Athens to Meteora Day Trips

Explore Meteora's cliff-top monasteries with luxury coach travel, expert guidance, and hidden hermit caves.

• Day out to: Meteora from Athens, with round-trip luxury coach transfers from Larissa Railway Station.
• You'll get: An expert English- or Spanish-speaking guide, a multilingual audio guide, entry to three or four monasteries (depending on the day's schedule), access to the Hermit Caves of Badovas, and luxury coach travel with reclining seats and air-conditioning.
• Meteora Monasteries: Visit three or four active monasteries, explore their public areas, and admire the dramatic rock formations while learning about Meteora's monastic heritage.
• Hermit Caves of Badovas: Step inside the secluded caves where Meteora's earliest hermit monks once lived before the monasteries were established.
• Upgrades: Choose the lunch option to enjoy a traditional meal in Kastraki featuring regional specialties (as per option selected).

Inclusions #

• Round-trip, luxury coach transfers to and from Athens (with free Wi-Fi, USB chargers, and air-conditioned facilities)

• Meteora tour with panoramic views of all 6 monasteries

• Entry to 3 to 4 monasteries (subject to the day’s schedule, as some monasteries are closed on specific weekdays)

• Entry to the Hermit Caves of Badovas (as per option selected)

• English-speaking driver

• Expert English or Spanish-speaking tour guide (as per on option selected)

• Smart audio guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese

• Traditional Greek lunch at Kastraki Village (as per on option selected)

• Bottled mineral water

Exclusions #

• Pick-up and drop-off from your hotel in Athens

• Entrance fee to the sites (€5 per monastery)

• A small offering of €3 to €5 per monastery

• Guide inside the monasteries (multilingual audio guides available)

• Tips for the guide

What to bring

• Smartphone and earphones: Required to use the multilingual audio guide inside the monasteries.
• Comfortable clothing and footwear: Wear closed-toe shoes with good grip for uneven paths and stairs. Men must wear long trousers, while women must wear long skirts and cover their shoulders to enter the monasteries.
• Water and light snacks: Recommended, especially during the warmer months.

What's not allowed

• Photography restrictions: Photography is not permitted inside churches or of monks and nuns.
• Drones: Flying drones is prohibited without special permission.

Accessibility

• Not wheelchair accessible: Most monasteries involve stairs or inclined paths. If you have limited mobility, St. Stephen's Monastery offers the easiest access with a paved path and minimal steps.

Additional information

• Facilities: Toilets are available at larger monasteries, including Great Meteoron, Varlaam, and St. Stephen's, and may require a small tip.

Ditch the hassle with round-trip coach travel, monastery visits, hidden caves, and a traditional lunch in Kastraki.

• Day out to: Meteora from Athens on a fully planned full-day guided tour, with round-trip luxury coach transfers from Larissa Railway Station.
• You'll get: An expert guide, a multilingual audio guide, entry to 3 or 4 monasteries, access to the Hermit Caves of Badovas, and a traditional Greek lunch in Kastraki.
• Meteora Monasteries: Visit 3 or 4 active monasteries, see all six from panoramic viewpoints, and explore centuries-old chapels and monastic traditions.
• Kastraki Village: Enjoy a traditional Greek lunch in Kastraki before continuing your journey through Meteora's dramatic rock landscape.

Inclusions #

• Round-trip, tour bus transfers to and from Athens (with free Wi-Fi, USB chargers, and air-conditioned facilities)

• Meteora tour with panoramic views of all 6 monasteries

• Traditional Greek lunch at Kastraki Village

• Entry to 3 to 4 monasteries (subject to the day’s schedule, as some monasteries are closed on specific weekdays)

• Entry to the Hermit Caves of Badovas

• English-speaking driver

• Expert English or Spanish-speaking tour guide (based on option selected)

• Smart audio guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese

• Bottled mineral water onboard

Exclusions #

• Hotel pick-up and drop-offs in Athens

• Entree fee to the monasteries (€5 per monastery)

• A small offering of €3 to €5 per monastery

• Guide inside the monasteries (multilingual audio guides available)

• Tips for the guide

What to bring

• Bring cash for any small purchases.
• Wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes with a good grip. Trails and monastery steps can be uneven and steep.
• Carry water and a light snack, especially during the summer months (June to August).
• Don’t forget earphones and a fully charged smartphone if you plan to use the audio guide during your visit.
• A modest dress code is strictly enforced at all monasteries. Men should wear long pants, while women must wear long skirts and cover their shoulders. Wrap skirts and shawls are available at the entrance if needed.

