Meteora Sunset with Monastery & Hermit Caves Tour in Small Group

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Meteora is an area that covers few square kilometers, where an ancient monastic community and a rare geological phenomenon of huge rock pillars coexist in absolute harmony. Located at the northwest tip of the plain of Thessaly, Meteora today has become one of the most popular destinations of mainland Greece. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an archeological site and an officially declared holy place! At the foothills of the rocks, there are 2 settlements, the town of Kalabaka and the village of Kastraki.

   2 h

2. It is a must-see church, not only for its age and precious 11th century Byzantine frescoes, but also because of the construction material of its walls. Relics of an ancient Greek temple dedicated to God Apollo have been embedded in the wall. In its interior one can also pay attention to the older mosaic floor that is revealed in specific spots beneath the current floor. This is definitely one of the most precious early Christian basilicas around Greece and even now days serves as an active church for the locals.

   30 min

3. 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.

   30 min

4. 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.

   Passes by

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.

   Passes by

6. 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.

   Passes by

7. 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.

   Passes by

Cancellation

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

Reviews

Ratings come from 729 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.

• 5Jaw dropping experience!

  Spectacular tour, our guide was so knowledgeable and interesting. This is like nothing you’ll ever see anywhere else.

  Judie_dOctober 2026via Viator

• 5A tour worth taking

  Nice tour of the Meteora area. Multiple stops on the road to get scenic photos of the monasteries perched on the cliff tops. We visited one monastery. Sunset spot is crowded with many other tours there but still worth it. Our guide was very informative, and we learned how the Meteora rock formations were created, and how the monasteries were constructed. The tour was worth going on.

  stevestanleycupOctober 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Great fun

  Great fun and good value - we saw places that would usually be missed off the beaten track . The scenery was wonderful

  suemmillsOctober 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Amazing!

  We had an incredible half-day tour of Meteora to watch the sunset, and it was truly unforgettable! Our guide, Chris, was fantastic — very knowledgeable and explained everything so well, making the experience even more special. Our driver, Theo, was also wonderful: very careful, friendly, and professional. They took us to some absolutely breathtaking spots, and the whole experience was amazing from start to finish. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Meteora! Cheers from Portugal! 🇵🇹

  Andreiadias31August 2026via Tripadvisor

• 4Nice...I recommend the tour

  Tour was great. It avoid hurdle of organising all visits, heat, car parking. Our guide was great and provided extensive explanations, he was friendly and very knowlegeable. Only one remark, the tour name was "sunset" and we missed the proper sunset, I.e. see the sun disapearing... because of clouds...so sun disappeared early. But we could have arrived earlier if we did not spent 30 mn in the mini market....so my advice, arrive early for sunset ...I had to go by myself onthe next day to see the sunset....

  Experience115080August 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5So unforgettable!!

  Unforgettable afternoon, Meteora Sunset Tour. Towering monasteries perched high on ancient rock pillars, fascinating history, hidden viewpoints, and an awesome sunset. A huge thank you to our fantastic guide, Chris, whose knowledge, humour and passion brought Meteora to life. If you're visiting this incredible UNESCO World Heritage Site, I can't recommend this tour highly enough. Truly one of the highlights of our time in Greece! 🌅🇬🇷 P.S. 💯 ask for Chris.

  Linda SJuly 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 1 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