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Meteora Tours: Sunset and Panoramic or Hiking Adventure
4.5
132 Ratings
Athens
Experience the awe-inspiring beauty of Meteora on a two-day tour from Athens. Explore six monasteries, witness the majestic sunset, and learn about the history from a knowledgeable local tour guide.
Duration:
2 days
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
Departure from Athens by bus - Hotel Check in - Majestic Sunset Meteora Tour
Meteora - Depart from Athens at 8:00am to Kalabaka with our coach-bus and admire the beautiful Greek landscapes during your trip. Shortstop midway to Meteora.
Arriving in Kalabaka at 12:30 we will transfer you to your hotel to check in and be prepared for the Majestic Sunset Meteora Tour. We will pick you up from your hotel for the tour.
The Majestic Sunset Meteora tour is one of the top rated tours in the area. You will have for 4 hrs the chance to see all the area, visit 1 main monastery inside, the Byzantine Church of Virgin Mary in the old city of Kalabaka and admire the sunset from the best panoramic viewpoint of Meteora rocks.
After your tour, we will drop you off again at your hotel or in Kalabaka for a short walk.
Monastery of St. Stephan - Admire St Stephen (Agios Stefanos) Nunnery during your Majestic Sunset Meteora Tour
Byzantine Church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary - Visit the oldest monument of the area and learn the history of this important sacred place.
Panoramic Morning Tour or Authentic Hiking Tour - Free Time - Departure from Kalabaka to Athens
Meteora - Next morning at 09:00 join a comprehensive Panoramic Morning Meteora Tour (3 monasteries inside) or an Authentic Hiking Meteora Tour (1 monastery inside) (your choice, you have to inform us by email after the booking which tour you wish to do).
For 4 hours you will have the chance to experience all the beauty of the unique phenomenon of Meteora and the Holy monasteries on top of the rock giants.
After your morning Meteora activity we will transfer you back to your hotel to have lunch and prepare for your departure back to Athens.
The bus departs from Kalabaka at 18:00 and you will arrive in Athens around 22:45.
Great Meteoron Monastery - Visit Great Meteoron, the biggest and oldest monastery of Meteora. You will visit this monastery if you choose Panoramic Morning Meteora Tour or the Authentic Hiking Meteora tour (the monastery is closed every Tuesday and in this case you will visit Varlaam or St Nicholas Monastery)
Varlaam Monastery - Admire the monastery of Varlaam
Holy Monastery of Rousanos - Saint Barbara - Admire Rousanou Nunnery
What's Included
- Hotel Pickup / Drop off (for the 2 Meteora tours)
- One night 3 hotel accommodation with breakfast (4 extra cost)
- Panoramic Morning OR Authentic Hiking Meteora Tour – ( 2nd day )
- Convenient transportation from / to Athens with air-conditioned bus-coach
- Highly educated, English speaking, Tour Leader during the 2 tours
- Majestic Sunset Meteora Tour – ( 1st day )
What's Not Included
- Pickup / Drop off from Hotel in Athens
- Entrance fees of Monasteries (3 euro each)
- Stayover hotel tax paid personally in reception (1.5€/room 3 hotel, 3€/room 4 hotel)
- Meals and soft drinks
- Guide iinside the monasteries
- Tips (optional)
Additional Information
Travel by our coach bus from Athens and enjoy two 4-hour local Meteora tours, one each day. Experience the Majestic Sunset Tour on the first day and choose between the Panoramic Morning Tour or the Authentic Hiking Tour on the second day. We are the only ones in the area offering these tours. See all six monasteries and the incredible phenomenon of the giant rocks. Learn the history from the best local tour guide with our mini bus.
- Departure place: Athens Train Station (Larissis Station) be there at least 15 min before the departure of the bus at 08:00 am exactly
- There will be a sign “METEORA THRONES – TRAVEL CENTER” on the window of the bus , waiting outside the train station on the road across the street from the train station.
- Supplier is not responsible if you miss the bus please be there on time
- Appropriate clothing for everyone is required to enter the monasteries. For ladies skirts by the knee or longer are required. No pants for ladies, no shorts, no sleeveless shirt. For men sleeveless clothing and shorts over the knee are prohibited.
- Please make sure you have cash for the monasteries 3 euro each entrance. There is no ATM machine in the area.