What's not allowed

• Photography is welcome in outdoor areas, but taking pictures inside churches, or of monks and nuns, is not permitted.
• Drone use is strictly forbidden unless you have special permission.

Accessibility

• Most of Meteora’s sites are not wheelchair-friendly, as all monasteries involve climbing stairs or navigating inclined paths.
• For visitors with limited mobility, St. Stephen’s Monastery offers the easiest access, with a level, paved path and minimal steps.

Additional information

• 4 pick-up points are available: Melina Mercouri Monument Plaka (at 7am), Greek Parliament (at 7:05am), Omonoia Square (at 7:15am), and Karaiskaki Square (at 7:25am).
• Toilets are available at larger monasteries like Great Meteoron, Varlaam, and St. Stephen’s. A small tip is often expected when using them.

Enjoy an overnight Meteora tour from Athens featuring all six monasteries, a cozy hotel stay, and flexible hiking or sightseeing options.

• Day out to: Your two-day journey begins with a departure from Athens’ Larissa Railway Station, where you’ll board a luxury, air-conditioned coach with reclining seats, free Wi-Fi, and panoramic windows. Travel through central Greece’s storybook scenery, from vineyard-covered plains to misty mountain passes, before arriving in Meteora just in time for golden hour.
• Day 1: Join a 4-hour Meteora sunset tour, guided by a professional English-speaking expert, and visit monasteries like Agios Stefanos or St. Nicholas Anapausas. Stop at the Hermit Caves of Badovas, then head to the Byzantine Church of the Virgin Mary, a 1,000-year-old treasure built atop an ancient Greek temple. Cap the day at a secluded sunset viewpoint with sweeping vistas over Meteora’s cliffs and valleys. Spend the night in a 3-star or 4-star hotel in Kalabaka or Kastraki.
• Day 2: Choose between a guided sightseeing tour or a hiking tour, visiting additional Meteora monasteries (as per rotating availability), scenic viewpoints, and photo stops, with hotel transfers included.

Inclusions #

• Round-trip transfers to and from Athens by air-conditioned coach bus

• Meteora sunset tour (first day)

• Half-day Meteora sightseeing tour or Meteora hiking tour (second day)

• See all 6 monasteries

• Entry to 4 monasteries (depending on their rotating schedules)

• See the Hermit Caves of Badovas

• Entry to the Byzantine Church of Virgin Mary (on the sunset tour)

• Photo stops for panoramic views

• Professional local English-speaking tour guide

• Professional hiking guide (for the hiking tour)

• One night 3/4-star hotel accommodation with complimentary breakfast (as per option selected)

• Hotel pick-up and drop-off (only for the tours)

• Free Wi-Fi and USB chargers on the bus

Exclusions #

• Pick-up and drop-off from your hotel in Athens

• A small offering of €5 per monastery (only by cash to the entrance of the monasteries)

• Hotel tax (typically €1.5/room in 3-star hotels & €3/room in 4-star hotels)

• Guide inside the monasteries

• Food and drinks

• Tips for the guide

• Personal travel insurance

What to bring

• Smartphone and earphones: Required to use the multilingual audio guide inside the monasteries.
• Comfortable clothing and footwear: Wear closed-toe shoes with good grip for uneven paths and stairs. Men must wear long trousers, while women should wear skirts below the knee and cover their shoulders to enter the monasteries.
• Water and light snacks: Recommended, especially during the warmer months.

What's not allowed

• Photography restrictions: Photography is not permitted inside chapels or of resident monks and nuns.
• Drones: Flying drones is prohibited without prior authorization.

Accessibility

• Not wheelchair accessible: Meteora's monasteries involve stairs and sloped paths. St. Stephen's Monastery offers the easiest access, with a paved pathway and fewer steps than the others.

Additional information

• Facilities: Restrooms are available at larger monasteries such as Great Meteoron, Varlaam, and St. Stephen's, and may require a small tip for use.

Inclusions #

• Round-trip transfers to and from Athens by air-conditioned coach bus
• Meteora tour with panoramic views of all 6 monasteries
• Entry to 3 monasteries (depending on their rotating schedules)
• Entry to the Hermit Caves of Badovas
• Photo stops at all 6 monasteries
• Shopping stop at Kalabaka (Dimoula Square)
• English-speaking driver
• Expert English-speaking local guide
• Smart audio guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese
• Traditional Greek lunch at Kastraki Village (based on option selected)
• Free Wi-fi and USB chargers on the bus
• Bottled water onboard

Exclusions #

• Pick-up and drop-off services
• A small offering of €3 to €5 per monastery
• Guide inside the monasteries (multilingual audio guides available)
• Food and drinks
• Tips for the guide (optional)
• Personal travel insurance