Guide//Introduction to Meteora Monasteries in Greece and tour tips, local buses, car rental and self-driving, itinerary arrangements, other activities, etc. - BH2255.com
Guide//Introduction to Meteora Monasteries in Greece and tour tips, local buses, car rental and self-driving, itinerary arrangements, other activities, etc.
Introduction to the six monasteries of Meteora and tips for visiting them01Useful websites about Meteora
Check foreign websites, the information is accurate and comprehensive, so that travel homework can be completed quickly and efficiently.
The following Greek websites are all in English, providing information about the history, culture, attractions introduction of Meteora monasteries, opening hours, visit requirements, local travel Q&A, local accommodation, local one-day and half-day tour services, activity services, external Practical information on transport and local transport.
**Kalambaka Visitor Center official website (Chinese optional)
HTTPS://wuwuwu.info tourist meteor A.personal/
**Kalambaka Town official website
HTTPS://wuwuwu.karampaka.com/en/
**Local travel company Visit Meteora website
HTTPS://wuwuwu.visit meteor A.travel/
** Website of local travel company Meteora Thrones
HTTPS://meteorA.com/
**Local tour company Meteora Tour website
https://www.meteora-tour.gr/
02About the history of Meteora monasteries
HTTPS://wuwuwu.kalampaka.com/恩/meteor A/history/
The links above provide a detailed introduction to the history of Meteora monasteries, including "For what reasons are Meteora monasteries included in the World Cultural Heritage List?" "Historical evolution of monasteries" "The monastic life of monks and nuns in today's monasteries" "What factors threaten the existence of Meteora monasteries?" "Current maintenance and conservation measures" etc.
03Chinese and English place names and maps of the six monasteries
Historically, there were 24 monasteries in Meteora, but today there are 6 monasteries open to tourists.
(Note: I use Google Maps names for English place names. There are multiple Chinese translations for each monastery, for example, Great Meteora, which also has translations of Meteora and Meteora. One of the translations is used below.)
The Great Meteoron Holy Monastery The Great Meteora Monastery
Monastery of Varlaam Monastery of Varlaam
Monastery of Rousanou Monastery of Rousanou
Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholas Anapafsas Saint Nicholas Monastery
Holy Trinity Monastery Holy Trinity Monastery
Monastery of St. Stephen
Detailed map of the six monasteries (annotated by Anny)
04Tips for visiting the monasteries——The Great Meteoron Holy Monastery The Great Meteora MonasteryMy rating: ★★★★★ (must visit attraction) Google rating: ★★★★★ 4.8 pointsFeatures: The largest, most complete, oldest and most important monastery. Built in the mid-14th century, it displays the architectural and cultural essence of Meteora's Orthodox Church.Height: 613 meters; steps to enter the monastery: 270 stepsDetailed introduction to the history and culture of the Great Meteora Monastery:Chinese introduction:https://www.infotouristmeteora.gr/%e5%9c%a3%c2%b7%e8%bf%88%e6%b3%b0%e5%a5%a5%e6%8b%89/%e8%bf% 88%e6%b3%b0%e5%a5%a5%e6%8b%89%e4%bf%ae%e9%81%93%e9%99%a2/%e8%bf%88%e6%b3%b0 %e5%a5%a5%e6%8b%89%e5%a4%a7%e4%bf%ae%e9%81%93%e9%99%a2/English introduction (more detailed than Chinese introduction):
Ticket (information in May 2020) : 3 euros (about 23 yuan)
Opening hours (information in May 2020) :
Summer: 9:00-15:00 Closed on Tuesdays
Winter: 9:00-14:00 Closed every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
Tips for visiting the Great Meteora Monasteries:** Reference tour time: 1~2 hoursThe Great Meteora Monastery covers an area of 60,000 square meters. From the parking lot to the monastery ticket office, you have to go down a stone staircase and then climb up the mountain, a total of about 270 steps. Our tour of the Great Meteora Monasteries lasted 1.5 hours.
** Highlights to visit: Katholikon Cathedral, Monastery Museum, Gardens and Observation Deck
"Katholikon", the main church building of the Orthodox Church. The Great Meteora Monastery has a gorgeous domed polygonal main church and three other churches, showing the superb level of Greek post-Byzantine architectural art. The walls and ceilings are covered with religious murals and icons. The walls and episcopal throne are beautifully carved. For a detailed introduction to the paintings of the main church of Katholikon, check the official website link (English website)——HTTPS://wuwuwu.info tourist meteor A.personal/show-off-menu/meteor A/meteor A-monasteries/holy-monastery-of-himand-great-meteor O/wall-paintings-of-himand- card tho leave on/(Photography is prohibited inside, the picture below is from the official website of Meteora Visitor Center)
The Museum of the Great Meteora Monastery displays magnificent exhibits of Byzantine and post-Byzantine treasures, sacred vessels, and early printed books. The central corridor houses historical documents and ornate manuscripts made of parchment or paper that are authentic and priceless pieces of art dating from the 9th to 19th centuries.