- For the second’s day activity please send us an email or message with your choise between the Panoramic Morning Meteora Tour or the Authentic Hiking Meteora Tour
- If you do not contact us with your preference for the 2nd day you are automatically registered to the Panoramic Morning Meteora Tour
Location
Larissa Station
--- Athens Railway Station (Larissis Station) at : 08:00 am --- There will be a sign “METEORA THRONES – TRAVEL CENTER” on the window of the bus, waiting outside the train station on the road across the street from the train station , Diligianni Str (be there at least 15 min before )
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.5
(132 Ratings)
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沂萱
Sep 25, 2024
Floating Monastery, Perfect Experience - The itinerary and accommodation are good, but the two-day itinerary has some repeating places, which is recommended to fix again.
Car drivers and tour guides are also very responsible, so avoid the trouble of arranging the car yourself, it is worth Recommendation.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Quest13183432014
Sep 22, 2024
Our Guide Maria - In all our Trips, Maria is undoubtedly the Best Guide we have ever had.
In addition to being of notable joviality, Maria has an in-depth knowledge of everything related to Meteors.
Consider yourself lucky if it is assigned to your visit.
Congratulations Maria 😉
Louise & Yves from Quebec
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Z8365zamelissap
Sep 21, 2024
Meteora - I've travelled to many countries, done many tours and solo tours but this 2 day trip was my best experience to date. Inclusive was coach transfer from Athens return, comfortable overnight accommodation with breakfast and tour guides during the 2 days.
The guides and drivers were very friendly and helpful assisting my friend (with mobility issues) and I.
Top travel company.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jad_s
Aug 17, 2024
great tour - both Guides Yannis and Stephanie (i think) were great guides they have a lot of knowledge and are very friendly, the tour takes you to the main monasteries of Meteora
Review provided by Viator
Carab943
Aug 15, 2024
Amazing experience! - The tour was as advertised (read carefully). Air conditioned and comfortable bus to Meteora with a 30 min midway stop. Check into hotel Alexiou (simple but sufficient, includes breakfast, 7 min walk to town centre) and then as expected there is a 4 hour gap in which we went out for a nice meal and relaxed. You can check out the shops. We also walked to a viewpoint of the town / rocks though was very hot. We tried to go to the diorama museum but it closed at 3 not 4 pm. The sunset tour was excellent with various stops at view points and history given, one monestary (the guide does not go in) and a visit to the Byzantine church (the guide does go in). There is a brief drink stop as well and views of the hermit caves. We got dropped at the city centre to eat dinner. The next day we chose the hiking tour. Because it was very hot we went up to Meteora in the bus and the guide repeated some information but we also learned new things and saw another monestary. We then hiked down and our guide Yannis P was excellent - friendly and so informative as he is an archaeologist. The hike was easy if you are used to hiking, dirt paths, some loose gravel so need runners at a minimum. No scrambling over rocks. Brings lots of water and a snack. It can be hot but many areas are shaded and there were a few but not many mosquitoes. We got amazing views of various current and abandoned monasteries, caves and it felt quite different than the night before. We were very happy with our choice! After we ate lunch again in Kalabaka. The break was a bit long and it was very hot so while my husband rented an e-bike, the rest of us went to the natural history / mushroom museum which had A/C. We were interested in the geological museum in Kastraki but closed at 3 pm so we should have gone there first. Otherwise we relaxed in the shops with ice cream. The meteora thrones trip was worth it and we are glad we took the 2 days to experience it more and not have so much driving in one day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chloepd8377oq
Sep 20, 2024
Comprehensive trip - Comprehensive trip but communication could be better.
Met coach at Larissa, all a bit chaotic but left promptly at 8am. Stopped halfway at a large cafeteria/shop place with plenty of toilets for 30 mins. Slightly chaotic arrival at Kalabaka with bus changes but taken to hotel. No information provided for the entire journey until we arrived at the hotel though!
Sunset tour with Maria was excellent. She was super enthusiastic, passionate and we learned a lot about the area, monasteries, Greek orthodox faith, hermits etc. Sunset was beautiful although busier and more crowded than expected.
Next morning we did the panoramic tour, visiting 3 monasteries. I didn't expect the biggest two to be so horribly busy. We spent a lot of time queuing to get into the monasteries and sometimes couldn't even get into areas like the church. The coach and car traffic was horrific. Our guide, Anastasia, was friendly and helpful. The scenery is amazing but I wonder if they will have to limit numbers in future.
