From Athens:Meteora Caves & Monasteries History Day Trip by Train

Day Trip to Meteora

This was a fantastic tour! The main issue was it took so long to get there, 4+ hours, that we didn't get a chance to visit but 3 monasteries. But the views were breathtaking!

Perfectly managed tour of a spectacular site

I would highly recommend this amazing tour. The only drawback is it's a long day, starting about 7am and not getting home until 10.45pm. But it's worth it to be able to fit so much into a one-day tour from Athens. Going part way by train is excellent - it's more comfortable and you get some amazing views of the plateaus and mountains you travel through. The public bus is only perhaps 1.75 hours of the journey. The lovely Penny and Mr Stathis met us in a mini bus at Kalabaka station and from that point, we spent 5 hours without wasting a moment. We stopped at many amazing viewpoints during the day to really see the monasteries and photograph the stunning landscape. We also went inside 3 monasteries (St Stephen, Varlaam and Roussanou, but this is variable as different monasteries are closed on different days), and we saw all the other monasteries from a distance, and in between we had a quick but delicious lunch (not included in price). Admission to the monasteries is also extra, but it's only about 3 Euro each. Ladies do literally have to wear a skirt (not long pants) but the tour company provided those to put over our clothes. Varlaam and Roussanou had 100 - 150 steps each, but they were neat and not hard to climb. St Stephen is the only monastery with no steps to get up (there are small staircases inside). Great Meteoron and Aghia Triada have 300 steps. If you have very limited mobility, you can't 100% guarantee you will be able to see inside one, but your chances are good, and if the weather is ok you will definitely get to see them from the outside. Meteora is not like any other sight I have seen and this tour was the best way to see them - I can't imagine how it could have been better.

Day trip

Very well managed tour guide was knowledgeable. Very good trip. I recommend staying longer in Kalambaka

Guide and Driver were fantastic!

This was one of the highlights of our trip. The only downside was the bus ride between the train and when the tour operator picked us up. That part was cramped and hot. The tour operator and driver were amazing. They were very nice and strived to make a connection with everyone on the trip. The driver was amazing at taking photos and we felt like we had a professional photo shoot. The tour operator really loves the area and the culture and you could tell. They did everything they could to make our tour as good as it could be and they succeeded.

Amazing

Don’t know if I would do train again as there were problems both ways but driver and guide were great and visit to monasteries beyond amazing

Amazing

Tough trip by train. Had problems both ways. Would consider bus the whole way. Having said that guide and driver were wonderful. Helpful and informative. Amazing views and great day.

Interesting Experience

Can't really review this tour as it didn't happen through this company. It was communicated that I'd be traveling by bus instead of train and to check in to find my name on a list. It was not communicated however, that I'd be thrown on a bus with approximately 30 other people instead of 15 TOTAL as promised by the tour description. When I messaged to ask about this and pointed out my name was on the list with a different company, I got told there was a problem with the van and to ask the guide on my current tour. I specifically booked this tour due to the smaller size. The only reason I give 3 stars is because I still had a nice time and was given the promised bottle of wine despite the over-all chaos and lack of communication in having to make alternate plans. Maria with Visit Meteora however actually deserves the 5 star rating because she was fantastic and saved the day. She was very friendly, funny, and able to lend a local's perspective on the site.

Glorious views

Fantastic place to visit with the local tour groups banding together to ensure the lack of trains - flooding has ruined the track - doesn't stop people getting to site! Service stations are quite good so make the most of them.........it's a looooong journey! I sat in the wrong place en route so missed taking pics of the epic mountain roads inc getting close to sheer drops 😱 My phone battery was dead most of the way back having taken so many pics etc 😢 Our guide Chrissy was so amiable & enthusiastic about the area backed up with lots of information! Our driver Stathis was the one to let me know the change of transport plans which worked out.........he got us around with time for extra stops inc a Game of Thrones throwback! Be prepared for lots of climbing hills & steps plus the occasional sighting of a turtle 👀 The views & history are worth all the exercise..... I look forward to having the wine with friends at home even though my friend accidentally left hers on the bus back 🤦🏾‍♂️

Amazing private tour of Meteora from pickup to drop off at the Kalambaka train terminal

Meteora Rocks team Chrysa and the driver did an amazing job taking care of us from arrival in Kalambaka to making sure we were fed to providing amazing hospitality from start to finish. Chrysa was an amazing guide who did an excellent job telling stories about the history of Monastery and the area. One thing I really loved about Chrysa was how she engaged our 7 and 11 year old kids on the tour. They enjoyed the tour because of Chrysa otherwise they could have been bored. At one point during the trip we had a thunderstorm heavy rains passed through, my wife and kids stayed back while waiting for the rains to clear. During this time, it was so cool of Chrysa to teach a little about the history of Meteora and have the kids report back to our group while we were on the move from one monastery to the next. I was really touched by this work from Chrysa. Well done to Chrysa and our driver for a great private experience.

Loved Athina and the rocks!