In addition, the museum also contains other interesting parts, such as the refectory of the early monks and a collection room containing the skulls of the monks who lived there over the years (note: I did not find this room and I wonder if it is no longer open to the public) ).
For a detailed introduction to the Great Meteora Monastery Museum, check the official website link (English page)HTTPS://wuwuwu.info tourist meteor A.personal/show-off-menu/meteor A/meteor A-monasteries/holy-monastery-of-him和-great-meteor O/museums/(The pictures below are from the official website and Google Images)
Garden and Observation Deck: Outside the cathedral is the monastery garden. At the end of the garden is a wide observation deck overlooking Vallam Monastery and the village of Castellaci. The scenery is particularly good and should not be missed. Regarding the observation deck and scenic shooting spots, we have already introduced them in the previous guide. (The pictures below are from the official website and Google Images)
Observation deck of the Great Meteora Monastery
** Greater Meteora parking lot: is located at the end of the road, coordinates: 39.726704, 21.627901. The parking lot is free, but it is often full in the morning during the tourist season, and cars can only park along the highway. There are stalls in the parking lot selling souvenirs, hot dogs, drinks, etc. The hot dogs we bought here are 2 euros each, and the drinks are 1.5 to 2 euros per bottle. (The following are my real shots)
(The picture below is a screenshot of the video I took) Since Meteora is the most popular attraction, both tour groups and independent tourists will visit. Most day tour groups come to visit in the morning, so the parking lot will be crowded from morning to noon. Full, vehicles parked along the highway . It is recommended that if you are not very good at driving, you can go to the Great Meteora in the morning. You can park your car in the parking lot of the Vallaam Monastery and then walk 600 meters to the Great Meteora Monastery.
For more pictures about the Great Meteora Monastery, you can check my detailed photo and text travel notes: "The perfect combination of natural and cultural landscapes - Visiting Meteora, a dual cultural and natural heritage in the Greek world (2)"
——Monastery of Varlaam Monastery of VarlaamMy rating: ★★★★☆ 4.5 stars (recommended)Google rating: ★★★★★ 4.8 pointsFeatures: The second largest monastery in Meteora, with beautiful architecture, the museum is worth visiting, and the viewing platform has superb views.
Height: 551 meters. Steps to climb to enter the monastery: 195 steps. Detailed introduction of Vallaam Monastery:
** Reference tour time: 40 minutes to 1.5 hours. Our tour of Vallaam Monastery lasts 40 minutes.
** Highlights to visit: Flower Garden and viewing platform, old tower with winch (vrizoni) and 16th century oak barrels, church interior and museum
Gardens and Observation Deck: The architecture of Vallaam Monastery is beautiful, elegant and impressive. The garden platform at the entrance is the best place to take pictures of the monastery architecture and overlook the Lusano Monastery. (The image below is from Google Images)
View of Luzano Monastery from the garden terrace of Varlam Monastery. (The picture below is from flickr website)
The old tower with a winch in the northeast corner: displays the net bags, winches, and iron frames used to transport supplies and people in the early days.
The most interesting visiting point of Vallaam Monastery is in the storeroom, where visitors can see very large 16th century oak barrels, used to store water. (Unfortunately, my homework before departure was not detailed enough and I missed this point)
Varram Church interior and museum:Introduction to church murals, culture, cultural relics in museums, etc.:HTTPS://wuwuwu.kalampaka.com/恩/meteor A-monasteries/monastery-of-var拉A梦/Photography is prohibited inside the Vallaam Church. The following is from the official website of the Visitor Center
Other buildings built by Varram include kitchens, hospitals, etc., and the old dining hall has been converted into a museum, displaying a large number of precious illustrations and manuscripts, church utensils and gold-embroidered clothing, all of which were made in the embroidery workshop of the monastery.
Valram Church Parking Lot: There are two larger parking lots. "Parking Lot" 1 coordinates: 39.725641, 21.632270, "Parking Lot 2" coordinates: 39.725922, 21.630886. "Parking Lot 1" is larger and has beautiful views. "Parking Lot 2" has stalls selling drinks and food.
"Parking Lot 1" is an excellent shooting location. You can take pictures of the Monastery of Valram and Lusano.
For more pictures of Vallaam Monastery, you can check my detailed travel notes with pictures and texts: "Travel Notes // The perfect combination of natural and cultural landscapes - Visiting Meteora, the dual cultural and natural heritage of the Greek world (2) 》
——Monastery of RousanouMy rating: ★★★★★ (rating of the exterior view of the monastery, without visiting the interior)Google rating: ★★★★☆ 4.7 pointsFeatures: Built on a vertical boulder, it is known as the most photogenic monastery in Meteora. This is a small but beautiful convent.Height: 484 meters; Steps to climb to enter the monastery: 150 stepsDetailed introduction to the Abbey of Luzano:Chinese introduction:
Opening hours (information in May 2020) :Summer: 9:00-17:00 Closed on Wednesday / Winter: 9:00-14:00 Closed on WednesdayTickets (information for May 2020) : 3 eurosTips for visiting the Lusano Monastery:
** Reference tour time: 30 minutes ~1 hour. We only photographed the Lusano Monastery from different angles near the parking lot at the foot of the monastery and observation decks 1 and 2, and did not arrange to enter. The Lusano Monastery is relatively small, so it is recommended to reserve half an hour to an hour for visiting the interior.
