Athens: Meteora Monasteries Tour, Caves, Beachfront Stops & Lunch
Recommended by 93% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Athens, Greece
- 14 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Meteora by rental car or public transportation from Athens can be stressful. Avoid navigating unfamiliar routes on this tour, which covers all six monasteries—with guided tours of three—plus hermit caves that most tourists miss. Break up the drive with stops in coastal villages (instead of highway rest stops), plus upgrade to add a traditional Greek lunch. Treat yourself to a private tour or opt for an extended, overnight tour with an included hotel stay.
- Hassle-free full-day transportation so you can focus on the views
- Explore three monasteries with a guide for insights into their history
- Plenty of time to snap photos of al six monasteries and hermit caves
- Upgrade to include a village lunch, a private tour, or an overnight stay
What's Included
- Roundtrip transfer from Athens by luxury air-conditioned coach with free WiFi & USB chargers
- Relaxing seaside dinner stop at Camino beach restaurant away from typical highway service stations
- Visit inside 3 of Meteora’s most famous and most photographed monasteries
- Panoramic photo stops with breathtaking views of all 6 Meteora monasteries
- Discover hidden hermit caves, secret viewpoints & off-the-beaten-path local spots
- Complimentary bottled water offered during the Meteora sightseeing tour
- Traditional Greek lunch in Kastraki at Efrosino restaurant (when the lunch rate option is selected.)
- Optional smart meal pre-order system designed to save valuable travel time
- Smart multilingual audio guide APP with offline access, maps & local storytelling
- State Licensed guide, inside the monasteries
- BrunchCoastal beach front Brunch (optional, not included in the price)
- DinnerCoastal sunset dinner at Beach front retaurant (optional, not included in the price)
- Entrance fee - Meteora Monasteries Entrance fees are not included€5.00 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Larissa StationAthens 104 44, Greece
The bus will depart from Larissis train station in Athens at 08:00am. We request you to be present at the exit of the Larissa metro/subway station on Deligianni str, directly opposite the Athens train station Everest cafe, by 07:45am.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Start time.8:00 am
Itinerary
The journey begins at the Larissis Railway Station in the morning, where you’ll board a modern coach bus equipped with air conditioning and onboard Wi-Fi. Relax and take in the diverse scenery of the Grecian countryside and break up the 4-hour drive with a stop in Kamena Vourla, for an optional seaside brunch (payable onsite).
Then head to the picturesque village of Kastraki for a relaxed lunch at a traditional taverna (available as a tour upgrade or you can pay on site).
Travel through a landscape of green valleys dotted with dramatic grey cliffs to reach Meteora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built by Greek Orthodox monks who inhabited these incredible, hard-to-reach sanctuaries high above ground. Visit three active monasteries, spending about 45 minutes inside each one (entrance fees not included). See the others from the outside on a van tour and discover the hermit caves of Badovas, stopping for frame-worthy photos at each site.
After touring, make your way back to Kamena Vourla for an optional sunset dinner. Then, return to Athens, where you'll arrive in the late evening.
Then head to the picturesque village of Kastraki for a relaxed lunch at a traditional taverna (available as a tour upgrade or you can pay on site).
Travel through a landscape of green valleys dotted with dramatic grey cliffs to reach Meteora, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built by Greek Orthodox monks who inhabited these incredible, hard-to-reach sanctuaries high above ground. Visit three active monasteries, spending about 45 minutes inside each one (entrance fees not included). See the others from the outside on a van tour and discover the hermit caves of Badovas, stopping for frame-worthy photos at each site.
After touring, make your way back to Kamena Vourla for an optional sunset dinner. Then, return to Athens, where you'll arrive in the late evening.
Athens (Pass By)
1
Kamena Vourla
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Meteora
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Varlaam Monastery
50 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
Kastraki
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Agios Stefanos
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
6
Agios Nikolaos Anapaphsas
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
Holy Trinity Monastery
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
Roussanou Monastery
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
9
Meteora
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
10
Kamena Vourla
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
11
Great Meteoron Monastery
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
12
Kalambaka
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- Dress Code for Monastery Visits: Please note that a modest dress code is enforced to enter the monasteries. For women, skirts below the knee or longer are required. Pants, shorts, or sleeveless shirts are not allowed. For men, sleeveless clothing and shorts above the knee are also prohibited.