We had an amazing tour guide Athina. She spoke English well and clearly. She also had a great personality and tons of information about the area and it’s history. The beauty of the rocks was amazing. There’s a lot of climbing to get into the monasteries. The train ride was super long, but the seats were pretty comfortable. The mini bus that picked us up from Kalabaka was also pretty comfortable. I would recommend the tour.

Stunning views

Amazing views, such a beautiful place, lots of steps, but soo worth it. Train doesn't have wifi, charging docs or eftpos and will not take large notes.

Day well spent

Train ride was fuss-free, though it took quite a while. As we were the only people on the tour, it became a private tour! Guide was knowledgeable and helped to take many photos. Was served some Loukoumi along the way. New and comfortable van. Great sights and a must-see when in Greece.

A beautiful scenery

The scenery was beautiful, but too long of a ride. They should have people working on the train check the bathrooms to see if things needed to be replenish. No toilet paper when I had to use the restroom. They also said there would be WiFi but no one could log on.

Highly recommended trip to Meteora

The trip to Meteora was great. Our tour guide was truly amazing. She is a nice person, explained the formation of the rocks, origin of the monasteries, history, cultural part very well. My family including two of our kids (11 and 8) enjoyed the trip very well. The guide and the bus driver interacted with our family like friends. Recent train accident at Greece made the trip duration little short, but the guide and the driver still went above and beyond to get us see all three monasteries that they promised. They stopped many places in between for photoshoots.

Excellent tour. Small group and expert guide

It was an excellent tour. We had a great time. The guide was very talented and showed he knows the subject very well. The route we followed and the places we stopped to enjoy the view and take some photographs were amazing and to the point. Highly recommended tour and guide

Beautiful Meteora!

The Meteora is a must see with its monasteries built on edges of cliff. Very beautiful site, excellent guide. The only draw back was the train ride from Athens. We knew it wold be long however we expected comfortable seating which it was not. I would however do it again for it is truly amazing.

Disappointed

Our experience on this tour was very disappointing. The company seemed disorganized and the transport van was very uncomfortable. The ride was rough (perhaps a problem with the suspension) and the A/C did not reach to the rear row where we were seated. The outside temperature the day of our tour was 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Our tour guide was very nice, but seemed very unsure of herself and had limited English. She became ill and had to leave the tour. A replacement guide was found, but her narration was very basic; I do not feel I learned much about the history of the monasteries.

Amazing Meteora

An amazing experience that you can’t miss if you are in Athens ! The tour guide was very friendly and enthusiastic and provided the group with information about the local history of Meteora Rocks. Everything was smooth and easy so you can enjoy your time there. Also, it’s better if you stay the night because the city looks even more beautiful by night.

The guide and the driver...

The guide and the driver was very pleasant and friendly who took good care of guests and sharing information about the sites.

Amazing Meteora

The visits to the 3 monasteries were amazing. Celia is a great guide! The Taksiki restaurant recommendation was also perfect!

The guide and driver were...

The guide and driver were very helpful and respectful and the van very confortable The scenery amazing and out of this world It’s same as we went to the moon

Fun and breathtaking trip to Meteora monasteries

The train ride was long but comfortable. Once we got there the monastery site was amazingly beautiful. Our guides were so personable and knowledgeable and made the trip fun with little quizzes.

Amazing experience of Meteora

Celia and our driver were extremely kind and very professional. Meteora is a one-of-a-kind place and very hard to tour by yourself. Celia was super knowledgeable, the pace of the tour was great and we felt like we got the most out of the day. We would recommend them wholeheartedly!

An amazing tour - Meteora does rock!

We just returned from Greece and this was truly one of our highlights of our 12 days of vacation. Celia was our guide, and she and the driver were excellent. She had so much information, and was pleasant, funny and so informative. The driver took extra care as I am prone to car sickness, and he was careful and slow on the turns of the mountains. We were truly amazed at how fabulous these monasteries are. Our tour was just our family, Celia and the driver, and it was SOOO much better than the packed tourbuses that were also visiting the sites. While a long trip from Athens there and back in one day, the train was very relaxing and the town was so charming. Next time we would stay a night as we loved the countryside more than Athens. Wow. Book this immediately, you won't regret it.

Experience of a lifetime

This tour is the really the best of both worlds you get the views and beautiful scenery of the area, well being driven in a very comfy tour van. We were also in a small group for the tour. Our tour guide was great she was funny and informative and wanted you to get engaged. I’m lucky and honored to have this experience.

Amazing Meteora Tour!!

One of the main reasons I went to Greece was because of Meteora. Being an Orthodox Christian and visiting these beautiful Monasteries was an amazing experience! I would highly recommend this tour and also, please ask for Celia! She is absolutely amazing and very knowledgeable. She will explain everything in great detail and is a very friendly person. Additionally, the van they took me in had AC and wifi as well. She even recommended a great restaurant after our tour which had amazing food! You will not regret it!

Amazing private tour with Celia

An amazing private tour. Celia and her driver were amazing. Very knowledgeable about the monasteries and surrounding area. Took the time to explain details in both Greek and English. Highly recommend Meteora Rocks and Celia

Meteora Lovely tour❣️

Complete tour Nice guide and driver Very special place It is worth it the long train travel One day in enough This place is incredible

A fun get away

Our guide Chris was amazing. He is very knowledgeable and talked about the history and geology of Meteora all day while driving.