** There are two walking trails leading to the Abbey of Lusano:
The picture below is from maps.me offline map APP (marked by Anny)
Path 1, the parking lot at the foot of Luzano Monastery Hill, there is a staircase leading to the monastery. The path is 140 meters long, rises 28 meters, and has a total of 150 steps. The entrance coordinates are: 39.722174, 21.63235.
Path 2, Observation Deck 1 has a forest path leading to the monastery. The length of the path is 290 meters and the descent is 68 meters. The entrance coordinates are: 39.721386, 21.634568.
**Interior of the Abbey of Luzano:Detailed description of the Katholikon Church of Luzano Monastery:HTTPS://wuwuwu.info tourist meteor A.personal/show-off-menu/meteor A/meteor A-monasteries/holy-monastery-of-肉三欧/his and-katho left on-of-his and- monastery/The following images are from Google Images.
The convent of Luzano suffered severe damage during World War II and became a convent in 1988. Today there are 15 nuns living in the convent. The gardens here are smaller but more beautiful. (The picture below is from Google Images)
View from Lusano Monastery
The parking lot of the Luzano Monastery: located at the foot of the mountain, coordinates: 39.722301, 21.632416. The parking lot is also a good viewing platform to take pictures of St. Nicholas Monastery and Vallaam Monastery on the top of the mountain. (The picture below was taken by me in the parking lot)
** Luzano Monastery is the most photogenic monastery in Meteora. It is recommended to take photos and appreciate it from different angles at Observation Deck 1 and 2 and the parking lot of Vallaam Monastery. For detailed introduction to the viewing platform and photography spots, please check my previous guide. (The following is from Google Images)
For more pictures about the Lusano Monastery, you can check my detailed travel notes with pictures and texts: "Travel Notes // The perfect combination of natural and cultural landscapes - Visit to Meteora, a dual cultural and natural heritage site in Greece ( 2)"
——Holy Trinity Monastery Holy Trinity MonasteryMy rating: ★★★★ (rating of the exterior view of the monastery, without visiting the interior)Google rating: ★★★★★ 4.8 pointsFeatures: Built on the top of a steep vertical boulder, it is the most difficult to reach monastery and the filming location of the movie 007.Height: 535 meters; steps to enter the monastery: 300 steps (150 steps down and 145 steps up)Detailed introduction to Holy Trinity Monastery:Chinese introduction:
Opening hours (information in May 2020) :Summer: 9:00-17:00 Closed on WednesdaysWinter: 9:00-16:00 Closed on Thursdays
Tips for visiting Holy Trinity Monastery:
** Reference tour time: 2~2.5 hours. Entering the Holy Trinity Monastery, it takes 70-90 minutes to walk there and back. It is recommended to reserve more than 2 hours for the tour. Since the stairs to enter the Holy Trinity Monastery are steep, I did not arrange this point with my 74-year-old mother. Just watch and photograph from a distance.
** There are two walking trails leading to Holy Trinity Monastery: The picture below is from the maps.me offline map APP (marked by anny)
Path 1: There is a pedestrian trail entrance near the observation deck parking lot on the right side of the picture above. The entrance coordinates are: 39.713857, 21.638527. First descend about 150 steps to reach the foot of the mountain, then climb 145 steep steps to reach the Holy Trinity Monastery. The total length of this path is about 570 meters, with a height difference of 56 meters. It takes 35 minutes to walk one way to reach it, and 70-90 minutes to walk back and forth. (The image below is from Google Images)
Path 2: In the lower left corner of the picture above, the coordinates of the entrance to the hiking trail in Kalambaka Town are: 39.713040, 21.631894. This trail leads to Holy Trinity Monastery for 1.3 kilometers. It takes 1.5 hours to go up the mountain one way and 1 hour and 10 minutes to go down. The height difference is 220 meters. (The following is the actual scene on Google Maps)
**Interior of Holy Trinity Monastery:Detailed introduction to the main church of Katholikon of Holy Trinity Monastery and the church of St. John the Baptist:
HTTPS://wuwuwu.info tourist meteor A.personal/show-off-menu/meteor A/meteor A-monasteries/holy-monastery-of-himand-holy-Trinity/himand-katholeaveon-of- He and -monastery/
HTTPS://wuwuwu.info tourist meteor A.personal/show-off-menu/meteor A/meteor A-monasteries/holy-monastery-of-himand-holy-Trinity/himand-chapel-of-body-John -He and -Baptist/
Interior view of the monastery (from Google Images)The view from the platform of Holy Trinity Monastery is amazing. The pictures below are from Google Live and Google Images.If you don’t have enough time or foot strength, you can overlook the Holy Trinity Monastery from the observation deck on the road. This angle is also a postcard view of Meteora. The shooting point below is located on the east side of Observation Deck 2, coordinates: 39.718080, 21.640156
**Holy Trinity Abbey Parking Lot:
The coordinates of the nearest parking lot are: 39.712903, 21.637973. The parking lot is also a viewing platform. From this angle, you can shoot the Holy Trinity Monastery with good light in the morning. (The following is the real scene from Google)
——Monastery of St. Stephen (Monastery of St. Stephen)My rating: ★★★☆ (rating of the exterior view of the monastery, without visiting the interior)Google rating: ★★★★☆ 4.7 pointsFeatures: Nunnery, no need to climb The most convenient monastery to reach, with beautiful courtyard and good view from the observation deck.Height: 528 meters; steps required to enter the monastery: no climbing requiredDetailed introduction to the Monastery of Santo Stefano:Chinese introduction:
Summer: 9:00-13:20 15:30-17:30 (closed at noon) Closed on Mondays
Winter: 9:00-13:00 15:00-17:00 (closed at noon and closed on Mondays
Tips for visiting the Monastery of Santo Stefano:
** Reference tour time: 30 minutes ~ 40 minutes. This is the only monastery that can be reached without going up or down stairs. From the parking lot, you can enter the monastery directly through a small bridge.
