#3 out of 14 in Athens
Meteora Tours
Stand beneath Meteora’s towering sandstone pillars, where centuries-old monasteries cling precariously to sheer cliffs. Marvel at frescoes and relics within these UNESCO-listed spiritual retreats, then wander hiking trails that weave through this surreal landscape. Secure your guided tour tickets with hassle-free transfers for a seamless visit from Athens, Thessaloniki, or Meteora.
4.5/5
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4.7(444)
Guided Tours
Free cancellation
Book now, pay later
10 hr
3 more
- Skip the hassle and experience all of Meteora in one seamless day. Travel from Athens in a luxury, air-conditioned coach and enjoy a curated journey through all six cliff-top monasteries.
- Your guide will share how monks scaled 300-meter cliffs with rope pulleys and tell tales of hermits who lived in silence for decades.
- Climb the stone stairways to 3 to 4 active monasteries in Meteora, like the Great Meteoron, the oldest and largest, or Varlaam, home to a towering 12,000-litre rain barrel still in use today.
- Walk a short trail to the Hermit Caves of Badovas, where monks once lived in cliffside grottoes, climbing with ropes and ladders that still hang above the cave mouths.
- Choose the lunch upgrade and enjoy comforting dishes like baked feta drizzled with honey, cinnamon-laced moussaka, and crispy spanakopita at Kastraki Village.
More details
- Skip the hassle and experience all of Meteora in one seamless day. Travel from Athens in a luxury, air-conditioned coach and enjoy a curated journey through all six cliff-top monasteries.
- Your guide will share how monks scaled 300-meter cliffs with rope pulleys and tell tales of hermits who lived in silence for decades.
- Climb the stone stairways to 3 to 4 active monasteries in Meteora, like the Great Meteoron, the oldest and largest, or Varlaam, home to a towering 12,000-litre rain barrel still in use today.
- Walk a short trail to the Hermit Caves of Badovas, where monks once lived in cliffside grottoes, climbing with ropes and ladders that still hang above the cave mouths.
- Choose the lunch upgrade and enjoy comforting dishes like baked feta drizzled with honey, cinnamon-laced moussaka, and crispy spanakopita at Kastraki Village.
from
€45
4.7(24)
Guided Tours
Free cancellation
Book now, pay later
4 hr
2 more
- Ditch the crowds and enjoy a more personal Meteora experience with a small-group tour (max 19), complete with hotel pickup, round-trip transfers in a VIP Mercedes minibus, and flexible touring options.
- Choose between a half-day sightseeing tour with access to up to 3 monasteries and in-depth storytelling, or a sunset tour that includes 1 monastery, the Byzantine Church of the Virgin Mary, and ends with a golden-hour photo stop.
- An English-speaking local guide will share tales of monks who hauled themselves up in rope baskets, the secrets of the 1000-year-old Byzantine Church of the Virgin Mary, and how Meteora became a place of refuge during invasions and empires.
- Take in the quiet beauty of Agios Stefanos, with its floral courtyard and active nunnery, or explore the vertical wonder of St. Nicholas Anapausas, famed for its 16th-century frescoes and soul-stirring mountain views.
- Did you know? The tiny chapel inside St. Nicholas Anapausas Monastery was painted in just one month by a single monk-artist, Theophanes the Cretan. His vivid 16th-century frescoes still cover the walls today.
More details
- Ditch the crowds and enjoy a more personal Meteora experience with a small-group tour (max 19), complete with hotel pickup, round-trip transfers in a VIP Mercedes minibus, and flexible touring options.
- Choose between a half-day sightseeing tour with access to up to 3 monasteries and in-depth storytelling, or a sunset tour that includes 1 monastery, the Byzantine Church of the Virgin Mary, and ends with a golden-hour photo stop.
- An English-speaking local guide will share tales of monks who hauled themselves up in rope baskets, the secrets of the 1000-year-old Byzantine Church of the Virgin Mary, and how Meteora became a place of refuge during invasions and empires.
