Is Meteora worth a visit? It’s one of Greece’s most beautiful places – but is it worth the trek to get there from Athens or Thessaloniki?

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What Actually is Meteora?

Before we get into the worth it question, let’s talk about what it is.

With a name that translates roughly to “suspended in the air,” Meteora is made up of massive rock formations rising out of the ground. It’s even more striking when compared to the low hills and flatland surrounding the area for miles 

Formed by a prehistoric sea, these rounded rock formations rise above everything else in columns and mountains. Geology isn’t my usual flavor of science, but these rocks are very cool.

Something this epic has been eye-catching for centuries. Starting in the 13th century, a series of monasteries and convents were built on the tops. By the 16th century, there were 24 working monastic communities. Now, six active monasteries and convents remain and are open to the public.

It looks like something out of a movie, like Avatar or somewhere in Star Wars. If it looks familiar, you may have seen it in James Bond, The Bourne Identity, or Lara Croft Tomb Raider. Meteora was also the inspiration for Game of Thrones‘ Eeryie. Honestly, it’s the kind of place I’m surprised isn’t in more big movies – a perfectly otherworldly setting.

Visit the Monasteries

If Meteora is worth a visit, it’s to see the monasteries sitting on top of the rock formations!

There are six monasteries still open: Great Meteoron, Varlaam, Roussanou, Agios (St.) Stefanos and Agios Nikolaos, and Holy Trinity Monastery. Each has slightly different hours. They don’t all have websites, but this site has a rough approximation of their usual opening times.

To visit any monastery, you’ll need to follow the dress code. Shoulders and knees need to be covered on both men and women. Everything I read says women need to wear skirts, not pants, but when I visited in the off-season I wore jeans and the gentleman at the door let me in without a second look. Many also offer sarongs to borrow, but best to be prepared and bring your own: you don’t want to get turned away!

Each monastery costs around 3€ to enter, so bring cash.

I don’t think you need to visit all six. While they’re all beautiful, they share some characteristics because they were built in the same era. So no need to rush through and check them all off.

I visited in the off-season (February), so several were closed to visitors entirely. If you’re planning your visit without a guide, be flexible – you may not know which are open until you arrive at the entrance!

Realistically, you can see three in a day without rushing. It’s possible to see all six in a day, but the pace is so fast that it loses some of the point of visiting.

If you’re planning one day, I’d prioritize:

• Great Meteoron – it’s the oldest and largest of the six. It contains three small museums that are worth checking out, and the property itself is gorgeous with great views of the valley below.
• Varlaam – only a few steps away from Great Meteoron and also the second biggest. Its maze of chapels and courtyards is great to wander. As a bonus, it has western-style toilets, so use them while you’re here.
• Holy Trinity – this one is one of the smaller ones and sits on a column of rock by itself. You have to climb up about 150 steps to get there, but it’s worth it! It’s also the monastery used in James Bond’s For Your Eyes Only.

The other three are great if you have two days:

• Roussanou – it’s nuns only, no monks. it’s considered one of the most beautiful but also the least visited of the six.
• St. Stephen’s – another nunnery. It’s one of the easiest to get to. It was heavily damaged during WWII (Nazis made their way up here) and was restored in the 1960s.
• St. Nikolaos – is rumored to currently house just one abbot, but I couldn’t find confirmation on this.

What Else Is There To Do?

Aside from visiting the monasteries, the views along the drive are incredible. Make sure to stop often for the scenery!

The biggest advantage to spending a night is catching the sunset! While you get great views practically anywhere, there are two especially good sunset spots. The more popular is right next to Varlaam, which has great views but tends to be crowded. The better option is called Psaropetra, but google maps names it “Main Observation Deck of Meteora.”

One of the best ways to experience Meteroa is by hiking. There’s a good hike up to Great Meteoron worth taking: it’s a great way to get some scenery as you make your way up to the monastery! Starts here and takes about 45 minutes to get to the top. When the path forks (around 30 minutes in), take the left trail to Great Meteoron.

If you’re looking for something more intense do the Great Saint via ferrata! A via ferrata takes hiking to the next level: you’re strapped in and includes bouldering/light rock climbing along the way. Or go all the way and join centuries of monks in rock climbing.

How To See Meteora

Now that you’ve decided Meteora is worth a visit, how should you do it?

In a group trip

The simplest is an organized tour. Most do it as a long day trip from Athens*, but there are also tons of options from Thessaloniki**.

It’s a 3 hour 30 minute drive from Athens, or 2 hours 45 minutes from Thessaloniki. So a long day in the car/bus for sure. I’d recommend doing a small group tour- typically these are better organized, more comfortable, and feel less hectic when you’re stopping.

But these sorts of trips do a decent job of stopping for breaks, small sights along the way, etc.

On these you’ll likely get to enter one or two of the monasteries – you won’t have time for many more.

On Your Own

The cheapest way is to DIY it. You can get up here on your own a few different ways.

If you’re traveling in a small group and are up for, renting a car gives you the most options and flexibility. It’s so nice to park, enjoy the view for a few minutes, and get back on the road without waiting for everyone else to take their selfies.

As someone who’s lived in Italy for nearly 5 years, I can say that driving in Greece isn’t hectic. People don’t often follow the rules, but their driving isn’t too fast/reckless/scary. It’s just… disregarding the rules, which makes them unpredictable. In the countryside (and around Meteora), I would feel comfortable driving. In a city like Thessaloniki or Athens, I wouldn’t necessarily.

If you’re solo or prefer not to rent a car, you can take the train to Kalambaka or bus to Trikala. From there, you still likely need to do a local day trip or hire a driver for a few hours. Or you can rent an ebike for some flexibility without committing to a car!

Some people hike up from Kalabaka: while it’s possible, it’s a sweltering day with almost no spots to buy more food or water. I don’t recommend it.

If you want a hybrid, I did find one where the guide meets you at the local train station, if that’s more your speed!

How Much Time Do You Need In Meteora?

This is the big question: day trip or overnight?

The reality is that it’s a relatively small place, far from Greece’s other major tourist attractions. Because it’s so far away, an overnight gives you the chance to explore it slowly or get up there early before the tour groups arrive.

You could turn it into a road trip and also see Olympus and Thessaloniki. The great thing about this is that you can truly experience the place, see a few different monasteries (or all of them), and experience a sunset over an already incredibly beautiful place.

That being said, I felt like I got a sense of the place while spending an afternoon here. It was enough time to visit one monastery, do some walking but no big hiking, and stop at tons of viewpoints. If you don’t plan to go inside more than one monastery, a day is enough.

Meteora Hotels

If you do spend a night, here are a few hotel options nearby:

Pyrgos Adrachti rooms all have great views of Meteora, and the hotel itself is about 1 km from the closest monastery if you want to walk there!

Tsikeli Hotel is an adults-only property that’s resort-style, perfect for treating yourself! Several of the rooms have private hot tubs, and they offer bike and car rentals on site.

SaltHouse is an apartment in the center of Kalabaka, perfect if you’re car-free while you’re here.

So, Is Meteora Worth a Visit?

Is Meteora worth a visit? As always, it depends!

If you do one inland Greece place, Meteora is the one.

It makes for one long day trip from Athens. You have to decide if spending 7-8 hours in a van is worth the incredible views. But as an easy first day activity to get over jetlag, it may make sense.

If you have time for an overnight, it’s definitely worth it. I’d say 24 hours in Athens and 24 hours in Meteora would let you see the best of both.

From Thessaloniki or as part of a Greece road trip, I say 100% yes, no question!

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