** Inside the Monastery of Santo Stefano:During World War II, it was severely destroyed by German troops because they believed that the Greek resistance was hidden in the monastery. By that time, many precious murals were destroyed, but fortunately, some artifacts were saved. Detailed introduction to the main church of the Katholikon of Saint Stefano Monastery and the Saint Charalambos’ Katholikon church built in 1798:
(The picture below is from the official website of Kalambaka Visitor Center)
Interior view of St. Stephen's Monastery (The following is from Google Images)
The view from the monastery platform is also particularly beautiful, overlooking the town of Kalambaka and the plains. (The picture below is the real scene from Google)
**The coordinates of the observation deck where St. Stephen's Monastery was photographed: 39.710599,21.637498. Parking is available here.
——Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholas Monastery of Saint Nicholas
My rating: (did not visit inside)
Google rating: ★★★★★ 4.8 points (low number of reviews)Features: The monastery closest to the village, the smallest in size, especially decorated with murals .Height: 419 meters; There are more than 100 steps to climb to enter the monastery.Detailed introduction to St. Nicholas Monastery:Chinese introduction:
English introduction (more detailed than Chinese introduction):
HTTPS://wuwuwu.kalampaka.com/恩/meteor A-monasteries/monastery-of-saint-Nicholas-Ah even if the wind rustles/
Tickets (information for May 2020) : 3 euros
Opening hours (information in May 2020) :
Summer: 9:00-16:00 Closed on Fridays
Winter: 9:00-16:00 Closed on Fridays
Tips for visiting Saint Nicholas Monastery
** Reference tour time: 30 minutes ~ 45 minutes.Inside the Monastery of Saint Nicholas:The main church of the Katholikon of St. Stephen's Monastery is small. The frescoes were painted by the famous Cretan monk Theophanes in 1527 and are considered to be one of the most important paintings in the post-Byzantine period. Detailed introduction:HTTPS://wuwuwu.info tourist meteor A.personal/show-off-menu/meteor A/meteor A-monasteries/holy-monastery-of-body-Nicholas-aheven wind rustling/wall-paintings/
(The picture below is from the official website of Kalambaka Visitor Center)
Photos of St. Nicholas Monastery (below from Google Images)
**Parking lot of St. Nicholas Monastery: Coordinates 39.722935, 21.625024, located at the foot of the monastery hill. The picture below is a Google live view of the parking lot. This parking lot is larger.
05Useful information you should know before visiting the monastery
——Opening hours of Meteora monasteriesThe opening hours of the monasteries usually change every year. Click the link below to the Kalambaka Town official website to check the opening hours of each monastery.
The entrance fee for each monastery is 3 euros (information as of May 2020), payable in cash. There is no admission fee for children under 12 years old.
--Dress code
When visiting the monasteries of Meteora, you should make sure to dress appropriately. All men are required to wear long trousers and sleeveless T-shirts or shirts are strictly prohibited! Ladies must wear long skirts and shoulders must be covered at all times. At the entrance, all Meteora monasteries provide skirts and scarves for ladies who do not dress appropriately. They don't provide any clothes for men though. Please note that men who show up at the monastery entrance wearing shorts or sleeveless shirts will not be allowed entry! Children under 12 years old do not have to adhere to the dress code.
In most cases, entering the monastery requires walking up a number of steps, comfortable clothing and shoes are recommended. The most accessible of them is St. Stephen's Monastery in Stefanos, which can be entered by crossing a small bridge without having to climb the steps. The monastery with the most steps is the Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) monastery, with more than 300 steps in total.
The wind is relatively strong at the observation platform. To watch the sunrise and sunset, be sure to bring a jacket to keep warm.--Toilet
Every monastery has toilets, free of charge. There are no restrooms outside, which means that if you want to use the restroom when visiting Meteora, except for St. Stephen's Monastery, which does not require climbing stairs, you must climb the stairs and buy a ticket to enter.
——Is there a place selling souvenirs and food?
