Meteora: Monasteries Tour With Lunch And Athens Transfer Option

wonderful tour of splendid monasteries in amazing surroundings expertly led by our tour guide within the time allotted

Beautiful tour!!! Our guide Maria was very nice and knowledgeable! The three monasteries visited were great! I highly recommend!

That our Monesaties are a sacred place in Greece and visitors should be respectful and aware of this and of the Orthdox Religion. xx

It’s a long drive 4 hours each way. Food is not worth it. Bus was hot and full of sick people. Gets two stars because because meteora is actually beautiful too bad it was only 3 hours out of 12-13 hour day. But I wish I would have just rented a car and gone on my own pace. Last thing is they double charged me for the trip and I’ll probably have to get refunded by bank.

Wonderful trip. The pick up was a bit further than expected but worth it. Gude Maria was knowledgeable and great company

Be prepared for a long travel 4hrs one way. Our guide Maria and driver George were amazing. The view of the mountain and monasteries are so worth the drive. Highly recommended.

The scenics were mind blowing. Amazing tour especially with Nicolas being our tour guide. So much fun and he made the tour very personal. He managed to explain very detailed to make us understand how and why the cities looking like that.

Meteora is stunning. The day before we were told we would meet an hour later than normally scheduled, but we needed this hour. We felt rushed at each of the monastery stops. This is such a unique place, just needed more time to fully enjoy the experience.

This was a fullday excursion from 7:45 am - 10 pm so was a long drive. The bus had wifi and charging points which was a plus. There were sufficient stops for toilets and food/snacks. The stop was in Kalambaka a pretty town where we sat down for our paid lunch (basic and there were other options available in town). Maria our guide was excellent. She was energetic, friendly, and very knowledgeable. The natural geography, geology and monasteries were indescribable. So worth seeing! If you don’t mind the long drive from Athens it is well worth doing!

I had never heard of these monasteries before researching must see things to do in the Athens area. This excursion became one of the highlights of our trip. Neither my husband nor I are religious people but the artwork in the churches located in these monasteries filled us with awe. Our guide and driver (Maria and George) were delightful and knowledgeable. I highly recommend this day trip.

Had a really good time. Maria was full of knowledge and very friendly and we had a bit of a laugh too. Such a great tour guide. Really loved Meteora.

The transportation to get to Meteora and the three monasteries is good. The guide provided some useful information during the drive to the monasteries, but we did not get a guided tour in the monasteries (and other guides were inside and providing that). The lunch was a rushed, loud, mediocre meal. I recommend going and seeing the monasteries, but make sure you are on a tour where the guide goes into the monasteries with you and explains what you are seeing.

Wow! What a breathtaking, spiritual experience! Gorgeous structures and views! Maria did such a fantastic job with the monastery tour! Very friendly and welcoming. Fun personality. Sense of humor. She encouraged all questions and had answers to all of them. Quite knowledgeable! We enjoyed the lunch! Delicious! The young helper on the bus and bus drivers were great too! Very professional. Loved the bus stop at the restaurant. We purchased some yummy desserts! Thank you!!!

The sights and the Monasteries were WELL worth the long drive to Meteora. The reason I am going for three stars is that the process of finding the bus and getting to Meteora was confusing and nobody really explained what was going on or how the day would flow or when we would arrive or anything like that. When we arrived, our actual tour guide was nice and he gave us the information we needed. However, throughout the day he gave no chance to ask questions about the sights and he was not very engaging with the group at all.

This is a must see! The guide Nick was very knowledgeable and approachable. The stairs and path for St.Nicholas were very steep and uneven. You need to follow a dress code and if not they provide skirts and pants to borrow, etc. The bus got a bit warm but had comfortable seats and plugs for chargers. Bathroom break was half way there and back so every 2 hours. there were opportunities to get drink and food during these quick breaks. Once we arrived we had some time in the town to shop or eat. I was along day but an amazing and beautiful place to visit!

It’s a long day if going from Athens but worth it. The town below, the stops along the way and of course the monasteries, amazing.

Everything was great ! The only thing i had issue with was the lunch. It was a buffet and it was not good at all, wished it was specified that it was a buffet . If i had known, i would have just gotten my own lunch for the same price at a better restaurant. George and Maria were great and very informative . George drived safely.

Although it was a very long day, the bus was comfortable, the driver and guide were both friendly and knowledgeable, and the lunch was enjoyable. There were sufficient comfort stops allowing you to purchase additional items. The Meteora Monasteries were amazing and the scenery stunning. Adequate time was provided to enjoy each experience however you do need a good level of fitness as there are a lot of stairs!

