Meteora: Monasteries Tour with Lunch and Athens Transfer Option
Recommended by 97% of travelers
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Meteora, Greece
- 5 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
The soaring pinnacles of Meteora are a must for many travelers, and this small-group tour explores all six of the area's historic monasteries with the option to visit three of them (entrance fees not included). A guide provides insights into the UNESCO World Heritage Site as you explore, and an included lunch keeps you satiated. Upgrade to include round-trip bus transportation from Athens to Meteora for a seamless travel experience, or begin the tour from Kalambaka Train Station.
- See all of Meteora's six monasteries, and explore the interior of three
- A guide introduces the sights from outside; no guided tours are allowed inside
- Feast on a delicious Greek lunch at a local restaurant
- Meet at Kalambaka Station or upgrade for a round-trip bus from Athens
What's Included
- Pickup and drop-off from Kalambaka's train station
- Transportation by air-conditioned bus
- Roundtrip Athens to Meteora transportation (if option selected)
- Local, English-speaking tour guide
- Free audio guides in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese and Korean
- Panoramic photo stops
- Visit 3 monasteries and see all of them
- Greek Lunch at a local restaurant (if tour option is selected)
- WiFi and USB chargers on board
- Bottle of water
- Entrance fee - Entrance Fee of Each Meteora Monastery€5.00 per person
- Guided tour inside the monasteries
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Kalambaka
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Meteora (Pass By)
Varlaam Monastery (Pass By)
2
Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholas Anapafsas at Meteora
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Great Meteoron Monastery
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
Roussanou Monastery
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
Holy Trinity Monastery (Pass By)
Agios Stefanos (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infant seats available
- Near public transportation
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This Meteora tour was initially tailored for travelers arriving via the convenient train route from Athens. However, at present, the direct train service to Meteora stands temporarily suspended for essential maintenance work. To accommodate those wishing to join us from Athens, we have introduced a convenient roundtrip bus transportation option. When booking your journey, simply select this alternative to embark on a seamless adventure to the captivating Meteora region.
- The monasteries of Meteora impose a dress code in order to enter inside. Men must wear long trousers and women must wear long skirts (below the knee) and cover their shoulders. Skirts are also available for purchase/rent at the entrance of the monasteries. A long scarf wrapped around the waist is also sufficient to enter the monasteries
- The monasteries of Meteora only accept cash for the entrance fees (€5 per person/monastery) which are not included in the price of this tour
- If you wish to use our free audio guides in Spanish, French or Italian, please be sure to bring your smartphone and earphones with you.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 66 reviews
Monika_C, Mar 2026
Overall, I had a good experience although the guide could make a better introduction about the monastries & region. I also found the coach from Athens to the Meteoria region pretty old and not really comfortable.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad you had a good overall experience. We appreciate your comments about the guide’s introduction and the coach comfort, and we will take them into consideration to improve our service. We hope to welcome you again in the future!
Kelly_H, Feb 2026
Super long day but worth it! Our guide was wonderful - welcoming and filled with so much knowledge of the area. We rode a large charter bus to Meteora and then we were transferred to a smaller van with fewer people for our tour. Lunch was very nice in a quaint restaurant in town.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We’re delighted to hear that despite the long day, your visit to Meteora was worthwhile, and that you enjoyed our knowledgeable guide, comfortable transportation, and a lovely lunch in town! We hope to welcome you again on another memorable journey soon.
Lilly_B, Nov 2025
A very full day of interesting monasteries, pretty views and adventure. Nicholas was very friendly and fun.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed a full day of fascinating monasteries, beautiful views, and adventure. It’s wonderful to hear that Nicholas made the experience friendly and fun. We appreciate you choosing us!
Cathy_W, Oct 2025
The transport was very comfortable, the morning coffee stop was good and the included lunch was excellent.
Our guide was very friendly and informative.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed the comfortable transport, morning coffee stop, and excellent lunch. It’s great to hear that your guide was both friendly and informative. We appreciate you choosing us!
Donna_W, Oct 2025
The bus from Athens was easy to find among the other buses as George, our driver had a list in large type with everyone’s names. The bus was comfortable with WiFi and charging ports. The ride was long but we stopped half through for a snack and a break. We met our guide Maria in town. The lunch buffet was great. We had plenty of time at each Monastery, we toured 3, although the first one was large and filled with students so we could have spent a little more time looking around. Maria gave us lots of interesting and historical information about the area and each Monastery. She answered many questions and was friendly and personable. Be ready for gorgeous views, interesting history and a lot of steps and walking. It was an unforgettable day and a wonderful way to see a unique part of Greece. Well worth the price which was less than a two hour tour of the Acropolis. The trip lasted 14 hours from pick up to drop off but there were opportunities for snacks and bathroom breaks through out the day. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone who is able to do a lot of walking (although you could stay at the base of any of the sites and the views are still amazing) and is not afraid of heights.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your detailed and wonderful feedback! We’re delighted that you had an unforgettable day in Meteora, enjoyed the comfortable bus, delicious lunch, and the breathtaking views. It’s great to hear that Maria made the tour informative, friendly, and enjoyable. We truly appreciate your recommendation and thank you for choosing us!