There are souvenir shops in Great Meteora and Varram Monastery. There are souvenir stalls and stands selling hot dog drinks in the parking lots of Great Meteora and Valram Monastery, but there are no restaurants. It is recommended to bring some food and water with you.
——Requirements for taking photos, videos and using drones**For amateur photographers, there are no restrictions on any landscape photography as long as they are not taking photos or videos for commercial reasons.**Notice! No one is allowed to take pictures of the interior of the church, especially the frescoes.**Please do not attempt to fly drones inside or outside the monastery. Flying anywhere on site without written permission from the site is strictly prohibited. If flying is allowed, Meteora, an archaeological site in Greece, has a restricted flight zone of up to 4,000 feet.(Note: I checked a foreigner’s blog and shot a drone video at the observation deck at sunrise in the early morning)
**Please do not take photos or videos of monks or nuns unless otherwise stated. If you try this, they may get angry because you make them feel like a tourist attraction. Have a lot of respect for their way of life and the fact that you are accepted into their home!
Attached is an aerial video of Meteora, it’s super beautiful (requires translation)
To visit Meteora, you can take public transportation, rent a car and drive yourself (car, motorcycle, bicycle, etc.), take a taxi or charter a car, join a tour with a local travel agency, walk, etc.
01Kalambaka to Meteora monasteries bus
From April to October, there are public buses from Kalambaka from 09:00 in the morning to 16:30 in the evening, every 2 hours, with a total of 6 round trips.
Bus timetable (information for May 2020):(The following is the English page of the official website of the visitor center. Note that the timetable on the Chinese page is not accurate)
Starting point, Kalambaka Bus Station: 9:00/12:00/14:30 There are 3 departures from Kalambaka to Meteora
Starting station, St. Stephen's Monastery Station: 11:00/14:00/16:30 3 departures from Meteora to Kalambaka
Bus fare (see picture above): Single trip: 1.8 euros, full day: 5 euros.
Bus route map:Kalambaka bus station ~ Hotel divani ~ Town hall Square ~ Camping Vrachos ~ Kastraki ~ camping the Cave ~ St Nikolaos Nicholas Monastery ~ Roussanou (Russanou Monastery) ~ Varlaam (Varlam Monastery) ~ Great Meteora (Great Meteora Monastery) ~ Holy Trinity (Holy Trinity Monastery) ~ St Stiphen (St. Stephen's Monastery). The bus stops at all monasteries. The return route is the opposite of the outbound route.
Bus stations in Kalambaka Town:https://www.infotouristmeteora.gr/%e5%9c%a3%c2%b7%e8%bf%88%e6%b3%b0%e5%a5%a5%e6%8b%89/%e6%9c% 89%e5%85%b3%e8%bf%88%e6%b3%b0%e5%a5%a5%e6%8b%89%e7%9a%84%e6%9c%89%e7%94%a8% e6%8f%90%e7%a4%ba/The coordinates are as shown belowSite 1: 39.7025100,21.6323590
Site 2: 39.7050560, 21.6270400
Site 3: 39.7069330, 21.6233710
Itinerary suggestions using local buses
If you live in Kalambaka town and want to use the bus to visit the monastery , I will give you a recommended itinerary:
9:00 Bus from Kalambaka Town~~ 9:30 Arrive at the Great Meteora Monastery (closed every Tuesday in summer)~~ Visit the Great Meteora Monastery for 1.5 hours~~ 11:00 Depart from the Great Meteora Monastery ~~11:30 Arrive at Vallaam Monastery after walking 750 meters (you can stop at a photography spot on the way to take photos of Vallaam Monastery) ~ ~ Visit Vallaam Monastery for 1 hour (closed every Friday in summer) ~~ Depart at 12:30 Valram Monastery~~ 13:00 Walk 1.3 kilometers to Observation Deck 1~~Observation Deck 1, rest and take photos of the panoramic view of Meteora for 40 minutes~~ 13:40 Walk 290 meters from the path near Observation Deck 1 10 minutes to arrive at Lusano Monastery (closed every Wednesday in summer) ~~ 13:50 Visit Lusano Monastery for half an hour ~~ 14:10 Wait at the bus stop in the parking lot at the foot of Lusano Monastery (take the 14:00 bus from St. Stephen's Monastery Bus issued by the bus) ~~ Return to Kalambaka Town around 14:40.
If you have strong legs, you can walk 2.5 kilometers from Observation Deck 1~~Observation Deck 2~~St. Stephen's Monastery. Then visit St. Stephen’s Monastery and take the 16:30 bus back from St. Stephen’s Monastery.
You can also walk down the mountain from Observation Deck 1~~Observation Deck 2~~Holy Trinity Monastery~~ to Kalambaka Town. This route will test your foot strength even more.
In general, due to the low frequency of buses and the inconsistent closing times of various monasteries, itinerary arrangements are more restricted. If you like hiking, you can take the bus up the mountain, then hike to the monasteries and observation decks, and then walk down the mountain.