- Rain or Shine: This tour will take place regardless of the weather conditions. Please come prepared with appropriate clothing and accessories to ensure a comfortable experience.
- Climbing Steps to Monastery Tops: Please be aware that reaching the top of the monasteries involves climbing steps. There are no elevators available, so please consider this if you have any mobility concerns.
- Monastery entrance fees are not included (€5 per person, per monastery, cash only).
- Supplier is not responsible if you miss the bus please be there on time (15 minutes before the departure)
- Tour is guided in English only. Additional languages (Spanish, French German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese) are available on a free SMART audio guide.
- At midday, you will enjoy a relaxing break in the picturesque village of Kastraki, where you can savor a delicious traditional Greek meal at a local restaurant. You will have the option to choose from 10 authentic Greek dishes, catering to all dietary preferences: Meat & Poultry Options: Chicken baked in the oven with potatoes Meatballs in red sauce (Soutzoukakia) Pastitsio (Greek-style lasagna) Moussaka Vegetarian Choices: Greek salad Spinach and feta cheese pie Cheese pie Vegan Options: Stuffed peppers & tomatoes with risotto (Gemista) Briam (Greek-style roasted vegetables) Giant beans baked in the oven (Gigantes) Bread and water are included with the meal. If you prefer, you can also choose and pay for your meal directly at the restaurant.
- Please note that the toilets at Varlaam Monastery require a €1 fee.
- The monasteries visited may vary depending on operating schedules and closure days.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 35 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 1,678 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Fantastic! The Meteora monasteries are so much more impressive up close than what we had seen in pictures. The transportation from Athens was comfortable and we had a nice stop for breakfast and dinner. Lunch was provided and it was just OK.
Maria guide was wonderful! Things that could be improved, meeting point and which bus, stood in three different bus lines until found the one that I was booked on. Need signage outside bus to determine which bus. WiFi connection was only announced once as to what network, was never successful in signing in. Also it should be stated to bring your international connector to plug your device in as there was no usb connection. Tour was incredible!
Beautiful and breathtaking Monastery to visit in the mountains of Greece. Long day, about 3-4 hrs drive from and back to Athens. Is it worth it? Yes, not to miss. Plenty of breaks along the way for restrooms. Be able to handle climbing slopes to get to the churches. If your a James Bond Fan, your be able to see Holy Trinity Monastery which was filmed in For Your Eyes Only. That one is a 139 step climb on rocks. Last stop was Holy Trinity run by Sisters who you will see helping out. In gift shops, able to purchase items that they made, example. Dry tea which I did. Definitely pick the lunch, authentic Greek food, delicious and saves time looking on your own. Our guide was amazing, very informative of all sites and our driver got us back and forth to Athens safely. Is it worth the long day?? Yes. It’s unique and amazing. Cheers. Thank you.
A good way to see the monasteries of Meteora, but the initial check in and boarding process was total chaos. There was no tour company representative to check people in, and multiple buses for different tours with no identification. You had to fight through huge crowds of people to talk to each bus driver individually, to find out whether you were on his list. It took 3 attempts for us to find the correct bus. People were frustrated and angry. A lot of that could have been avoided if there had been a tour representative with a master list to check people in and direct them to the correct bus.
Once on board, the tour was fine. The guide didn’t join you until you got to Meteora. Our guide Chris was very friendly and helpful. The itinerary we followed didn’t match the one that we received online but I understand that different monasteries are closed on different days, and they have different closing times. We didn’t have lunch until 2:45 so be sure to bring some snacks with you. At the mid-morning stop, there is a grocery store right next door to the restaurant.
The bus WiFi was intermittent, and sometimes you couldn’t access it because it was at capacity. The USB-C charging outlet didn’t work but the USB-A outlet did.
The guides are not allowed to lead you inside the monastery, so if there are particular things you want to see inside, do some research before your tour. I felt that there was enough time at each stop to see the basic highlights.
They did enforce the dress code pretty strictly. No shorts or sleeveless shirts, and women couldn’t wear pants. Most women on our tour wore dresses or skirts, but they did provide a wrap skirt to borrow if you needed it. I did see one girl (not on our tour) turned away because she was wearing shorts and a tank top. Be respectful in your clothing choices.
