From Athens:Meteora Caves & Monasteries History Day Trip by Train
Recommended by 90% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Meteora, Greece
- 14 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
See the UNESCO World Heritage-listed monasteries of Meteora without taking multiple days out of your busy schedule to visit. Instead, take the train there from Athens in the morning and be back in Athens by the end of the night on this day trip with transport included. Drive by all six precariously-located monasteries and spend time exploring three of them; marvel at their remarkable architecture and at the scenic views from atop Meteora.
- Enjoy grand views of the Greek countryside from your seat on the train
- Get around the monasteries in an air-conditioned minivan with your small group
- Upload your photos as you go: Wi-Fi provided on your tour transport
- A small group means more attention from your guide
What's Included
- Bottled water
- Round-trip ticket from Athens-Kalambaka-You will receive an e-mail with the train e-tickets
- Luxury mini-bus transportation by Mercedes
- Local English-speaking tour leader
- See all six the remainig monasteries and visit 3 of them and wander at their interior
- Visit the Hermit Caves
- Wi-Fi and USB chargers on board
- Gratuities (optional)
- Credit cards are not accepted for paying the monasteries entrance fees
- Travel insurance
- Pickup / Drop off from Accommodation in Athens to railway station
- Licensed guide, inside the monasteries
- Lunch
- Admission Fee - Monasteries€5.00 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- KalambakaKalabaka 422 00, Greece
Head to Athens railway station by your own and you must be there at 06.40 am in order to complete the boarding procedure on time.The train departs at 06:58 AM.At approximately 09:45 AM, the train will make a stop at Paleofarsalos, where you should exit and catch the connecting bus. to Kalampaka.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.7:00 am
Itinerary
1
Meteora
4 hours • Admission Ticket Free
2
Kastraki
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Meteora
4 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- You will receive an e-mail with the train e-tickets a few days before the tour.
- Please make sure you have cash for the monasteries 5 euro each entrance
- If you have not received your train tickets please contact us. You will not be able to travel by train.
- 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
4.7
based on 70 reviews
Annie_R, Sep 2025
This is a LONG day trip and if you’re not prepared for lots of sitting and then lots of walking and hiking up steep stairs and cliff side paths…then get prepared. It’s a lot of travel for a scoot 3.5 hours of site seeing and you’re not really able to look into the monasteries in detail. If you want to say you went but don’t feel you need the depth of a longer tour, this could be for you. Additionally, the train/bus combo is cumbersome and in my opinion would have been better to just opt for the full bus tour. If you have the time for a 2 day trip that includes other sites like Delphi and/or the Hermit Caves, that would be a good use of such a lengthy journey. Lunch was good and offered big portions. All that to say our local tour guide was great and views were awesome!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed the views, though we understand the long journey can feel demanding. Since Meteora is quite far, many travelers prefer our 2-day trip ,exactly as you said,which allows more time to explore both the breathtaking scenery and the monasteries at a relaxed pace. We’d love to welcome you again!
Judith_T, Sep 2025
Amazing day, informative and wonderful guide. What spectacular and spiritual place.
It is a very long day, we left our accommodation at 7am in Athens and arrived back at 10 am. So be prepared. Just a heads up to anyone that does do the trip from Athens, Athens station( Larissa) is up above the underground station and our train left from platform 8. Check your carriage and seat number to avoid confusion. They come round to scan your ticket.. Enjoy
Beth_D, Jul 2025
It was a total of over 12 hours worth of travel for just 3 hours worth of tour. It was not worth the time or money
Irma_P, Jul 2025
Place is absolutely beautiful, everything went easy, fluid, on time, guide was very knowledgeable and friendly
Rhonda_S, Jun 2025
Breathtaking experience, my granddaughter and I would highly recommend the trip. Long day from Athens but worth it
Halli_D, May 2025
Travel guide was great! We got to go insode 3 monasteries and walk around at our own pace. There was plenty of time at each stop. It was a long travel day but was worth it. This was a really nice experience!
Gilho_L, Nov 2024
This was my first trip to Athens and Meteora, traveling by train and bus from station to station, and taking a local tour of the caves and monasteries. I enjoyed a lunch of delicious Greek food and, as a solo traveler, loved the beautiful sights. Thank you to everyone who helped me along the way!"
