From Athens: Full-Day Meteora Tour with Greek Lunch

based on 28 reviews

Duration:14 hours (approx.)
Location: Athens, Greece

From $111.88

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Discover one of the world’s most popular UNESCO sites on this Athens to Meteora day trip. Explore ancient monasteries, enjoy panoramic views and taste a delicious traditional Greek lunch.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

WHAT TO EXPECT

1. Athens
Embark on an extraordinary day trip from Athens to the Unesco World Heritage Site of Meteora. Explore centuries-old monasteries, enjoy breathtaking panoramic views and uncover hidden gems of Meteora that most travelers won't know about. Your journey starts as you board our private, air-conditioned bus at 07:45 AM, conveniently departing from the area opposite the Central Railway Station of Athens (Stathmos Larisis). Sit back and enjoy a scenic bus ride through the enchanting countryside, offering picturesque glimpses of mainland Greece.
2. Meteora
By noon, you'll arrive at Meteora, where your friendly local tour guide will await you. Board our comfortable and luxurious minibus and prepare for an unforgettable adventure through this natural wonder called Meteora. During this guided tour, you'll be able to see all the majestic monasteries of Meteora and even step inside three of them to explore their captivating interiors. Also, discover the hidden treasures of Meteora, including the ancient hermit caves, the Chapel of Doupiani, and the magnificent St. George Mandilas cave. Uncover the 'secret' side of Meteora, learning about why hermits chose to settle in these imposing caves a thousand years ago and the remarkable achievements of the monks. And of course, during our multiple panoramic stops don't forget to capture breathtaking moments with your camera for lasting memories.
3. Saint Nicholas Monastery
The Monastery of Saint Nicholas of Anapafsas is literally suspended in air on a small rock and is the first monastery that we meet on our way from Kastraki village to the stone forest of Holy Meteora.
4. Roussanou Monastery
The Roussanou Monastery, also known as Arsani, stands on top of an impressive vertical and steep cliff of Meteora, between the Monasteries of Saint Nicholas Anapafsas and Varlaam.
5. Great Meteoron Monastery
The Monastery of Great Meteoron or Transfiguration of Christ, expresses the greatness and history of the Holy Meteora, as it is the oldest and most important monastery.
6. Varlaam Monastery
The Varlaam Monastery or Monastery of All the Saints is located on an imposing rock exactly opposite of the Great Meteoron and it is the second largest monastery of Meteora.
7. Holy Trinity Monastery (Agia Triada)
The Monastery of the Holy Trinity is the third oldest monastery in Meteora and is the most difficult to reach, since visitors should cross a downhill path and then ascend 145 steps carved into the rock. It is said that the first hermits used a rope ladder and a net to build it and they spent 70 years to carry the all the materials needed.
8. Agios Stefanos
The Monastery of Saint Stephen’s (Agios Stefanos) is located just above the city of Kalambaka and is the most accessible monastery in Meteora, as there are no steps to reach the entrance and the access is easy through a small stone bridge.
9. Kalambaka
Last but not least, discover the charming small town of Kalambaka located in the foothills of Meteora and enjoy a delightful, traditional Greek lunch at a local restaurant (exclusive to this tour). Your meal will include a fresh salad, a choice of main dish (with multiple options to cater to your preferences), freshly baked bread, and refreshing water. Vegetarian and vegan options are also available.
10. Athens
Come evening, we'll set off on our journey back to Athens, and you can expect to arrive there at approximately 10:15 PM.

ADDITIONAL INFO

CANCELLATION POLICY

Posted By : 540herbertm
Nce tour with good tour guide. Due to closure of railway, trip by bus; well organised; even flat tyre quickly repaired
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-11-12 09:17:24

Posted By : Maarten_V
Magnificent location!

Change from train to bus (because of floods) was extremely well handled, as was the overall booking. The guide - Maria - was knowledgeable and bubbly: the perfect person for this sort of thing!

Lunch was typical tourist fare.

Long, long day but managed to visit three monasteries and see the others, with plenty of time for all.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-11-12 08:10:10

Posted By : robertopP9240KB
Wonderful place, incredible and unique landscapes, very good travel agency and guide, but the bus journey is tiring
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-11-03 08:50:22

Posted By : basits2014
Outstanding experience. Trains were suspended when we went but operator provided buses instead and that was good enough (train would have been nicer). However meteora plus the lunch plus the sights? Otherworldly! Absolute must see if you get the time. Some real LOTR/GOT vibes with the scenery. Be prepared for some light exercise as you tour tge monasteries and climb steps. But absolutely worth it. Tour operators were so friendly and helpful. Highly recommended
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-10-25 02:22:57

Posted By : Jory_B
The train isn't operating so we took a very small runner van. EVERY seat was filled including the 4 side by side backseat, which 4 adults should not have to suffer through for 4.5 hours each way. Luckily they transferred us to a newer (yet same sized) van once we got to Meteora, and then we finally met our tour guide who was very nice, and that part of the trip was okay.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-10-20 17:16:27

Posted By : GuylaineGardner
Everything was amazing and our guide excellent ! We enjoyed it very much ! The Météores are a placé to go
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-10-02 12:42:52

Posted By : Pascale_F
*Maria was a good guide. I just wished she stayed with us in the tour and not just shared stories on the bus from Kalambaka.
*We had to take the bus and not the train due to the wildfires and heavy rains that ruined the train tracks. That was comfier in a way but longer. 8 hours on the bus in total from Athens was exhausting.
*The monastery visits were cut short multiple times because the each of the 3 has a different schedule so we were really rushing through the visits.
*I recommend you stay in Meteora for a day or two and maybe hike a bit because the landscape is magnificent and the tour itself is too short, removing the 8 hour ride.
*I took the "with lunch" selection. The restaurant food was not bad, not great though. Maybe go without the lunch option as you will be eating at the same restaurant anyway.
*They were very communicative with me before the tour, explaining why we are taking the bus and not the train etc...

Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-09-26 03:03:32

Posted By : Rodney_L
Initially booked as a train ride. The train was unavailable due to floods in the area. When I contacted the tour operator they patiently answered all my questions. They provided a bus as an alternative means of travel. The trip was a couple of hours longer. It was a comfortable bus with a good driver with a stop along the way. At the starting point a bit of confusion till the bus driver looked up our names as to which one we rode on.
In Kalabaka we were met by our tour guides and sorted into which tours we belonged. Due to a misunderstanding on our part our meal was not covered by the tour. We talked to Marie our tour guide and we were refunded our portion by the end of the tour. Great service provided.
Our tour guide Marie was very knowledge and very informative about the monasteries.
It was such a blessing to visit them. Be Prepared for moderate to strenuous exercise.
I wouldn"t hesitate to take this tour or any other from this tour company. The monasteries are amazing and I would recommend anyone to take this tour.
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-09-21 14:38:57

Posted By : NiHSchr
The tour itself was great and we saw 3 out of 6 monasteries from the inside. The guide and bus driver were also amazing. This is a good option for a day trip from Athens but in hindsight, staying for 1 night in Meteora would have been better given that the long train rides from and to Athens were quite exhausting. However, if, like us, you could only spare a day, go for this tour!
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-08-25 20:25:51

Posted By : BoardingPass555037
Excellent guide and company. Highly recommended. The guide Maria was very friendly and knowledgeable. She took all the effort to make us satisfied and memorable journey
Rating : full ratings
Posted On : 2023-08-24 08:56:57