Very good price value for one day trip. Must see !

Women need to wear a skirt or bring a scarf that can be rapted around their waist to create a skirt. No knees or shoulders showing for women or men.

Maria was a very good guide. Helped us understand the area and how the amazing monasteries came to be. Her English was very good.

The scenery is breathtaking. I was clumsy on the way down from one of the monasteries and hurt my ankle, the guide organized a transport to the local health center and later back to my group. They were incredibly supportive throughout the ordeal and looked out for me. A big thank you to them!

I boarded the coach at Kalabaka station. The photos suggested it would be a small minibus, but it was a full-size coach. It was low season when I went, so it was less than half full but in high season, this would be crowded.

Overall, I had a good experience although the guide could make a better introduction about the monastries & region. I also found the coach from Athens to the Meteoria region pretty old and not really comfortable.

Super long day but worth it! Our guide was wonderful - welcoming and filled with so much knowledge of the area. We rode a large charter bus to Meteora and then we were transferred to a smaller van with fewer people for our tour. Lunch was very nice in a quaint restaurant in town.

I never did such a long tour and did not know what to expect, but not a single minute I was bored, Maria was one of the best guides I have ever met and the sceneries were breathtaking! Also, Ilias the driver did an amazing job. Thank you so much!

A very full day of interesting monasteries, pretty views and adventure. Nicholas was very friendly and fun.

The transport was very comfortable, the morning coffee stop was good and the included lunch was excellent. Our guide was very friendly and informative.

Punctual and well timed, balanced to squeeze in as mush as possible in a day. Loads of info in a fun way (thanks Maria) and great value for money. Good driver (Ilias) who was safe and careful. Highly recommended as a tour and company.

The bus from Athens was easy to find among the other buses as George, our driver had a list in large type with everyone’s names. The bus was comfortable with WiFi and charging ports. The ride was long but we stopped half through for a snack and a break. We met our guide Maria in town. The lunch buffet was great. We had plenty of time at each Monastery, we toured 3, although the first one was large and filled with students so we could have spent a little more time looking around. Maria gave us lots of interesting and historical information about the area and each Monastery. She answered many questions and was friendly and personable. Be ready for gorgeous views, interesting history and a lot of steps and walking. It was an unforgettable day and a wonderful way to see a unique part of Greece. Well worth the price which was less than a two hour tour of the Acropolis. The trip lasted 14 hours from pick up to drop off but there were opportunities for snacks and bathroom breaks through out the day. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone who is able to do a lot of walking (although you could stay at the base of any of the sites and the views are still amazing) and is not afraid of heights.

A fantastic tour with a great guide and bus driver. I loved seeing the best monasteries in Meteora with a transfer back to Athens (trains & buses can be very unreliable in Greece). Highly recommend using this tour.

Maria was a fantastic guide, funny, entertaining and gave us enough history and information on present-day operations so that we felt the tour was very worthwhile. The monasteries and Meteora, it goes without saying, were amazing. We had many photo opportunities. The pace was just right and even though we were among crowds of tourists, we managed to visit the 3 monasteries with no problems. We were very lucky that the weather cooperated. My husband and I highly recommend this tour. An excellent value and a once in a lifetime experience!

If you want to see Meteora monasteries, I would not recommend this tour from Athens. Firstly, the tour pickup from Athens via bus is a mess - they give you a meeting spot where 5 other Meteora busses also leave from who all say they are Meteora tours. You have to find your bus with the drivers directly, there are no tour company representatives in Athens. We were told to meet at 7:45am but then had to sit on the bus until 8:15am before departing. Once we got going, we stopped at a road side rest house where all the Meteora tours stop - this is the biggest tourist trap, overpriced rubbish. After this unneeded stop, you have another 2 hours to Meteora. When you arrive there, they take you to lunch. This lunch was horrible, you line up to get your food from a glass display with precooked options that were all terrible (and they don’t give you bottled water, only tap). There looked to be other good food options in the town, so avoid this. Then you get on a different, smaller bus to meet your tour guide for the first time (at 1:30pm). You visit 3 monasteries and stop for multiple photo stops until departing for Athens around 6pm. The tour guide (Maria) was extremely friendly and did a great job on commentary. You get too long at each Monastery though, we ended up waiting to get back on the bus for 10-15min at each stop. On the way home, back to the tourist trap rest stop and arrive in Athens at 10:25pm. Overall, it’s a very long day and not worth it in my opinion - but the tour guides are great!