Paul_M, Oct 2024
I am sure the trip would have been wonderful, but we were confused by the 3 different sets of directions for meeting the train in Athens and missed it. PLEASE BE AWARE that no one will meet you at the train in Athens! They will send you train tickets by e-mail (Be sure to watch closely as I missed these! I thought the guide I assumed was meeting us at the train station would have them.) You board the train at 8 am without a guide/tour director. They will meet you in Kalambaka and take you by bus to Meteora (I assume since we didn't make it that far!)
Christopher_N, Oct 2024
This was an amazing tour. It was organized and well run. Time management was excellent and it felt like enough time at three monasteries. Kris was an amazing guide. Lunch was additional was reasonable for €15. It was home cooked food. Great photo opportunities. Only downside is the long transport time from Athens… but what can you do?
YunTing_T, Oct 2024
Awesome tour! Part of the railroad is construction (destroyed by flood) so I had to get off the train at Paleofarsalos and switch to a bus to go to Kalambaka. It was a long trip but the view in Meteora was definitely worth it. The "how to get to Kalambaka from Athens" instructions and the introduction to each monastery were very clear and informational. Our guide was very knowledgeable and good at taking photos!
Cindy_L, Sep 2024
We loved our guide!! He was so knowledgeable!! And so kind! Everything he said, was so interesting!! Professional!!
Garrett_D, Sep 2024
A really nice, knowledgeable and well planned tour that hit all the spots and then some. I highly encourage this tour as we got to do items most other tours didn't. He made it simple as a one-click option that included instructions and the train ticket from Athens.
Kevin_F, Aug 2024
Started off at the train station. We took the train because we thought it would be a comfortable. We however did ride a bus from one train station to the next because the tracks got washed out in a flood during the spring. We go to the small bus pickup and our driver was there. Great young guy. Very friendly. Took us around the town, got lunch at a nice little family restaurant and headed on up the mountain. I believe he took us to all the stops and have us plenty of time. Brought us back to the train and explained how the ride back proceeds. Over a great experience and would recommend.
Christine_L, Jul 2024
The monasteries and the views were unforgettable. Truly outstanding. Our guide Joanna and driver Costa were outstanding. Truly professional in every way. They made the trip even better. Whilst the train trip is long, it is comfortable and the organisation and instructions were very easy to follow. This day trip to Meteora is a must do, it is clearly one of the most outstanding destinations for scenery in the world. Be prepared to climb a number of stairs, but I recently had a knee replacement and handled it ok. A very long day, and would do it again I a heart beat.
Wayne_L, Jun 2024
The Meteora tour was absolutely beautiful! The Tour director Juliana and driver Steve were very accommodating, had extensive historical knowledge, what to see and where to get that perfect memorable photo. The monasteries were a sight to see with minimal crowds. A definite relief from most other historical sights to see.
Lunch was fantastic. The train and bus connection was actually quite restful. Fields of blossoming sun flowers majestic mountains and rolling fields were pleasing to eye. It was also an opportunity to enjoy some idle time with my wife and son playing a card game. Sometimes being a captive audience is good thing.
Enjoy!
Sean_B, Jun 2024
This trip should have a warning for anyone who does not do a lot of cardio and wants a very long day from Athens. It's a taxi ride to the train station, 3 1/2 hours on the train to a bus for 2 hours to get to the tour van. then you have to do it all on the way back again. The bathrooms on the train are disgusting. Once you get to see the monasteries, they are beautiful but to get to them is a lot of steps and hills on uneven surfaces. They are very interesting, but I would not do this tour again. We did stop at a restaurant run by the locals and the food was amazing.
Daryl_B, Jun 2024
This was a fantastic tour! The main issue was it took so long to get there, 4+ hours, that we didn't get a chance to visit but 3 monasteries. But the views were breathtaking!
kingdrewtoo, May 2024
Very well managed tour guide was knowledgeable. Very good trip. I recommend staying longer in Kalambaka
Evan_W, Apr 2024
This was one of the highlights of our trip. The only downside was the bus ride between the train and when the tour operator picked us up. That part was cramped and hot. The tour operator and driver were amazing. They were very nice and strived to make a connection with everyone on the trip. The driver was amazing at taking photos and we felt like we had a professional photo shoot. The tour operator really loves the area and the culture and you could tell. They did everything they could to make our tour as good as it could be and they succeeded.
