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Kalambaka · Greece

Meteora

Known locally as Μετέωρα

Orthodox monasteries perched on towering sandstone pillars above Kalambaka and Kastraki.

Plan a trip here Website / visitor information
Meteora Stathis floros · CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical visit
4 hours
Setting
Mixed
Region
Thessaly
Last checked
8 Aug 2026

Why visit

Orthodox monasteries perched on towering sandstone pillars above Kalambaka and Kastraki. Hermits occupied caves in the rock formations by the medieval period, and organised monasteries developed especially from the fourteenth century. Twenty-four monasteries existed at the height of the community; six remain active and open at varying times. The visit is strongest when you focus on great meteoron, varlaam monastery and rock-pillar viewpoints.

What you will see

  • Great Meteoron.
  • Varlaam Monastery.
  • Rock-pillar viewpoints.

History

Hermits occupied caves in the rock formations by the medieval period, and organised monasteries developed especially from the fourteenth century. Twenty-four monasteries existed at the height of the community; six remain active and open at varying times.

Photographs

Meteora

Stathis floros · CC BY-SA 4.0 · full attribution on the image credits page.

Visitor tips

  1. 1

    Prioritise Great Meteoron if you have less time than the full suggested visit.

  2. 2

    Leave enough time for Varlaam Monastery rather than treating Meteora as a quick photo stop.

About Thessaly

Meteora, Pelion villages, river valleys, caves and the mountain landscapes around central Greece.

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Combine it with

More to see around Kalambaka

Theopetra Cave Theopetra · Greece Prehistoric cave near Meteora with evidence spanning from the Middle Palaeolithic into the Neolithic period. Makrinitsa Makrinitsa · Greece Traditional Pelion village climbing a steep slope above Volos, with stone mansions and broad Pagasetic Gulf views. Lake Plastira Neochori · Greece Large mountain reservoir surrounded by forested Agrafa slopes, villages and outdoor recreation areas. Damouchari Damouchari · Greece Tiny stone-and-sea village on eastern Pelion with a sheltered harbour, old lanes and a pebbled cove. Vale of Tempe Tempe · Greece Narrow gorge cut by the Pineios River between Olympus and Ossa, long important as a route through central Greece.

Already worked out

Ready-made trips through Kalambaka

All ready-made trips
Meteora, Pelion and Thessaly — 6 Days 6 days · 6 stops · Moderate pace A six-day Thessaly trip that moves from Meteora and prehistoric Theopetra through Lake Plastira to Pelion and the Vale of Tempe. Mainland Greece Grand Tour — 14 Days 14 days · 19 stops · Moderate pace A two-week mainland introduction moving from Athens to Delphi, Meteora and Macedonia before looping through the Peloponnese and back toward Athens.