Stephanie_B, Oct 2025
A fantastic tour with a great guide and bus driver. I loved seeing the best monasteries in Meteora with a transfer back to Athens (trains & buses can be very unreliable in Greece). Highly recommend using this tour.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your fantastic feedback! We’re thrilled that you enjoyed seeing the top monasteries in Meteora and appreciated the smooth transfer back to Athens. It’s wonderful to hear that our guide and driver made your experience memorable. We truly appreciate your recommendation!
Alexander_D, Oct 2025
If you want to see Meteora monasteries, I would not recommend this tour from Athens. Firstly, the tour pickup from Athens via bus is a mess - they give you a meeting spot where 5 other Meteora busses also leave from who all say they are Meteora tours. You have to find your bus with the drivers directly, there are no tour company representatives in Athens. We were told to meet at 7:45am but then had to sit on the bus until 8:15am before departing. Once we got going, we stopped at a road side rest house where all the Meteora tours stop - this is the biggest tourist trap, overpriced rubbish. After this unneeded stop, you have another 2 hours to Meteora. When you arrive there, they take you to lunch. This lunch was horrible, you line up to get your food from a glass display with precooked options that were all terrible (and they don’t give you bottled water, only tap). There looked to be other good food options in the town, so avoid this. Then you get on a different, smaller bus to meet your tour guide for the first time (at 1:30pm). You visit 3 monasteries and stop for multiple photo stops until departing for Athens around 6pm. The tour guide (Maria) was extremely friendly and did a great job on commentary. You get too long at each Monastery though, we ended up waiting to get back on the bus for 10-15min at each stop. On the way home, back to the tourist trap rest stop and arrive in Athens at 10:25pm. Overall, it’s a very long day and not worth it in my opinion - but the tour guides are great!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed Maria’s friendly and informative guidance. We would like to kindly clarify a few points: the meeting point in Athens is communicated clearly in advance, with instructions to locate the bus marked with the “Meteora Trip” signboard, and our driver has a passenger list to welcome everyone personally. The roadside stop mentioned is legally required for both driver and passenger rest and is not intended for any purchases or promotions. We truly appreciate your feedback and thank you for choosing our tour.
Madison_R, Sep 2025
We had a great time on this tour. Our guide, Maria, was absolutely wonderful - knowledgeable with the right mixture of fun and informative. Plenty of time at each site, gorgeous views and fascinating history. Everything was on time and the bus was easy to find at the pick up point. The only thing we didn’t like was that the halfway point stop was a major tourist trap, on our way back the men working there were literally yelling to get you to buy their food - very aggressive and made many people uncomfortable. The lunch spot was very average - not where I would have chosen if I had the choice.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for sharing your detailed experience! We're so happy to hear that Maria made your tour both fun and informative, and that you enjoyed the beautiful views and fascinating history at each site. It’s also great to know that the timing was smooth and the bus pick-up was easy to find.
We do apologize for the discomfort caused by the behavior at the halfway stop and understand how that could take away from an otherwise wonderful day. Your feedback about the rest spot is appreciated, and we’ll certainly look into offering better options in the future. Thanks again for your honest review—we hope to provide an even better experience next time!
Yudith_I, Sep 2025
Maria was great. She was very knowledgeable about the monasteries and Greece overall. We got a chance to chat with her throughout the tour and enjoyed getting to know more about the area dn Greece. The views are spectacular and the whole tour was very well planned out. Definitely recommend it.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're so happy to hear that you enjoyed your time with Maria—her deep knowledge of the monasteries and Greece always adds something special to the experience. It’s great that you had the chance to connect with her throughout the tour and learn more about the region. The stunning views and well-planned itinerary make Meteora a truly memorable destination. We really appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again in the future!
Tracy_H, Sep 2025
Although this tour is a long day with the tour bus from Athens, it was worth every minute. Definitely a lot of walking and climbing and not much narrative by a tour guide, but what she added was worthwhile. You’re on your own on the bus and once you get to each of the monasteries but directions were very clear and we managed to stay on schedule well. The time allotted is generous so if you need to climb the stairs more slowly, you’ll still have time to see everything. The most beautiful views everywhere!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're so glad to hear that, despite the long day, you felt the tour was well worth it. The landscapes of Meteora truly are breathtaking, and it's great to know you appreciated the generous timing that allowed for a more relaxed pace—especially with the walking and stair climbing involved.
We're happy to hear that the information provided added value, and that the clear instructions helped you navigate the day smoothly. Thank you for highlighting both the beauty and the practical aspects of the tour—it’s feedback like this that helps future travelers know what to expect. We hope to see you on another adventure soon!