Diane_S, Apr 2024
Don’t know if I would do train again as there were problems both ways but driver and guide were great and visit to monasteries beyond amazing
Taylor_C, Sep 2023
Can't really review this tour as it didn't happen through this company. It was communicated that I'd be traveling by bus instead of train and to check in to find my name on a list. It was not communicated however, that I'd be thrown on a bus with approximately 30 other people instead of 15 TOTAL as promised by the tour description. When I messaged to ask about this and pointed out my name was on the list with a different company, I got told there was a problem with the van and to ask the guide on my current tour. I specifically booked this tour due to the smaller size. The only reason I give 3 stars is because I still had a nice time and was given the promised bottle of wine despite the over-all chaos and lack of communication in having to make alternate plans.
Maria with Visit Meteora however actually deserves the 5 star rating because she was fantastic and saved the day. She was very friendly, funny, and able to lend a local's perspective on the site.
Sunil_M, Sep 2023
Fantastic place to visit with the local tour groups banding together to ensure the lack of trains - flooding has ruined the track - doesn't stop people getting to site! Service stations are quite good so make the most of them.........it's a looooong journey!
I sat in the wrong place en route so missed taking pics of the epic mountain roads inc getting close to sheer drops 😱 My phone battery was dead most of the way back having taken so many pics etc 😢
Our guide Chrissy was so amiable & enthusiastic about the area backed up with lots of information! Our driver Stathis was the one to let me know the change of transport plans which worked out.........he got us around with time for extra stops inc a Game of Thrones throwback!
Be prepared for lots of climbing hills & steps plus the occasional sighting of a turtle 👀 The views & history are worth all the exercise.....
I look forward to having the wine with friends at home even though my friend accidentally left hers on the bus back 🤦🏾♂️
Sachin_T, Aug 2023
Meteora Rocks team Chrysa and the driver did an amazing job taking care of us from arrival in Kalambaka to making sure we were fed to providing amazing hospitality from start to finish.
Chrysa was an amazing guide who did an excellent job telling stories about the history of Monastery and the area. One thing I really loved about Chrysa was how she engaged our 7 and 11 year old kids on the tour. They enjoyed the tour because of Chrysa otherwise they could have been bored.
At one point during the trip we had a thunderstorm heavy rains passed through, my wife and kids stayed back while waiting for the rains to clear.
During this time, it was so cool of Chrysa to teach a little about the history of Meteora and have the kids report back to our group while we were on the move from one monastery to the next. I was really touched by this work from Chrysa. Well done to Chrysa and our driver for a great private experience.
John_L, Jun 2023
Train ride was fuss-free, though it took quite a while. As we were the only people on the tour, it became a private tour! Guide was knowledgeable and helped to take many photos. Was served some Loukoumi along the way. New and comfortable van. Great sights and a must-see when in Greece.
Gobinda_S, Apr 2023
The trip to Meteora was great. Our tour guide was truly amazing. She is a nice person, explained the formation of the rocks, origin of the monasteries, history, cultural part very well. My family including two of our kids (11 and 8) enjoyed the trip very well. The guide and the bus driver interacted with our family like friends. Recent train accident at Greece made the trip duration little short, but the guide and the driver still went above and beyond to get us see all three monasteries that they promised. They stopped many places in between for photoshoots.
Michelle_L, Sep 2022
The Meteora is a must see with its monasteries built on edges of cliff. Very beautiful site, excellent guide. The only draw back was the train ride from Athens. We knew it wold be long however we expected comfortable seating which it was not. I would however do it again for it is truly amazing.
Alison_S, Sep 2022
Our experience on this tour was very disappointing. The company seemed disorganized and the transport van was very uncomfortable. The ride was rough (perhaps a problem with the suspension) and the A/C did not reach to the rear row where we were seated. The outside temperature the day of our tour was 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Our tour guide was very nice, but seemed very unsure of herself and had limited English. She became ill and had to leave the tour. A replacement guide was found, but her narration was very basic; I do not feel I learned much about the history of the monasteries.
SUBHRENDU_D, Jul 2022
The guide and the driver was very pleasant and friendly who took good care of guests and sharing information about the sites.
Amy_D, Jul 2022
The visits to the 3 monasteries were amazing. Celia is a great guide! The Taksiki restaurant recommendation was also perfect!
Nicolas_S, Jun 2022
The guide and driver were very helpful and respectful and the van very confortable
The scenery amazing and out of this world It’s same as we went to the moon
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From Athens:Meteora Caves & Monasteries History Day Trip by Train
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