- Take in the quiet beauty of Agios Stefanos, with its floral courtyard and active nunnery, or explore the vertical wonder of St. Nicholas Anapausas, famed for its 16th-century frescoes and soul-stirring mountain views.
- Did you know? The tiny chapel inside St. Nicholas Anapausas Monastery was painted in just one month by a single monk-artist, Theophanes the Cretan. His vivid 16th-century frescoes still cover the walls today.
from
€25
NEW
Day Trips
Free cancellation
Book now, pay later
48 hr
3 more
- This two-day Meteora tour from Athens lets you experience it all without feeling rushed. Travel by luxury coach, stay in a 3-star or 4-star hotel with breakfast, and visit all six monasteries. Enjoy a sunset tour and choose between sightseeing or hiking on the second day, with all transfers included.
- Your expert guide brings Meteora to life with stories about secret monk traditions, hidden details in the monasteries, and the area’s history through empires and invasions.
- On the first day, take a sunset tour through Kalabaka’s Old Town to the 1,000-year-old Byzantine Church of the Virgin Mary, ending at a remote viewpoint where the sun sets behind Meteora’s jagged spires.
- On the second day, choose between a sightseeing tour and a hiking tour. The sightseeing tour invites you to explore 2 to 3 monasteries, each with its own unique story, from the towering domes of Varlaam to the fresco-filled halls of Great Meteoron, the oldest and largest of them all.
- The hiking tour takes you beyond the usual routes, following ancient monk trails through shaded forests and up to panoramic cliffside plateaus, perfect for stunning views without the crowds.
- Did you know? The old kitchen at Great Meteoron Monastery still holds a giant iron cauldron once used to cook for dozens of monks. It was stirred with a wooden paddle that’s taller than the average person, and it’s still on display today.
More details
- This two-day Meteora tour from Athens lets you experience it all without feeling rushed. Travel by luxury coach, stay in a 3-star or 4-star hotel with breakfast, and visit all six monasteries. Enjoy a sunset tour and choose between sightseeing or hiking on the second day, with all transfers included.
- Your expert guide brings Meteora to life with stories about secret monk traditions, hidden details in the monasteries, and the area’s history through empires and invasions.
- On the first day, take a sunset tour through Kalabaka’s Old Town to the 1,000-year-old Byzantine Church of the Virgin Mary, ending at a remote viewpoint where the sun sets behind Meteora’s jagged spires.
- On the second day, choose between a sightseeing tour and a hiking tour. The sightseeing tour invites you to explore 2 to 3 monasteries, each with its own unique story, from the towering domes of Varlaam to the fresco-filled halls of Great Meteoron, the oldest and largest of them all.
- The hiking tour takes you beyond the usual routes, following ancient monk trails through shaded forests and up to panoramic cliffside plateaus, perfect for stunning views without the crowds.
- Did you know? The old kitchen at Great Meteoron Monastery still holds a giant iron cauldron once used to cook for dozens of monks. It was stirred with a wooden paddle that’s taller than the average person, and it’s still on display today.
from
€105
4.4(1,338)
Day Trips
Free cancellation
Book now, pay later
10 hr
2 more
- Short on time but want to experience the best of Meteora? This half-day tour from Thessaloniki includes air-conditioned coach transfers and guided visits to two active monasteries, all without the stress of planning.
- With a trained archaeologist leading the way, learn how nature shaped Meteora’s cliffs, trace the evolution of its cliff-top monasteries, and witness centuries-old Orthodox rituals still practiced today.
- Visit two of Meteora’s living monasteries, perhaps Agios Stefanos, a working convent with beautifully frescoed chapels, or Roussanou, perched atop a slender rock pillar and known for its compact layout and colorful iconostasis.
- Stop at scenic lookout points for sweeping 360-degree views of all six Meteora monasteries, perfectly perched against the Pindus Mountains.
- Did you know? The tiny rope pulleys and wooden winch baskets once used to haul monks and supplies up Meteora’s cliffs are still on display at Varlaam Monastery, a humbling reminder that, for centuries, the only way up was by faith, muscle, and a handmade lift.
