Meteora Half-Day Small Group Monasteries Tour with Hotel Pickup

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. The 24 monasteries emerged on the countless summits of the rocks from the 14th until the 16th century, 6 of them remaining to be explored and admired by all. These monasteries became the centers of the Orthodox creed in the Byzantine era, having produced some of the best pieces of religious art and craft and still possessing a collection of precious manuscripts, which today are on display in their museums. The Meteora monasteries have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and the Meteora-Antichassia region has been officially declared a Natura 2000 Ecological Zone by the Greek Ministry of Environment, for the protection of rare species of birds and flowers.

   Passes by

2. The Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholas of Anapafsas is the first Monastery that we encounter on our way to the Holy Meteora and was founded at the end of the 14th century. For the name Anapafsas there are numerous interpretations two of which are the most popular. The first one is that the name Anapafsas was attributed by one of the monastery’s benefactors, while the second explanation has to do with the monastery’s position being the first to be encountered on the way up and probably served to the pilgrims and other visitors as a resting place before continuing on.

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3. The Holy Monastery of Roussanou has received the name of the first probable hermit who settled on the rock. The main cathedral was founded at the end of the 16th century and was decorated thirty years later. Compared to other rocks where monasteries were built, the one of Roussanou has a lower elevation, which makes it more accessible. The monastery was initially founded by monks and it suffered severe damage during World War II. It became a convent in 1988.

   45 min

4. The Holy Monastery of Varlaam is the second biggest monastery. It is located opposite of the Great Meteoro Monastery and it was founded in the mid 14th century by the exercitant Hosios Varlaam. The elegant monastery Catholicon was built in the honour of Agioi Pantes in 1541-42, by two brothers from Ioannina, the priest-monks Hosioi Theophanes and Nectarios the Apsarades. The main church was decorated in 1548. Based on stylistic criteria, this magnificent wall-painting is attributed to the famous hagiographer from Thebes, Frago Catelano.

   45 min

5. The Great Meteoron Monastery is the biggest and oldest one of all. It was called the monastery that was “suspended in the air” (meteoro), because of the formation of the gigantic rock on top of which it was built. The Great Meteoro Monastery was founded by Saint Athanasios the Meteorite who was the first founder of the monastery and the organizer of the systematic koenovion. For this reason, the foundation of this monastery is considered to be a turning point, or even better, the beginning of the organized monastisicm in Holy Meteora.

   1 h

6. The Holy Trinity Monastery (Agia Triada) is the most difficult to reach, but once you get to the very top the panoramic view of the surroundings is simply captivating! This Monastery is very close to the Saint Stephen’s Nunnery and it is perched on a steep and magnificent rock. It had already been organized Monastery since the year 1362 as indicated in a document by Symeon Uressis Palaeologos. Visitors have to follow a pathway that directs them initially to the foot of the rock, before they start walking up about 140 steps.

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7. This is the most accessible monastery, where instead of steps you simply cross a small bridge to reach the entrance. It is ideal for visitors who cannot use the steps and yet they wish to have a real experience of a Meteora monastery. The beginning of monastic life on the rock of Agios Stephanos dates back to early in the 12th century. Hosios Antonios, in the first half of the 15th century, and Hosios Philotheos, who renovated or rather rebuilt from its foundations the old small and elegant Catholicon, the present church of Agios Stephanos, in 1545 are mentioned as its founders.

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Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 354 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 4Good guided tour

  Really great, but not enough time. 50 minutes for each monastery, but some take 20 minutes just to reach it with the slopes and steps. The tour was supposed to be 5 hours, but finally it was 4 hours from pickup to the pickout. But the price is good, and the guide was pleasant and interesting.

  B7586VJmartinpOctober 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5One of the most enjoyable Tours

  This small group tour was perfect for us. Our guide and driver were friendly, very knowledgeable and offered good advice. They made the experience so enjoyable. We had enough time at each monastery to see the highlights without feeling rushed.

  S5522GSdavidcSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Visit Meteora Travel private half day tour

  Just completed a private half day Meteora tour organised by Visit Meteora Travel and performed by their tour guide Jim. Jim’s knowledge of the monasteries and the area is amazing. It was a terrific experience. Would highly recommend them and Jim.

  Trip252181September 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5an excellent tour

  An excellent tour. Vasilis, our guide was very knowledgeable, caring and entertaining. Dinos our driver was careful and helpful. The program was expertly planned so we saw the maximum without getting too tired or jaded. The size of the group was optimal. Highly recommended.

  SyrianoloukoumiSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Fantastic Meteora Day!

  What a great day! Jim was a fantastic tour guide and we would HIGHLY recommend this tour!

  Voyage44664739115August 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Engaging tour

  We had an incredible experience with Christos, our very knowledgeable and kind tour guide. He is a local and knows everything about this place. His explanations were great and we loved every second. Totally worth it!! Book the tour :)

  Sherpa09832570672July 2026via Tripadvisor

Know before you go

How it compares in Meteora

• Its from-price is 48% below the median of the 98 experiences we list in Meteora.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 3 of 98.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Meteora

Meteora is a UNESCO site in central Greece where Orthodox monasteries stand on tall pillars of rock above the Thessalian plain.

Meteora is a forest of sandstone and conglomerate pillars, some hundreds of metres high, rising abruptly from the plain of Thessaly beside the town of Kalambaka. From the fourteenth century monks built monasteries on the summits, reaching them at first by ladders and rope nets, and six are still active. The Great Meteoron, Varlaam and Roussanou are among them, with frescoed chapels and views down the Pineios valley.

See all 98 experiences in Meteora