02
Self drive in Kalambaka (rent a car or motorcycle
Electric scooters, bicycles)
Rather than taking public transportation, I think renting a car is the best way to explore Meteora. Renting a car not only allows you to arrange your itinerary flexibly, but more importantly, you need a car to watch and photograph the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets in Meteora.
--Car rental companyThere are no international chain car rental companies in Kalambaka, there are only local car rental companies. From Google Maps, I found the following four car rental companies, which provide cars, motorcycles, bicycles, electric bicycles, and ATV rentals.
(1) Hobbyshop Meteora car rental company:
Official website https://www.meteora-bike-rentals.gr/, you can rent cars, motorcycles, electric bicycles, bicycles, ATV four-wheel all-terrain vehicles.
(2) Meteora Car Rental car rental company: official website https://www.meteora-carrental.com/, you can rent cars and motorcycles, cars 50-55 euros per day, motorcycles 18-25 euros /sky. This company has more car models.(3) Meteora Wheels rent a car & bike: This company’s website was not found, address: Πίνδου &, Kondili 59, Kalampaka 422 00 Greece, next to the train station. Tel: +30 697 459 8641.
(4) Meteora E bike: Official website https://meteoraebike.com/, where you can rent electric bicycles and mountain bikes. E-bike, 2 hours – €15, 4 hours – €20, full day €25. Bike prices, 2 hours – €5, 4 hours €8, full day €10
——I rented a car and visited MeteoraI chose the car rental company Hobbyshop Meteora. This company has the highest ratings on Google and the highest number of reviews.Website:http://www.meteora-bike-rentals.gr/Address: Patriarchou Dimitriou 28, Kalampaka 422 00 GreeceReservation: Click "rent now" on the official website, select the date, car model, submit reservation information, email address, etc. for reservation. You can also make a reservation by writing an email. Car rental company email: hobbyshop@hotmail.grprice:Car: Peugeot 107 | 40 euros / Nissan Micra automatic with Navigation, clima & cruise control | 50 euros.Motorcycles: from 50cc to 150cc, from 18 to 30 eurosE-scooter: 20 eurosBicycle: 10-18 eurosAll models, rental prices for more than one day are more favorable. 10% discount for September. 15% discount in October.Rental policies: http://www.meteora-bike-rentals.gr/rental-policies/If renting a car, a valid driver's license for one year is required. Your national car license is accepted, but if it is not printed in English, you will need to arrange an international driving license. Vehicles are rented only in Meteora and Kalabaka areas, VISA, MasterCard accepted. Cancellation Policy: If you need to cancel your reservation 7 days or more before your arrival date, no cancellation fees will be charged. If canceled less than 7 days before arrival date, a cancellation fee equal to 20% of the value of your reservation will be charged. No-show bookings will be charged 100% of the booking value.Our car rental situation:**Reservation: Since Greece does not recognize Chinese driver’s licenses, I made a reservation via email. In the booking email, in addition to stating the basic information required by the car dealership, I also uploaded photos of my Chinese driver’s license and a photo of the translation of my international driver’s license obtained from the car rental company. The car dealer quickly responded and confirmed my reservation. .**Model and cost: model "Nissan Micra automatic with Navigation, clima & cruise control" automatic transmission, price is 50 euros per day (approximately 380 yuan / day), the price includes the vehicle price and all other important insurance extras. Plus I spent 9 euros on gas. A day's drive in Meteora costs a total of 59 euros (approximately 447 yuan) **Pick up the car: Fill out a form on site, swipe your credit card, and leave the translation of the international driver's license obtained on the car rental website as collateral. The boss lady first let me test drive for a while to test my driving skills, and then handed over the keys. Wish me a happy trip.** Return the car after refueling: Add as much fuel as required. However, when I picked up the car, it showed that it was full of gas. When I returned the car, I also filled it with gas. The actual cost was 9 euros. From 3 p.m. on the first day to 3 p.m. on the second day, I ran about 55 kilometers.
**Evaluation: The actual car I picked up is not a Nissan Micra automatic. As shown below, this Peugeot is not very powerful and it is a bit difficult to go uphill, but I think it is enough. The owner and the wife of the car dealership are very enthusiastic. Polite, cheap, and good service.
Road conditions in Meteora:The road is circular and has a total length of about 18 kilometers. Driving clockwise from the town of Kalambaka ~ ~ the village of Castellaci ~ the Monastery of Saint Nicholas ~ the Monastery of Lusano ~ ~ the Monastery of Valram ~ ~ the Great Meteora Monastery ~ ~ the Monastery of the Holy Trinity ~ ~ the Saint Stephen's Monastery ~~ Kalambaka Town.