More details
- Short on time but want to experience the best of Meteora? This half-day tour from Thessaloniki includes air-conditioned coach transfers and guided visits to two active monasteries, all without the stress of planning.
- With a trained archaeologist leading the way, learn how nature shaped Meteora’s cliffs, trace the evolution of its cliff-top monasteries, and witness centuries-old Orthodox rituals still practiced today.
- Visit two of Meteora’s living monasteries, perhaps Agios Stefanos, a working convent with beautifully frescoed chapels, or Roussanou, perched atop a slender rock pillar and known for its compact layout and colorful iconostasis.
- Stop at scenic lookout points for sweeping 360-degree views of all six Meteora monasteries, perfectly perched against the Pindus Mountains.
- Did you know? The tiny rope pulleys and wooden winch baskets once used to haul monks and supplies up Meteora’s cliffs are still on display at Varlaam Monastery, a humbling reminder that, for centuries, the only way up was by faith, muscle, and a handmade lift.
from
€60
NEW
Guided Tours
Free cancellation
Book now, pay later
4 hr 30 min
2 more
- Experience Meteora up close on this small-group hiking tour, limited to 12 guests and complete with VIP minibus transfers for a seamless, immersive adventure.
- Follow the original foot-carved trails once used by monks and locals to access the cliff-top monasteries. You’ll walk under natural stone arches, past centuries-old junipers, and through secret forest paths that feel completely removed from the modern world.
- A professional mountain guide will share how Meteora’s cliffs were formed 60 million years ago, point out hidden monk trails in the forest, and explain how this remote area became a spiritual haven.
- Your hike ends with a visit to one of Meteora’s crown jewels, Great Meteoron, the oldest and largest of the six, known for its frescoed chapel and monk’s kitchen preserved in time, or Varlaam, famed for its elegant dome and mountaintop vistas.
- Did you know? The monks of Meteora once used smoke signals between monasteries to communicate across the cliffs, a method developed in secret during Ottoman rule. Today, you can still spot the narrow sightlines between Varlaam and Great Meteoron that made it possible.
More details
- Experience Meteora up close on this small-group hiking tour, limited to 12 guests and complete with VIP minibus transfers for a seamless, immersive adventure.
- Follow the original foot-carved trails once used by monks and locals to access the cliff-top monasteries. You’ll walk under natural stone arches, past centuries-old junipers, and through secret forest paths that feel completely removed from the modern world.
- A professional mountain guide will share how Meteora’s cliffs were formed 60 million years ago, point out hidden monk trails in the forest, and explain how this remote area became a spiritual haven.
- Your hike ends with a visit to one of Meteora’s crown jewels, Great Meteoron, the oldest and largest of the six, known for its frescoed chapel and monk’s kitchen preserved in time, or Varlaam, famed for its elegant dome and mountaintop vistas.
- Did you know? The monks of Meteora once used smoke signals between monasteries to communicate across the cliffs, a method developed in secret during Ottoman rule. Today, you can still spot the narrow sightlines between Varlaam and Great Meteoron that made it possible.
from
€35
4.7(18)
Guided Tours
Free cancellation
Book now, pay later
15 hr
2 more
-
Travel in luxury and comfort on a VIP bus for a day trip from Athens to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Meteora with a local guide.
-
Pass by ancient monasteries and step inside 3 of them to marvel at their architecture and history at your own expense.
-
Discover age-old hermit caves, the Chapel of Doupiani, and St. George Mandilas cave, uncovering the secrets of Meteora's past.
-
Enjoy a delicious Greek meal in Kalambaka, including a fresh salad, main dish, bread, and water, before heading back to Athens.
-
Fun Fact: According to Greek mythology, the striking rock formations of Meteora were created by the mythical hero Hercules.
More details
-
Travel in luxury and comfort on a VIP bus for a day trip from Athens to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Meteora with a local guide.
-
Pass by ancient monasteries and step inside 3 of them to marvel at their architecture and history at your own expense.
