Meteora, Greece: how to spend a day on the rocks
The monasteries and the days they close. The trains and the tickets. The small things that make the day work. Figures with their sources and dates.
Tuesday 3 November. Five of the six monasteries are open; Great Meteoron is closed.
€5 per monastery, cash at the door? · shoulders covered, skirts for women, trousers for men; wraps are lent at every gate. Winter timetable, November to March. In winter (November to March) the Great Meteoron closes Tuesday to Thursday and for the whole of February; Varlaam adds Thursday on one timetable. Confirm the week you travel. Opening days, explained →
- Great Meteoron?closed today
- Varlaamclosed Fri
- Rousanouclosed Wed
- St Nicholas Anapausas?closed Fri
- Holy Trinityclosed Thu
- St Stephenclosed Mon
Weather on the rocks
?Readings 09:15 today, Athens time · forecast for Kalabaka · source: Open-MeteoSix monasteries, one town, one village, one sunset
The six inhabited monasteries above Kalabaka and Kastraki. The town and the village at their feet. Free viewpoints on the loop road for sunset.
Monastery · closed TuesdaysGreat Meteoron
The biggest and highest of the six monasteries. It has the longest stair. Varlaam is next to it. Choose Varlaam if you want fewer steps.
Monastery · closed FridaysVarlaam
Next door to the Great Meteoron, with fewer steps. It closes on Fridays in summer. If you plan to enter both monasteries, choose a day when both are open.
Nunnery · closed WednesdaysRousanou
The nunnery reached by a short bridge. It closes on Wednesdays in summer. The sunset viewpoints lie on the loop road between Rousanou and St Stephen.
Monastery · closed FridaysSt Nicholas Anapausas
The first rock on the road from Kastraki. The steps are steep. Closed on Fridays on the timetables we track. Some sources list it as open every day. A Friday visit may find the gate open.
Monastery · closed ThursdaysHoly Trinity
The loneliest pillar, with the most steps. There is a path down to Kalabaka. Choose it if you want to walk back to town after your visit.
Nunnery · closed MondaysSt Stephen
A nunnery reached by a bridge from the road. There are no steps. Choose it if you want to avoid a stair climb. It closes on Mondays.
TownKalabaka
The town at the foot of the rocks has the railway and bus stations. Most hotels are here. The 11th-century church of the Dormition has a marble pulpit.
VillageKastraki
The village under the pillars, half an hour on foot from Kalabaka. The old monks’ paths lead up to St Nicholas and the Great Meteoron.
ViewpointsThe sunset rocks
The viewpoints on the loop road between Rousanou and St Stephen. They are free. The vans arrive together an hour before sunset. Stay overnight if you want to see sunset before travelling back to Athens.
Tours, compared by what decides the day
8 selections, one per kind of trip: day trips from Athens, half days, sunset, the old paths, private cars. Each compares the tours by exact option. See which monasteries you go inside and how long you spend at each. Check who pays the ticket at the door.
From Athens · Choice 1 · Meteora TripEarly coach with Greek lunch
The early coach with lunch.
From €91 per adult · 14 hours · up to 35 people
Monasteries · Choice 1 · Visit MeteoraMorning monasteries with audio guide
The morning with the most reviews.
From €35 per adult · 4 hours · up to 18 people
Sunset · Choice 1 · Visit MeteoraMonastery and caves before sunset
The monastery tour with most reviews.
From €35 per adult · 4 hours · up to 18 people
- 01Meteora monasteries toursHalf-day tours from Kalabaka and Kastraki, compared by which monasteries you enter and for how long.5 tours compared · from €35 per adult · 4 hours
- 02Meteora sunset toursAfternoon tours that end on the rocks at dusk, with or without a monastery first.5 tours compared · from €30 per adult · 3 hours 30 min to 4 hours
- 03Meteora day trips from AthensTrain and coach days from Athens, compared by hours on the road and monasteries actually entered.5 tours compared · from €91 per adult · 14 hours
- 04Meteora hiking toursThe old monks’ paths between the rocks, compared by distance and climb. See which monastery you end at.4 tours compared · from €23.80 per adult · 3 hours to 4 hours 15 min
- 05Meteora e-bike toursElectric bikes on the loop road, compared by stops and whether a monastery is entered.4 tours compared · from €39 per adult · 2 to 4 hours
- 06Tours that go inside the Great MeteoronTours whose route enters the biggest monastery, compared by minutes inside and what happens on Tuesdays.6 tours compared · from €35 per adult · 4 to 14 hours
- 07Tours that go inside VarlaamTours whose route enters Varlaam, compared by minutes inside and what happens on Fridays.4 tours compared · from €35 per adult · 4 to 14 hours
- 08Private Meteora toursA car and a guide for your party only, priced per group or per person, with monastery fees in the price or not.9 tours compared · from €60 per adult · 4 to 14 hours
Practical Meteora
Ask about Meteora
Can you see all six monasteries in one day?
All six are normally open on summer weekends. Plan three interior visits if you also want lunch and sunset. Opening days alone do not establish that all six visits fit into one day.
Is Meteora worth it as a day trip from Athens?
A day trip by train means five to six hours each way, including the replacement bus to Kalabaka. Stay overnight if you want more time at the monasteries and a chance to see sunset from the rocks.
What is the dress code?
Shoulders must be covered for everyone. Women need a skirt below the knee. Men need long trousers. Every gate lends wrap-around skirts for women in trousers and for men in shorts.
Do I need to book tickets in advance?
No. Each of the six monasteries charges at its own door. Pay €5 per adult in cash. There are no online tickets or timed slots. No skip-the-line. Plan around closing days and possible feast-day closures.?
Can I visit without a car?
Yes. Taxis wait outside Kalabaka station. From Kastraki, the old monks’ paths reach St Nicholas and the Great Meteoron. Holy Trinity has a path down to Kalabaka. Choose the paths if you want to walk uphill.
Which day is the worst to come?
Friday in summer has the fewest open monasteries: four on the timetables we track. Varlaam is closed. St Nicholas is also listed as closed. Some sources list St Nicholas as open every day. A Friday visit may find its gate open.