• Thessaly - Begin your journey from your accommodation in Athens and explore Central Greece and Thessaly. Thessaly is both a traditional geographic and a modern administrative region of Greece, encompassing much of the ancient area of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, it was known as Aeolia, as mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey. Thessaly is a region of stunning beauty, featuring mountains, rivers, beaches, the renowned Plastira Lake, Tempi Valley, and the unique Meteora, Greece’s most photogenic spiritual site. Archaeological sites, Byzantine monasteries and churches, traditional villages, and ski resorts make it a favored holiday destination. According to Homer’s epic, the Odyssey, Thessaly is the home of Achilles, and the hero Odysseus visited the kingdom of Aeolus, the ancient name for Thessaly. The Plain of Thessaly is situated between Mount Oeta/Othrys and Mount Olympus.
• Meteora - Kastraki is located in the western part of Meteora, built amphitheatrically among towering cliffs, and is a municipal district of Kalabaka. Its history is lost over time. In the eastern part, there is the old picturesque district of the village, and above it, the spindle, small but impressive due to its form and support position. It serves as a base for climbers from around the world, who come to admire the stunning landscape formed by the towering rocks. Kastraki boasts a rich local tradition, customs, and folk songs, all unique. The breathtaking landscape with canyons, plateaus, and the ghostly figures of “sacred rock” emerges through the lush scenery, striving to touch the heavens. Today, the village and the entire region of Meteora have been declared a Monument and World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and it has become a wonderful place for recreation with camping, taverns, and guest houses, offering pleasant relaxation.
• Meteora - Meteora is a rock formation in central Greece, hosting one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, second in importance only to Mount Athos. The six monasteries are constructed on immense natural pillars and hill-like rounded boulders that dominate the local area.

Meteora monasteries; the miracle of Greece. A few kilometers northwest of the town of Kalabaka, the impressive rocks of Meteora rise from the plains of Thessaly, one of the most amazing places in Greece. Many centuries ago, on these gigantic rocks with breathtaking landscapes reaching heights of over 600 meters, one of Greece’s most important monastic communities was formed.

In 1988, the Meteora monasteries were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the Meteora-Antichassia area is part of the Natura 2000 network, hosting some rare species of birds and flowers.

• Great Meteoron Monastery - The Great Meteoro (Grand Meteor), also known as the Holy Monastery of the Metamorphosis (Transfiguration of Christ), is a male monastery and is the oldest and largest of all the monasteries of Meteora.

The foundation of the Monastery of Great Meteoron marks the beginning of organized life at Meteora. Situated on the most imposing rock, it holds a commanding position among the monastic complex of Meteora.

It is the largest and most formal of the existing Meteora Monasteries, as its name suggests. Founded shortly before the mid-14th century by Saint Athanasios the Meteorite, who was also its first founder and the first to organize a systematic monastic community.

• Monastery of St. Stephan - St. Stephen was inhabited by monks in the late 12th century. The construction of the monastery, founded in the 14th century, was completed in the 15th and 16th centuries. The first founder of the monastery is the monk, later abbot, Antonios Kantakouzenos. Antonios, according to some researchers, was the son of the Serbian Despot of Epirus Nikephoros II (1359) and a descendant of the great Byzantine family. The second founder is Monk Philotheos “ex Sklatainas,” who is referred to as the renovator of St. Stephen.

Theophilos erected a new, now Catholic, building, constructed the cells and other facilities of the monastery. During his time (1545), the monastery became stavropegic and retained this privilege until 1743. In 1798, a new church was built dedicated to Saint Charalambos, who in the 17th century was referred to as the second patron of the monastery. In the 18th and 19th centuries, several buildings and the abbey were built for the first time, taking the form they have today.

• Varlaam Monastery - The Varlaam Monastery owes its name to the hermit-anchorite Varlaam, who first inhabited the rock in the 14th century. The history of the monastery begins substantially from the early 16th century when the rock was settled and their priory was organized by the Ioannina brothers Theophanes and Nektarios Apsaras, descendants of the old Byzantine family.

In 1518, the Apsaras fundamentally renovated the chapel of the Three Hierarchs, which was built on the site of the original Catholic monastery by Varlaam. In 1536, they built the winch tower, and in 1541, they constructed the present church dedicated to All Saints.

In 1627, the chapel of the Three Hierarchs was rebuilt in place of the Old Catholic, which had been built by the Apsaras, and in 1637, it was decorated by the artistic crew of John priest and children, who came from Kalabaka.

The monastery is distinguished for its spiritual prosperity and its participation in national struggles in recent years.

• Holy Trinity Monastery (Agia Triada) - Nestled on a characteristic rock of the Meteora complex, which is both majestic and imposing, is the Monastery of the Holy Trinity.

According to tradition, it was built in 1438 by the monk Domitius. However, documents from Prince Simeon Uros Palaiologos show that the monastery had already been organized earlier in 1362.

The present nave was built around 1476 and is a small cruciform church with a two-columned central dome on the roof. Today’s temple wall paintings (1741) are the work of the priests Antonios and Nicholaos, who, though younger, successfully continued the tradition of the famous post-Byzantine style of painting.

• Holy Monastery of Rousanos - Saint Barbara - The Holy Monastery of Rousanou was founded in 1529 over the ruins of older buildings by the monks Ioasaf and Maximos, who came from Ioannina.

The monastery of Rousanou is an impressive four-story complex that reached its main form during the third decade of the 16th century. The Church of the Transfiguration was built from scratch in its present form from the extinct and destroyed by the ravages and neglect of time Old Catholic monastery in 1530 AD.

• Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholas Anapafsas at Meteora - The Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapafsas is located close to Kastraki village. The rock is imposing, elegant, and cramped, but it is definitely eye-catching.

The monastery was renovated in the early 16th century. The second floor is occupied by the church of the monastery, which was painted by the renowned Cretan painter Theophanes Strelitzas, who was the founder of the Byzantine Cretan School of hagiography.

• Kalambaka - Kalabaka is a town and the seat of the municipality of Meteora in the Trikala regional unit, part of Thessaly in Greece. The city of Kalampaka is built at the foot of the Meteora and is on the left side of the river Pinios. It is the starting point for visitors who wish to explore the monuments and magnificent sites of Aspropotamos of Hasia, Koziakas, and the Meteora. Kalampaka is known worldwide for the famous monasteries that exist atop the rocks of the Meteora. Every year, millions of visitors come from all over the world to admire and honor them. Kalampaka is a city rich in history and important monuments. One of the most significant is the Holy Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, located in the northeastern part of the city under the very high rock of Aea. Free time for lunch (not included)
• Thermopylae - Thermopylae is a place in Greece where a narrow coastal passage existed in antiquity. It derives its name from its hot sulfur springs. In Greek mythology, the Hot Gates is one of the entrances to Hades. The Battle of Thermopylae took place in 480 BC between the Greeks and the Persians, coinciding with the Naval Battle of Artemision. The Persian Army, led by Xerxes, reached the passageways of Thermopylae. The Greeks chose this strategic spot to confront the Persian attack. Xerxes commanded Leonidas, the leader of the Greek Army, to surrender his armory, but he replied, ‘Come and get them.’ For two days, the Greeks fought heroically. On the third day, Ephialtes betrayed the Greeks, showing the Persians the passageway to get behind the Greeks. Consequently, the Persian Army surrounded the Greeks. Leonidas remained at the battle site with 300 Spartans, 700 Thespians, and 400 Thebans, loyal to his homeland’s laws. He fell dead from Persian arrows.
• Leonidas Monument - Why did the Battle of Thermopylae become one of the most world-famous battles? The Thermopylae battle is a perfect example of selflessness, sacrifice, and obedience to the country’s laws. The resistance in the passage is a result of rigorous military training, superior gear, and strategic use of the land to enhance defense capabilities.

Where is the Thermopylae Memorial? The passage of Thermopylae (which literally means “Hot Gates”) no longer exists, as the mud deposition by the Spercheios River moved the beach and the sea a few kilometers away. Near Thermopylae, next to the national road connecting Athens to Thessaloniki, there is a memorial statue of King Leonidas and his soldiers with an inscription saying:

“Ὦ ξεῖν’, ἀγγέλλειν Λακεδαιμονίοις ὅτι τῇδε κείμεθα, τοῖς κείνων ῥήμασι πειθόμενοι”, which means: “Stranger, tell Spartans that we lay here, staying faithful to Sparta’s laws.”

• Central Greece - The very heart of Greece. Central Greece, known as Roumeli, is part of the Greek mainland that has been inhabited since antiquity. It features forested mountain ranges, rivers, lakes, rich fauna and flora, and remarkable archaeological sites. Visit the archaeological site of Delphi and the Oracle of Apollo, picturesque seaside towns of Galaxidi and Itea, as well as beautiful Nafpaktos of great historical importance. The lagoon of Messolonghi, the largest Greek wetland, is a natural paradise that includes islets, dunes, forested banks, and a rich flora and fauna that provide salt and fish to the locals. But the most precious gift of nature here is bottarga (Greek avgotaracho), one of the few seafood products with a PDO award, a delicacy coming from the eggs of the female grey mullet. Are you seeking the kind of thrill that will pump up your adrenaline? Karpenisi is the ideal destination as there is a multitude…

The tour concludes by dropping you off at the same location where you were picked up in Athens.

• Bottled water
• Private tour
• Professional English-speaking driver
• Air-conditioned group transport
• Hotel pickup/drop-off in Athens

• Entrance fees to the archaeological sites and museum
• Gratuities
• Food and drinks
• Licensed by the State tour guide (We can arrange it for you with an additional cost)

Don’t let the opportunity pass to explore the spectacular clifftop Byzantine Monasteries in Greece with a full-day private journey to Meteora. You’ll travel across the picturesque Thessaly plain to Kalambaka, and visit Greece’s second most significant monastery complex, after Athos.

Key aspects of the all-day Meteora excursion

• An enriching 12-hour private journey across the beautiful Central Greece
• Marvel at the breathtaking Meteora rocks and delve into the Byzantine Monasteries of Meteora
• An endorsed UNESCO heritage
• Sample the local flavors with a traditional Greek meal at Kalambaka (optional)
• Enjoy the company of a professional English-speaking chauffeur
• Convenient hotel pick-up and drop-off in Athens at 07:00 A.M

• Dress code is formal
• Athens International Airport transfers can be arranged on request at an extra cost!
• Important note: You will have a professional English-speaking driver with good knowledge of the history and culture of Greece, to guide you till you enter archaeological sites and museums according to the program. Tour drivers are not licensed to companion you inside the archaeological sites and museums. If you’d like to have one, we can arrange it for you at an additional cost. Licensed by the state tour guides are freelance and it is subject to availability on bookings day!
• There are 6 monasteries on Meteora you could visit. Every day there is one or two closed. On this tour, you will have the chance to visit two monasteries, and if you are fast and fit, then a third one!
• Piraeus port transfers can be arranged on request at an extra cost!

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.