Although it is a mountain road, it is in good condition with no potholes and is not very steep. As a driver who doesn't usually drive much and has average skills, I didn't find it difficult. It needs to be reminded that some sections of the road are relatively narrow, especially the Great Meteora Monastery. The parking lot is full and cars are parked along the road. Oncoming vehicles line up on the wrong side of the road, which puts your skills to the test. I encountered difficulty reversing and had to ask the bus driver to move out of the car. (The following is the actual scene on Google Maps)
Gas stations and parking lots in Meteora and Kalambaka:Gas stationEnter "gas station" on Google Maps and four gas stations can be found in Kalambaka town. The store I went to, "Shell Πρατήριο Ζαχαράκης Χρήστος", has manual service.PARKING LOTEach monastery on the mountain has a parking lot (Holy Trinity parking lot is far away), and parking is free. During the summer tourist season, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., because there are many tour group buses, the parking lot can only be parked along the highway when the parking lot is full. Among them, the parking areas of Vallaam Monastery and St. Nicholas Monastery are large. (The picture below is from Google Images, the parking lot of the Great Meteora Monastery during peak hours)
In Kalambaka town, I didn't see a paid parking lot (maybe there is a paid parking lot but I didn't notice it), I parked on the roadside near the hotel. In addition: enter parking in Google Maps and you can search for the location of free parking in Kalambaka Town.
03Taxis and Chartered Cars in Kalambaka
Place Google Maps within the town of Kalampaka and search for "taxi" to find "Meteora Taxi", located near the roundabout in the center of Kalampaka Town, address: Rodou 1, Kalampaka 422 00 Greece. Coordinates: 39.706748, 21.623050. In front of the pavilion in the actual picture below, you can take a taxi to Meteora.
Taxi price:
Go to a monastery or watch the sunset, 20 euros/hour.
One-way taxi to the mountain For example, take a taxi directly to the Great Meteora Monastery. 10 EUR. Netizens reported that it is almost impossible to find a taxi to take back to the monastery on the mountain, because most of the taxis are chartered. If you want to take a taxi on the mountain, try to call a taxi with your mobile phone. The taxi company phone number is shown in the figure below.
Taxis within the town of Kalambaka usually take less than 5 minutes and cost 5 euros per trip.
Charter price:Kalambaka local chartered car (with driver), cars and commercial vehicles can be chartered. You can find the chartered car program through the hotel front desk, the travel agency in Kalambaka town, or by checking the local travel agency website online.A netizen reported the charter price: "€35/2 hours, €70/4 hours. We booked a total of 6 hours, which is enough for fun."Another netizen reported (pictured below) that the price of a 5-hour charter in 2018 was 60 euros in the off-season and 100 euros in the peak season.I estimate that during the peak season, it can be negotiated for about 100 euros (750 yuan) for 6 hours. Compared with the 59 euros we spent on renting a car for a day, it is more cost-effective to rent a car and drive yourself.
The following travel agency website provides private charter and guided tour services. The price is relatively expensive, but it has high ratings on tripadvisor. The price for 6 hours is 180 euros for a car with a maximum of 3 people, and 300 euros for a car with a maximum of 6 people.HTTPS://wuwuwu.visit meteor A.travel/accident-fleet-of-vehicles/
04Participate in one-day and half-day tours organized by local travel agencies
If you want to see the sunset and sunrise but you don’t know how to drive, and you think it’s too expensive to take a taxi or charter a car, I recommend you to join the one-day tour or half-day tour offered by local travel agencies at reasonable prices. For example, the sunset tour departs at 16:30 and costs 25 euros per person. I will post links to a few local travel agencies below. When you actually arrive in Kalambaka town, you can make a reservation directly with the hotel front desk or the travel agency in the town. The following travel agency websites also organize 1-day, 2-day and 3-day tours from Athens, Thessaloniki, Delphi and other places. A one-day bus trip from Athens to Meteora costs about 50 euros per person.HTTPS://meteorA.com/
1. How many days will it be arranged?Thousands of people flock to Meteora every year, mostly on day trips, with most visits occurring between May and October.Visiting Meteora can take anywhere from 1 to 3 days. Take departure from Athens as an example~~One-day trip: Take the train from Athens at 7:20 in the morning, arrive at 11:30 noon, visit 2-3 monasteries and observation deck 1 to see the panoramic view for a total of 5 hours, and take the 17:15 train back to Athens at 21:25.Two-day tour: In addition to visiting the monastery, you can arrange to view the panoramic view of Meteora at sunset in the evening and sunrise in the morning.Three-day tour: Visit the monastery and watch the sunrise and sunset. You can also arrange in-depth exploration of other attractions in Kalabaka Town, such as cave monasteries, churches, museums, and activities such as hot air ballooning, rock climbing, hiking, and rafting.
My personal suggestion: schedule at least 2 days. Because the most beautiful scenery in Meteora is at sunrise and sunset, the one-day trip just misses the most beautiful moment. If you want to visit Meteora more peacefully, after mid-October, the beauty of Meteora in autumn is less crowded.
2. Things to note when arranging your itinerary** Please check the monastery opening hours. At least one monastery is closed from Monday to Friday in summer.** Is it necessary to visit all monasteries? I personally don’t think it is necessary. The decoration inside the monastery is similar to us. If you don’t know much about religious culture, choose 2-3 monasteries to visit, so that you will not get tired of aesthetics. If you want to visit all 6 monasteries in one day, you can only arrange it on Saturday or Sunday. There are usually more people on weekends because Greeks also come to travel.** Don’t miss the golden moments of sunrise and sunset to see the beauty of Meteora. After the tour group leaves, the viewing experience will be better if there are fewer people.