There are A LOT of steps. If you can’t climb stairs, don’t go to Meteora!
Fantastic tour! The tour guide was a local and she had great insight into Meteora and the history! Fantastic tour of the monasteries.
There are alot of stairs. Start right away, so you get to the top. We would have liked alittle more time at the last one.
Monasteries are beautiful. The organization of the tour could have been better at the starting point.
Meteora was an incredible sight to visit, view and experience. The guide was very friendly, interactive and knowledgeable. The bus ride was long (4 hours each way), but comfortable, and the lunch on the way was very good.
This was a beautiful trip. My group of 13 family members loved it. The views are spectacular. The food stops were organized (with prebooking) and delicious, and despite the long day, we all had a great time.
This was a great experience where you get to see beautiful scenery and monasteries away from Athens. The long bus ride and steep climbs may not be for everyone. We traveled in mid-October (after the high season) but all of sites were still crowded.
Outstanding trip, very well organized. Beautiful place, highly recommended. Guide tour person amazing and both drivers are very good. Coffee & dinner stop were very good and well organized with pre-order option. Lunch could be better.
WOW, the Meteora Monasteries were amazing with breathtaking views!
This was a very long tour and day from Athens but so worth it! Our tour guide in Meteora was fantastic!! I am so sorry I forgot her name it is not reflective of her, but my old memory!! Plus we had lots of excursions/guides on our 30 day trip. Our guide had a fabulous personality, was very knowledgeable of the area & Monasteries plus she had a great love for cats & 1 dog...thank you for caring!!! Good luck with your future endeavors.
The 2 guys ( bus driver & escort) for our long drive could have been friendlier. It would have been nice if we had some commentary on our drive to Meteora...ie areas we were passing, history of Athens etc. It was disorganized at the bus pick up location in Athens. Lots of buses, people and know one knew where to line up and which bus to go on...lots of confusion at the start! You need proper guides calling out what is going on not just bus drives that can't public speak.
The beachfront stop for food/coffee (breaky & dinner) is a bit of a gong show as there are lots of people on the excursions. The restaurant along the water was lovely and the food is good. The staff do their best to serve you with such an influx of people all at once. Buy the time we arrived & bought our coffee / croissant it was pretty much time to leave.
I do not like the pre order system for our meals as the wifi was spotty and frustrating to use. We were kicked out of the app a few times and had to keep trying till it worked.
I would recommend this excursion as the Monestaries are something to truly experience, WOW!!
Prepare for a long bus ride to and from. Need $5 cash per location if you want to go in especially on the last one.
The actual tour was incredible. The views were amazing & the stories behind the monasteries were enlightening. Our guide was very kind & very well versed on the history. Where we stopped for lunch was very scenic & lovely.
My only negative comment is that when all attendees arrived there were four buses going to the same place, but very little organization. Figuring out which bus we belong on was quite chaotic.
Other than that, I would absolutely recommend this tour!
Costas the driver and Apostle the guide were an excellent team.. This is a must destination !!!!
Can not miss!
The day is very long but such an incredible experience. Our guide was lively and really informative. You could tell that she had a connection to the community
The sites were amazing. The stops were quick but helpful. Maria spoke took fast and made too many flip remarks. She didn’t seem to take the job seriously. Maybe she’s burned out?
Very good , the only disappointing issue was the lunch. For the price I paid it didn’t include beverage nor dessert . Portion was small but sufficient !
We had a great time visiting the monasteries, they were beautiful, impressive, and worthy of the UNESCO heritage site designation. It was a long drive, but definitely worth it! Everyone was professional and our tour guide was so friendly and informative.
Absolutely amazing. I had high expectations and they were met. A must do experience while in Greece. It was a long day but worth it!
Meteora is sn amazing place to experience. The guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. The lunch was delicious, but the dinner was disappointing. I had salad and the greens were heavy with dressing and very wilted. It was an otherwise wonderful day.
An absolute must see if you are visiting Athens. Spectacular scenery and an excellent guide. The coach travel there and back is broken up visiting a seaside town.
Super well planned and well executed. Amazing site. Naturally wonder with fascinating history. Tour guide apostolic was amazing.
boarding process is disorganized and short handed. We arrived early but got on later due to no information about which bus. Once boarded, no charger or WiFi information available. The bus driver spoke quickly about WiFi without us finding the information. For a large group like this one, there should be an assistant on board. Will not book this agent again
Be prepared to walk steep paths and lots of stairs. Women should know that bare legs will require you to wear long over skirts into the monasteries for modesty purposes. Beautiful day, beautiful region.
