone and conglomerate rock pillars between the town of Kalabaka and the village of Kastraki, at the north-western edge of the Plain of Thessaly in central Greece, near the Pindus mountains.
History
Hermit monks lived in the caves of Meteora from as early as the 11th century, and in the 14th century Athanasios, a monk from Mount Athos, founded the Great Meteoron on the Broad Rock. In all, 24 monasteries were built on the pillars, mainly from the late 14th century; six survive today, and Meteora became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.
People
Greek Orthodox monks still live in several of the six surviving monasteries, and St Stephen has been a convent of nuns since 1961. In Kalabaka and Kastraki below, people farm, run guesthouses and guide climbers and hikers among the pillars.
Known for
- The Great Meteoron and Varlaam monasteries
- Byzantine frescoes and icons
- Sunset views over the rock pillars
- Rock climbing
- Hiking the old monks' paths
Did you know?
Until the 1920s the monasteries could be reached only by removable ladders or by being hauled up in nets on ropes; steps were then cut into the rock.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.