Amanda_S, Sep 2025
Hard to find the bus to begin the day. All the busses had "meteora" in the window and they were across the street from the other comaonies so was unnecessarily complicated. Once we got there, our tour guide was enthusiastic And informational. However, the ride there and back was less than ideal. We had to switch busses 2-3 times during the whole ordeal. The first time because they said it was breaking down, the second because they needed a smaller bus to wind around the curves (but I sw far bigger busses on our tour.) It was an inconvenience. Besides that, for such a ling ride, I expected there to be a bathroom on board. One of our busses was equipped with one, but it was out of order. Also, it was advertised as having wifi and but the password was not freely given at any point during the tour. They also advertised charging, which did not work. The larger bus for the longer ride also had terrible AC. The place they took us for stop wasa tourist trap. Very expensive. Bring snacks/food/drinks if possible. All in all, I would not recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the enthusiasm and informative guidance of your tour guide. We would like to kindly clarify a few points: the meeting point in Athens is communicated clearly in advance, and our bus is marked with the “Meteora Trip” signboard for easy identification, while our drivers have a passenger list to ensure everyone is welcomed. The roadside stop is legally required for driver and passenger rest and is not financially motivated. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by bus changes or issues with facilities on board. We appreciate your detailed observations. Thank you for choosing our tour and for sharing your experience.
Taylor_H, Aug 2025
It was a good experience! I could have done without using a guide and just going by myself but I didn’t want to have to deal with parking.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you very much for sharing your experience! We’re glad to hear you enjoyed your time in Meteora and found the tour convenient. Many guests appreciate having transportation and parking taken care of, especially in such a unique and busy area. We’re happy we could make your visit smooth and stress-free, and we hope to welcome you again for another unforgettable experience in Meteora.
Robert_Z, Jul 2025
Be prepared for along bus ride.
The halfway point rest stop is excellent, clean, well stocked with a good variety. Restrooms are clean.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad to hear that you found the halfway rest stop clean, well stocked, and comfortable. We appreciate your note about the bus ride, and we’re happy that the stop helped make the journey more enjoyable. We hope to welcome you back to Meteora for another memorable experience!
Jon_A, Oct 2024
Incredible sights to see. It’s amazing that these monasteries could be built on these pinnacles. Nicholas is very informative and a great host. George did a great job driving the bus. The transfer from Athens was seamless. The lunch was delicious and a nice bonus. The day is long (14 hours overall) but well worth it.
Samuel_H, Sep 2024
It’s a longggggg day (be prepared for that) but the meteora is absolutely breathtaking and worth it! A must do, especially if you are religious.
Minus one star as we would’ve liked more clarity and guidance on how the day will play out. We got on the bus, and there wasn’t much of an introduction or anything. We didn’t know when lunch was, so when we made a stop midway we bought some food for a late breakfast, however were too full for the beautiful lunch that was included as soon as we got to Kalabaka.
Reed_L, Jun 2024
Enjoyed Nicolas’ background information as we drove to three of the monasteries. Absolutely amazing to see how these structures were constructed 1000 feet in the air——and how the monk’s came and went. Teaches us that there is no limit if you have a passion!!!
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Thank you for your feedback! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed Nicolas' informative commentary during the drive to the monasteries. We appreciate your reflection on passion and limitless possibilities. We hope to welcome you back for another amazing experience in the future!
Yunkyung_L, Aug 2023
Maria was a great guide being very friendly and knowledgeable. She told us about all different monasteries, history of the town and gave us sufficient time to look around 3 different monasteries that we visited. She also gave us the option to have take away lunch on our train back so we can spend more time at the monasteries. We also visited a view point to take pictures the van was nice and comfy and driver was great as well. Highly recommended!
Rey_R, May 2023
If the weather did not have torrential rain and fog, then the visit would have been
5 star. Maria and Dino, our guide and driver respectively, did their best to make up. But these day and age, with the global climate crisis, the weather has been pushed to unpredictable levels. The European April rain lingered in Europe and Greece is no exception.
Regardless, the stunning natural wonder of Meteora was still visibly awe-inspiring. Truly unique and would invite anyone to revisit.
Malinda_S, Mar 2023
The monasteries built atop the rocks and the history of the area is fascinating!! Dimitris (host) was exceptionally helpful with making alternative arrangements for our tour due to the train not running.
Larry_A, May 2022
Enjoyed our day visiting the Meteora monasteries. Maria did a good job providing facts and stories. Group size was OK. Thought it was going to be smaller but not a big issue because everyone was good about staying on schedule.
mariefrancelanglois, Oct 2025
Long day but well worth it! The landscapes and monasteries are exceptional!!! Our guide made the experience even more profitable.
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Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re glad you found the long day well worth it and enjoyed the exceptional landscapes and monasteries. It’s great to hear that your guide made the experience even more rewarding. We appreciate you choosing us!
Guilherme_H, Aug 2022
O guia/motorista foi muito simpático e cordial. Também prestou informações interessantes sobre os lugares que visitamos. Mas o mais incrível do passeio foi que ele nos deixou no restaurante no final do tour, de onde iriamos andando até a estação de trem, então caiu um temporal medonho, e ele me ligou oferecendo nos levar de carro até a estação! Nunca vi tamanha gentileza!
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