Totally worth it ... but the train ride is loooonnggg

The tour and the guides were fantastic! Due to COvID, 3 of us in the tour but the guides kept the same energy! The train ride is way to long and the train stops everywhere in between! If you have alternate travel to get there, take it!

A majestic tour experience with the best agency aboard!

Exceptional tour experience and a majestic destination to visit. The tour leader, Chris, was by all means full of knowledge of the area and its historic facts. His communication skills elevated the general and experience, and also his positive manner throughout the tour, in correlation with his jokes to break the ice, created the most promising tour we've ever had so far. Stathis, the driver, provided us with a relaxing driving tour and was more than kind to give us some info of places to visit and eat within the city after the tour. All in all it was a memorable experience in Meteora with the best tour agency for the purpose! Thank you guys and keep the great work!

Exceptional tour company

Meteora ROCKS.  I found the company name to to be an appropriate play on words.  If you ever have the privilege to visit Meteora; I would highly recommend this tour company.  Our guide Dinos was exceptional; his vast historical knowledge, gifted intellectual capacity and ability to relay this knowledge in an entertaining format was refreshing.  Meteora is a very spiritually uplifting location with an incredible history and "Meteora Rocks" is a tour company worthy of presenting the story.  Thank you for a memorable experience.

Meteora

A big day but definitely worth it. The second biggest tourist attraction in Greece is a must see. This trip is extremely well organised, the guides are great, and the right amount of time is spent at each monastery/nunnery. Definitely beats spending a night in Kalabaka if you don't need to, even though it is a 16 hour day. Highly recommended.

1 day to Meteora from Thessaloniki

This tour totally deserves 1 day! It has been the best organised tour we have ever been. Chris is not only kind and well prepared but a friend to share a trip with. Perfect organisation and time schedule. He has been also flexible to make the tour, our tour, responding to (all) our requests and never being tired for a pic stop or an explanation. Go with meteora rocks, it will be your best day ever close to heaven. Thanks Chris, thank you all guys for this wonderful day!

Amazing experience

Choosing this company for our meteora tour worth every penny....100% recommended and the next time I will be there I will definitely choose them

One day in Heaven

Esperienza unica, indimenticabile, da vivere almeno una volta nella vita. I luoghi visitati lasciano senza respiro, l’atmosfera che si sprigiona dai monasteri e in generale dal panorama che ti avvolge è a dir poco ultra terrena. Il tutto è gestito perfettamente dalla guida e dal driver, entrambi di una professionalità oltre la perfezione. Grazie Chrysa e grazie Stathis… siete over the top!!!

Balade au sanctuaire

Balade magique au sein des météors, une histoire incroyable, heureusement pour nous les titans ne se sont pas revrillés. Nous remercions tout particulièrement Dimitris qui nous a raconté de fabuleuses histoires sur ce site fantastique.

ΦΑΝΤΑΣΤΙΚΗ ΕΜΠΕΙΡΙΑ

Άψογη εξυπηρέτηση και φανταστική ξενάγηση από την Εύη .Ο κύριος Στάθης ήταν πολύ εγκάρδιος και φιλικός. Ευχαριστώ πολύ.

Wow, quel paysage!

Double Site mondial UNESCO pour la nature et la culture, à voir au moins une fois dans sa vie! La guide et le chauffeur étaient tres sympatiques, mais un peu difficile a comprendre parfois. Notes pour les femmes et les jeunes filles, la jupe sous le genoux est vraiment obligatoire (et non pas seulement d’avoir les genoux couverts - le pantalon /capri ne passe pas dans les monastères - le short au dessus du genoux pour les hommes non plus, certains ont attendus a l’exterieur. Les épaules aussi doivent être couvertes.) Seul point négatif, on part tôt d’Athene le matin, 4h de train… notre tour semi-privé prenait un couple qui residait dejà dans la ville d’arrivée, on nous a arrêté a un restaurant en nous disant que si nous voulions manger, nous pouvions prendre 10 minutes… un peu court et gênant étant donné que les autres, n’ayant pas fait le train, n’avaient pas besoin de manger. Bref, apportez-vous un petit lunch a manger dans le train si vous voulez manger un vrai repas entre 8h et 16h30 - la fin du tour.

Un paseo inolvidable

Todo el paseo estuvo perfecto. Muy queridas las personas del tour. Nos mostraron y explicaron muy bien la historia y cómo viven en los monasterios. Tuvimos el tiempo suficiente para recorrer los monasterios que visitamos y escogieron el mejor orden para la visita.

Perfecto

Hermoso lugar para conocer! La guía nos explicó toda la historia. Recomendable totalmente. La van muy cómoda y con bebida incluida

Impresionante

Una experiencia inolvidable con el guía atento y amable! Sin duda recomendable pero es para las personas que les gusta caminar.

Tour a Meteora

Excelente experiencia y nuestro Guia fué el mejor! Se preocupó por explicarnos todo de los monasterios y su historia y además procuró que no perdiéramos detalles. Fue un viaje largo pero sin duda vale la pena realizar! :)