We had around 4 hours free before the coach back, which had the same stop as on the way out. Coach comfortable.
Definitely worth doing as a trip, but would be nice to have more communication throughout about breaks, stops etc.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Patriciafo1835bv
Sep 12, 2024
Great tour - We really enjoyed the tour. The view was amazing and the guides did a good job.
Some things that we think could be improved:
- After arriving in Kalambaka, we had to change to smaller bus
ses that took us to our hotels. It wasn't well organised, since they left some people at the changing place and had to come back for them.
- On the second day, we had a morning tour where we visited 3 monasteries. We'd enjoyed the tour more if they gave us more time per monastery, especially since after the tour we had a 5 hours break until our return to Athens.
- The bus from Athens to Kalambaka had a toilet which was closed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G6092hkpeterl
Sep 13, 2024
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - 1. Both tour guides are good and knowledgeable. However, there are overlapping.
2. It may be a best arrangement for a business operator, but NOT for consumers. The 2nd day afternoon is a total waste of time - free time. No where to go but stranded in the hotel lobby to wait for the return bus at late afternoon.
3. To pay €50 per person to upgrade from a 3 star hotel to a 4 star hotel (Hotel Kosta Famissi) is not reasonable and unprofessional with the fact that the hotel is selling at €70 per room. Above all, the hotel's condition is worse than an inn. We were assigned with a room with leaking toilet seat, the tub has a very narrow glass penal where the bottom and the side is not sealed. Hence, you will have a creek when taking shower running out from the tub onto the floor thence to the drain. Both makes the toilet floor wet. More, the AC is dripping . We reported that before we left for the 1st day tour. They said they will look into it. When we returned and asked, they replied it's fixed. The fact is they did not do anything - the floor is still wet and the tissue we used trying to dry the floor is still there soaked. Our neighbors has no AC at all. The hotel didn't take any actions to correct the conditions. Don't think it is a communication problem but rather an attitude issue.
Meteors Tour should refund us the accommodation charges or at least the upgrade fee. Your business partners' failure could also destroy your reputation.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laurabf9532od
Aug 30, 2024
a very beautiful site with the constraints of an organized group tour. - Meteora site is astonishing, and having a two days experience is a chance to take! We took the 3 stars option which was comfortable enough.
That being said, some parts of this tour were amazing and some others to improve.
On the first day we did visit the Meteora on the perspective of monastery and religion life while on the second day we chose the morning hiking which was more focused on the geological aspect of the region.
This tour was our favorite.
The first one was a lot of bus, we barely walked and our guide was not enough fluent in English. It looks like she was reciting a Wikipedia page. On top of that another group of the same tour but led by another guide was doing the same stops sometimes at the same time. We could hear comments in stereo and witness that the other guide gave more informations. Not really nice when you pay the same price but not for the same experience.
The second thing that I would improve is the free time. On day one We had 2 or 3 hours which was ok to have lunch and rest from the 4 hours trip by bus. But the day after, once we had finished the hiking tour, we had 5 hours of waiting before the bus to come back to Athens. If Meteora site is amazing, the city is just average and the check out of the hotel done in the morning you just have to be byyourself. It’s like you are expected to buy in every shops of the city.
First it was late with no explanation, and second it was already full certainly from people who went just for one day, eating in the bus (nice for the smell) and with not so many places left. When you have already waited for 5 hours, the 4 hours back on the bus is not a pleasure.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andrew_t
Sep 10, 2024
A place to see, but 4-star not worth it - You absolutely have to visit Meteora on your visit to Greece. One of the most fantastic places on earth. But be advised, there are a LOT of stairs to climb. However, we were disappointed with the ‘4-star’ hotel this tour offered. At best, the hotel is a 2 star based on American standards, and that is being generous. The garish lobby is a step up from just a hotel desk, but beyond that pretty disappointing. The beds in our room were smaller than an American twin size and were concave in the middle. The breakfast that was included did not even come up to a Hampton Inn, or Fairfield breakfast. Seems there are many other nicer options in the area. My suggestion would be to make your own travel plans, you can sign up for the Monastery tours directly with Metora Thrones, for around $30. Also, I wish the tour itself and bus drivers gave some initial information about schedule and expectations.. we felt we were just getting on a bus and not knowing what was to be expected, rest stops, food options, schedule, etc..
Review provided by Viator
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