-
Discover age-old hermit caves, the Chapel of Doupiani, and St. George Mandilas cave, uncovering the secrets of Meteora's past.
-
Enjoy a delicious Greek meal in Kalambaka, including a fresh salad, main dish, bread, and water, before heading back to Athens.
-
Fun Fact: According to Greek mythology, the striking rock formations of Meteora were created by the mythical hero Hercules.
from
€79
4.6(174)
Day Trips
Free cancellation
Book now, pay later
10 hr
3 more
- This tour is your all-in-one pass to Meteora, combining luxury travel, monastery visits, hidden cave access, and a traditional Greek lunch, all in one unforgettable day.
- A professional guide will share how monks carved staircases into sheer cliffs, how nuns preserve ancient rituals, and the hidden meanings behind frescoes painted during Ottoman rule.
- Depending on the day, explore Great Meteoron, with its fresco-lined dining hall and relic-filled ossuary, or Varlaam, known for its ornate domed chapels and a 12,000-litre rain barrel suspended high above the valley floor.
- Follow a short trail to reach the weather-worn Hermit Caves, where monks once lived in complete isolation, hoisting up supplies with ropes and ladders that still dangle hauntingly above the entrances.
- Did you know? At Great Meteoron Monastery, a monk named Father Theophilos spent over a decade reviving 15th-century frescoes using natural pigments made from crushed stone and local plants.
More details
- This tour is your all-in-one pass to Meteora, combining luxury travel, monastery visits, hidden cave access, and a traditional Greek lunch, all in one unforgettable day.
- A professional guide will share how monks carved staircases into sheer cliffs, how nuns preserve ancient rituals, and the hidden meanings behind frescoes painted during Ottoman rule.
- Depending on the day, explore Great Meteoron, with its fresco-lined dining hall and relic-filled ossuary, or Varlaam, known for its ornate domed chapels and a 12,000-litre rain barrel suspended high above the valley floor.
- Follow a short trail to reach the weather-worn Hermit Caves, where monks once lived in complete isolation, hoisting up supplies with ropes and ladders that still dangle hauntingly above the entrances.
- Did you know? At Great Meteoron Monastery, a monk named Father Theophilos spent over a decade reviving 15th-century frescoes using natural pigments made from crushed stone and local plants.
from
€56
NEW
Day Trips
14 hr
Audio guide
Transfers included
1 more
- Get the full Meteora experience with this all-in-one tour from Athens, complete with round-trip coach transfers, monastery visits, photo stops, and shopping time.
- Your local English-speaking guide leads the 4-hour tour, explaining everything from the symbolic meaning of monastery frescoes to how monks once scaled the cliffs in rope baskets.
- Step inside three of Meteora’s active monasteries, such as Varlaam, with its restored wooden staircases and sweeping cliffside views, or Roussanou, a convent delicately balanced on a slender rock pillar, its gardens tended by resident nuns.
- Explore the Hermit Caves of Badovas, once home to solitary monks, then stop by Kalabaka, filled with artisan workshops and local delicacies, perfect for taking a piece of Meteora home.
- Opt for the lunch upgrade and enjoy local specialties like grilled souvlaki, vine-wrapped dolmades, and flaky spanakopita in Kastraki Village, all with a view of Meteora’s soaring rock formations.
More details
- Get the full Meteora experience with this all-in-one tour from Athens, complete with round-trip coach transfers, monastery visits, photo stops, and shopping time.
- Your local English-speaking guide leads the 4-hour tour, explaining everything from the symbolic meaning of monastery frescoes to how monks once scaled the cliffs in rope baskets.
- Step inside three of Meteora’s active monasteries, such as Varlaam, with its restored wooden staircases and sweeping cliffside views, or Roussanou, a convent delicately balanced on a slender rock pillar, its gardens tended by resident nuns.
- Explore the Hermit Caves of Badovas, once home to solitary monks, then stop by Kalabaka, filled with artisan workshops and local delicacies, perfect for taking a piece of Meteora home.
