Greece / Delphi & Meteora / Meteora (Kalambaka)Meteora (Kalambaka)
Monasteries on Top of Sandstone Pillars
Six working Orthodox monasteries perched on sheer rock towers above the town of Kalambaka and the village of Kastraki, a UNESCO site. Steps cut into the rock lead into each; every monastery closes one or two days a week and on some feast days, and a strict dress code applies (women in skirts below the knee, men in long trousers; wraps are lent at the gate). Sunset from the viewpoints and the old hermit caves are the other draws. The direct train from Athens is suspended in 2026: Hellenic Train runs to Palaiofarsalos with a bus on to Kalambaka, about 5.5 to 6 hours.
Highlights
- Great Meteoron and Varlaam monasteries
- Holy Trinity's rock-cut steps
- Sunset from the rocks above Kastraki
- Hermit caves walk
- Roussanou nunnery
- Kastraki village
Things to do
- Great Meteoron and Varlaam monasteriesMorning · 3h 30m
- Holy Trinity and St Stephen'sAfternoon · 3h
- Sunset tour of the viewpointsEvening · 3h
- Hiking trails between the rocks and the hermit cavesMorning · 3h 30m
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: April – June, September – October
Heads up
Summer Heat
July and August bring heatwaves of 35-40 °C and more to the mainland and the big islands. See ancient sites at opening time (they have little shade, and can close at midday in extreme heat), rest in the afternoon, carry water, and book rooms with air-conditioning.
Heads up
No Through Train to Kalambaka
The railway beyond Palaiofarsalos was closed for works in October 2026: Hellenic Train sells a through ticket from Athens with a bus for the last two hours (two a day each way), about 5.5-6 hours in all. Reopening has been forecast for anywhere from late 2026 to mid-2027. Buy tickets before you travel, as neither Kalambaka nor Palaiofarsalos sells them.
- Orthodox Easter (Pascha) — Greece's biggest festival: candlelit Good Friday processions, the midnight Resurrection service on Saturday with fireworks and church bells, and lamb roasts on Sunday. Corfu's is the most famous, with clay pots thrown from balconies on Holy Saturday morning. Greeks travel home, so ferries, flights and hotels fill, and shops, museums and sites close or shorten hours from Good Friday to Easter Monday. Book well ahead.