** If you are a photography enthusiast, read my previous guide and hope to shoot the sunrise and sunset in different locations, I recommend staying for 3 days, so that you can arrange 2 sunsets. 2 sunrises, shot from different locations.
3. Our itinerary in Meteora
Note: We depart from Athens, and the train departs at 8:20 in 2018. In 2020, the direct train timetable has been adjusted to 7:20. I think the current timetable is more reasonable. After arriving at Meteora at noon, I can more leisurely arrange to visit the monastery in the afternoon.
The following is our actual itinerary:Day3 June 27, 2018Itinerary Overview: Take the train from Athens to Kalambaka, and enjoy the panoramic view of the "City in the Sky" Meteora from the observation deckTransportation: Athens Metro, 5.5 hours by train from Athens to Kalambaka, 20 kilometers by car from MeteoraAccommodation: Hotel Galaxy Kalampaka, located in the small town of Kalampaka (booked through Booking.com)7:00 Store your luggage with the host of the B&B and head to Meteora lightly.7:18 —7:40 Walk from the B&B to Syntagma Square Metro Station~~Larissa Railway Station (Athens Railway Station), 4 metro stops away.8:20 —13:45 Athens Railway Station ~ Kalampaka Railway Station, the train takes 5 hours and 25 minutes.13:45—13:52 Kalampaka Railway Station~~Hotel Galaxy, 350 meters, 7 minutes’ walk13:52 — 15:00 Check into hotel and rest for 1 hour.15:00 —15:40 Local car rental company Hobbyshop Meteora, it takes 40 minutes to pick up the car.15:40 - 18:20 We took photos of the panoramic view of Meteora at the Observation Deck on several mountaintop observation decks in Meteora. It rained in the evening and we could not take pictures of the sunset. The tour lasts 2.5 hours.18:20 — 19:20 Restaurant Meteora Authentic Greek restaurant, 1 hour dinner.
19:20 Return to hotel.
Day4 June 28, 2018Itinerary Overview: "City in the Sky" Meteora Monastery Complex, take the train back to AthensTransportation: Meteora is 35 kilometers by car, 5 hours by train from Kalambaka to Athens, and Athens MetroAccommodation: Airbnb “Athens Urban Surfer’s downtown Syntagma studio”, located next to Constitution Square. (booked through Airbnb)6:40-8:20 Drive from the hotel to Meteora Mountain Observation Deck 2 to see the panoramic view, 1.5 hours.8:20-10:00 Drive back to hotel for breakfast and rest, 1 hour and 40 minutes.10:00-15:00 Drive up the mountain again, sometimes sunny or rainy, and only visit the two largest monasteries: Varlaam Monastery (Varlaam) and Great Meteor Monastery (Great Meteor Monastery), 5 hours.15:00 -16:00 Drive down the mountain and return the car to the rental car bank, 1 hour.16:00 —17:00 Restaurant Meteora, dining for 1 hour.17:10 — 17:23 Waiting at the train station.17:32 — 22:52 Kalambaka Station (Kalambaka) ~~ Athens Station (Athens), 5.5 hours by train.
22:52 — 23:15 From Athens Railway Station~~B&B (located 400 meters next to Syntagma Square), 4 metro stops, 20 minutes.
Other attractions about Kalabaka Town
1. Explore remote monasteries and cave hermitagesBelow are links to restored abandoned monasteries and cave hermitages.HTTPS://wuwuwu.visit meteor A.travel/ruins-hidden-gomez-2/A travelogue (English):HTTPS://carp edice.com/2020/01/27/kalamabaka-Greece/
1. Hot air balloonSearch "meteora balloon flights" on Google to check for hot air balloon tours organized by local travel agencies. Sunrise or sunset hot air balloon flights cost about 220 euros per person.Here are two hot air balloon booking links:HTTP://wuwuwu.meteor A flights.com/HTTPS://wuwuwu.Greece-is.com/balloon-日的-IMMEDIATELY-no-%E2%80%A8/
2. Rock climbingMeteora is a famous rock climbing destination. Search "rock climbing in Meteora' on Google and you can find many travel agency projects.
3. Hiking——Kalabacka Town~ Holy Trinity Monastery Hiking RouteThis is a relatively famous hiking route, which can be viewed on Google Maps. I recommend you to use maps.me offline maps. For the trail entrance in Kalabaka Town, search "Ascent trail to Holy Trinity Monastery" on Google Maps. There are actually more than this hiking trail on the mountain. The dark dotted lines on maps.me below are all hiking trails.
- Join a walking tour organized by a local travel agency to explore an area without tourists.Enter the keyword "Meteora hike tour" into Google and you can find half-day hiking itineraries from many local travel agencies.For example, the 4.5-hour walking tour organized by the travel agency below, with a guide, costs 35 euros per person. The scenery along the way is beautiful, you will visit two hidden monasteries, and arrange a visit to Great Meteora or Vallaam Monastery.HTTPS://wuwuwu.visit meteor A.travel/package/meteor A-hiking-invest/
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