This was a long and enjoyable trip. It’s about a 4-4.5 hr drive to Meteora with a couple of stops in between. It’s well worth the journey, the views in Meteora and the monasteries are incredible. The drive itself is scenic and helps make the journey easier. The guide and driver did a great job as well. Apart from the initial boarding process (more on that below), the rest of the trip was well organized.
An area to improve is the morning initial bus boarding process. It’s a bit of a mess, there are 4-5 buses and easily over a 100 people trying to ask each driver if they belong in their bus. I suggest giving people the color or license plate of their bus the night before so you know what you are looking for.
Overall, I recommend this tour if you are looking for scenic Mountain View’s that are unforgettable!
Long day but what a great experience!
Our guide Vasilis (I beleive that is correct) was excellent - very informative, funny, and always willing to help people get pictures with the monasteries as a backdrop. We had more than enough time inside each monastery.
We would have liked the option to see Holy Trinity Monastery with the stairs, but I understand it takes extra time and isn't realistic for a group tour.
For the tour operator: we had a lot of time at the last monastery (run by the nuns) but the 2nd one had more to see inside and better views. Swapping the allotted times would help.
Logistics: Brunch stop ∼2 hours after leaving Athens, lunch ∼90 mins later just outside Meteora, then a few hours at the monasteries. Dinner stop on the way back at the same place as brunch. Back in Athens around 10:30pm.
Would definitely recommend it!
The trip to Meteora is a long day, but so worth it! The bus was comfortable and the seaside stops on the way there and back are nice. Meteora is incredible! So beautiful and fascinating. Our guide (who joins the bus when you get to Meteora) was excellent. Be prepared for lots of stairs at two of the monasteries, but they are so beautiful and fascinating! The lunch in town was very good. A beautiful and memorable trip.
Great experience. We loved seeing the countryside. The bus was on time and the stops were interesting.
Great experience once you arrive at your several destinations. The food along the way was great, and the people running the bus tour were fantastic. Meteora was beautiful, and I'm glad I got to see this marvel once in my life. This all being said, be prepared for a lonnng day. If you're okay with being on the road for several hours I would recommend doing this.
Member Pricing
From
$93.51
per personWas $98.43(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Member Pricing
Athens: Meteora Monasteries Tour, Caves, Beachfront Stops & Lunch
1,677
14 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$98.43
$93.51
5% savings
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Archaeology Tours
- Shore Excursions
- Full-day Tours
- Bus Tours
- Historical Tours
- Cultural Tours
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Private and Luxury
- Private Sightseeing Tours
- Athens
- Archaeology Tours - Saronic Gulf Islands
- Shore Excursions - Saronic Gulf Islands
- Full-day Tours - Saronic Gulf Islands
- Bus Tours - Saronic Gulf Islands
- Historical Tours - Saronic Gulf Islands
- Archaeology Tours - Loutraki
- Shore Excursions - Loutraki
- Full-day Tours - Loutraki
- Bus Tours - Loutraki
- Historical Tours - Loutraki
- Archaeology Tours - Corinth
- Shore Excursions - Corinth
- Full-day Tours - Corinth
- Bus Tours - Corinth
- Historical Tours - Corinth
Attractions in Athens, Greece
- Omonoia Square (Plateia Omonoias) Tours & Tickets
- Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Mnemeíon Agnostou Stratiotou) Tours & Tickets
- Adrianou Street Tours & Tickets
- Parthenon Tours & Tickets
- Tower of the Winds Tours & Tickets
- Cape Sounion Tours & Tickets
- Hadrian’s Arch Tours & Tickets
- Areopagus Tours & Tickets
- National Library (Vallianeion) Tours & Tickets
- Voula Beach Tours & Tickets
- Koukaki Tours & Tickets
- Theatre of Dionysus Tours & Tickets
- Lake Vouliagmeni Tours & Tickets
- Olympic Stadium (OAKA) Tours & Tickets
- Lagonisi Tours & Tickets
- Byzantine & Christian Museum Tours & Tickets
- Temple of Apollo Tours & Tickets