- Opt for the lunch upgrade and enjoy local specialties like grilled souvlaki, vine-wrapped dolmades, and flaky spanakopita in Kastraki Village, all with a view of Meteora’s soaring rock formations.
from
€48.80
4.5(120)
Day Trips
Free cancellation
Book now, pay later
13 hr
3 more
-
Spend a day amidst the stunning rock formations and monasteries of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Meteora, with round-trip private transfers in Mercedes Benz vehicles from Athens.
-
Visit the monument of Leonidas in Thermopylae and tune into your multilingual smartphone audio guide to learn about the legendary battle of the 300 Spartans against the Persian army.
-
With your English-speaking driver set out to explore at least 3 of the 6 functioning Byzantine monasteries, adorned with exquisite frescoes, religious artifacts, and manuscripts.
-
Enjoy a flexible itinerary as you explore the dramatic landscape of towering cliffs reaching up to 400m.
-
Fun Fact: Meteora's surreal landscape has been featured in the James Bond film, For Your Eyes Only, and The Game of Thrones TV series, where it served as a backdrop for scenes in the fictional land of Westeros!
More details
-
Spend a day amidst the stunning rock formations and monasteries of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Meteora, with round-trip private transfers in Mercedes Benz vehicles from Athens.
-
Visit the monument of Leonidas in Thermopylae and tune into your multilingual smartphone audio guide to learn about the legendary battle of the 300 Spartans against the Persian army.
-
With your English-speaking driver set out to explore at least 3 of the 6 functioning Byzantine monasteries, adorned with exquisite frescoes, religious artifacts, and manuscripts.
-
Enjoy a flexible itinerary as you explore the dramatic landscape of towering cliffs reaching up to 400m.
-
Fun Fact: Meteora's surreal landscape has been featured in the James Bond film, For Your Eyes Only, and The Game of Thrones TV series, where it served as a backdrop for scenes in the fictional land of Westeros!
from
€790
Similar things to do in Athens
Millions love heading out with us
Monika
Mar 2022
5/5
The guide was very knowledgeable, trip was very organised and everything went according to schedule. We had plenty of time for sightseeing and to enjoy the views.
Gayathri
Apr 2022
5/5
Sorry for the delay. Our trip was on 20/4/2022. Our tour guide Maria was waiting at the station. She engaged with us very well. Very informative, cheerful and humourous. We had a very good time and she cheerfully took photos for us, quite a few!
The views were awesome and we were given ample time.
Overall she managed the tour really well. Would definitely recommend 👍
Eszter
HungaryFeb 2025
5/5
The whole experience was very well planned and executed, we got exactly what we wanted and even more! Maria was a great guide, very sweet, with great knowledge about the Meteoras and their history. The balance was great between the guided tour and when we were left alone to explore for ourselves. The lunch was great, with a few options to choose from. Everything was beautiful, will advice all my friends to join this tour if they are travelling to Athens. :)
Mukesh
United KingdomOct 2024
5/5
Smooth booking process, clear instructions and well planned trip. On top of that our guide Maria was a good choice. We enjoyed a lot.
Esther
United StatesSep 2023
5/5
Our guide constantina, our driver who is quiet but alert our group and the best part was the climb to the 2 monasteries we visited.
Milton
Jun 2021
5/5
Thoroughly enjoyable experience!
Really enjoyed his visit to Meteora. We were able to easily recognise our tour guide by their clothing. The tour bus was on schedule throughout the trip, which gave us ample time to explore and enjoy the visits to the monasteries. Great views, great guide, and great food. Would recommend it.
Carlos
SpainJul 2025
5/5
A slightly long excursion but well worth it to see the mountains and the monasteries of Meteora. Impressive!
Danilo
FranceJun 2025
4/5
The excursion to Meteora was really worth it: the scenery is breathtaking and the perched monasteries are just incredible 😍
On the other hand, I'd like to comment on the organization... The bus journey is already very long, but on top of that, our bus broke down on the way 😬 We waited almost an hour for another one to come and pick us up, without any apology or explanation.
Luckily, the place was worth it, because it was really magical once we got there ✨
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