We had a great time on this tour. Our guide, Maria, was absolutely wonderful - knowledgeable with the right mixture of fun and informative. Plenty of time at each site, gorgeous views and fascinating history. Everything was on time and the bus was easy to find at the pick up point. The only thing we didn’t like was that the halfway point stop was a major tourist trap, on our way back the men working there were literally yelling to get you to buy their food - very aggressive and made many people uncomfortable. The lunch spot was very average - not where I would have chosen if I had the choice.

Maria was great. She was very knowledgeable about the monasteries and Greece overall. We got a chance to chat with her throughout the tour and enjoyed getting to know more about the area dn Greece. The views are spectacular and the whole tour was very well planned out. Definitely recommend it.

Although this tour is a long day with the tour bus from Athens, it was worth every minute. Definitely a lot of walking and climbing and not much narrative by a tour guide, but what she added was worthwhile. You’re on your own on the bus and once you get to each of the monasteries but directions were very clear and we managed to stay on schedule well. The time allotted is generous so if you need to climb the stairs more slowly, you’ll still have time to see everything. The most beautiful views everywhere!

Hard to find the bus to begin the day. All the busses had "meteora" in the window and they were across the street from the other comaonies so was unnecessarily complicated. Once we got there, our tour guide was enthusiastic And informational. However, the ride there and back was less than ideal. We had to switch busses 2-3 times during the whole ordeal. The first time because they said it was breaking down, the second because they needed a smaller bus to wind around the curves (but I sw far bigger busses on our tour.) It was an inconvenience. Besides that, for such a ling ride, I expected there to be a bathroom on board. One of our busses was equipped with one, but it was out of order. Also, it was advertised as having wifi and but the password was not freely given at any point during the tour. They also advertised charging, which did not work. The larger bus for the longer ride also had terrible AC. The place they took us for stop wasa tourist trap. Very expensive. Bring snacks/food/drinks if possible. All in all, I would not recommend this tour.

It was a good experience! I could have done without using a guide and just going by myself but I didn’t want to have to deal with parking.

The tour was well organised and the bus comfortable for such a long trip. The Meteora area itself is spectacular and highly recommend seeing it.

Be prepared for along bus ride. The halfway point rest stop is excellent, clean, well stocked with a good variety. Restrooms are clean.

There are certain things in life that should not be missed and seeing this breath-taking marvel is definitely one of them. The entire excursion was perfect. Special thanks to our excellent guide and driver, Vassilis. We enjoyed every second of the trip.

The guide, Maria, was excellent! Both knowledgeable on the subject and funny. The drive was long but smooth and the stops along the way, including the lunch, were well-timed and comfortable. Also included were great short stops to admire the scenery from different angles and to take pictures.

We thank you so much to our driver Idris and our guide Nicolas. It was a great trip. We enjoyed and had a good time as a group.

excellent!!! its a very complete and comfortable tour and PANOS a great guide! he explained us everything! and told us about his personal experiences in meteora! he was born there so he know the place completelly well! thank you very much!!!!

Incredible sights to see. It’s amazing that these monasteries could be built on these pinnacles. Nicholas is very informative and a great host. George did a great job driving the bus. The transfer from Athens was seamless. The lunch was delicious and a nice bonus. The day is long (14 hours overall) but well worth it.

We had a great trip and fine experience with Meteora Trip. Everything easy perfectly arranged, absolutely on time. We got the necessary information beforehand and were met at the railway station van Kalambaka by our guide Maria. She has a lot of knowledge about the area, its history and interesting facts about each monastery. Maria has a nice sense of humor. It was a pleasure to listen to her. The tour brought us to the hermit caves, 3 monasteries to visit, another 3 to see and also to the magnificent views of the rocks and monasteries there. Everything was great, even the bottles of cold water were distributed at the best possible moment. Thank you Maria!

The views were incredible. A magical place! Our tour guide Nicolas was outstanding and we learned about the history of this amazing place.

It’s a longggggg day (be prepared for that) but the meteora is absolutely breathtaking and worth it! A must do, especially if you are religious. Minus one star as we would’ve liked more clarity and guidance on how the day will play out. We got on the bus, and there wasn’t much of an introduction or anything. We didn’t know when lunch was, so when we made a stop midway we bought some food for a late breakfast, however were too full for the beautiful lunch that was included as soon as we got to Kalabaka.

Amazing experience with a fun and knowledgeable tour guide. We loved the entire experience and learnt lots about the history and geography of the area.