Breathtaking 12-h private day tour to Meteora Monasteries

Breathtaking 12-h private day tour to Meteora Monasteries; Don’t miss the chance to visit the impressive cliff top Byzantine Monasteries of Greece with the full-day private tour to Meteora, which takes you across the scenic route of the Thessaly plain to Kalambaka, and to the second most important complex of monasteries in Greece, after Athos.

Itinerary of the full day Meteora private tour in Greece

Central Greece, Thermopylae, Lamia, Karditsa, Trikala, Kalambaka, Kastraki, Meteora

Highlights of the Breathtaking 12-h private day tour to Meteora Monasteries

• A 10-hour private tour through a scenic drive in Central Greece
• The stunning natural phenomenon of the Meteora rocks and the Byzantine Monasteries of Meteora, the heritage of UNESCO
• A taste of Greece with a typical Greek lunch at Kalambaka
• Professional English-speaking driver
• Pick up and drop off from your hotel in Athens

Description of the full-day private tour to Meteora Monasteries

Starting in the morning from Athens, the full-day private tour to Meteora drives you through the scenic route that leads you to central Greece, passing by towns with historical and natural interest, such as Karditsa, Lamia, and Trikala. The first stop of the tour takes place in Thermopylae, which became widely known abroad due to the movie “The 300”.

Thermopylae is a place where a glorious page of Greek history was written when King Leonidas of Sparta and his 300 Spartans fought against the thousands of Persians who wished to conquer Greece. It is a site where Greeks proved their bravery and abnegation.

After a short stop in Thermopylae, the private tour will drive you to Kalambaka, the town that lies beneath the breathtaking rocks of Meteora.

The Byzantine monasteries of Meteora…

… are perched on the top of sandstone towers, which have been providing a safe and inaccessible refuge for the monks and nuns for centuries.

The monasteries of Meteora you can visit are six: The Monastery of Great Meteoron, the Monastery of Varlaam, the Monastery of Rousanou, the Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas, of St. Stephen, and the monastery of Holy Trinity, which is the hardest to reach. The intriguing history of the monasteries and the incredible landscape make this a truly worth doing tour!

Keep in mind that not all monasteries are open every day, therefore you will be informed in advance of the monasteries which can be visited depending on the day when you will be taking the tour. If you are planning to visit a certain monastery, make sure to ask so as not to miss the day!

After the visit to the Monasteries, you will enjoy a fully flavored typical Greek lunch at Kalambaka, and then the driver will take you back to Athens, early in the evening.

Important notes

Tour Type

• Shore Excursion - Private tour
• Activity level: Moderate

Included in the tour

• Car and Driver
• A professional English-speaking driver or escort with good knowledge of the history and culture of Greece, to guide you till you enter archaeological sites and museums. Tour drivers are not licensed to companion you inside the archaeological sites and museums. If you'd like to have a licensed state tour guide to escort you inside the sites and museums, 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!
• Transport by air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz vehicle or similar appropriate for the size of your group
• Accommodation is based according to availability (for multiple-day tours only)
• Pick-up from and return to your hotel
• Pick-up from the Port of Piraeus
• Private tour, Road tolls and local taxes
• Our terminal: Leof. Andrea Siggrou 37, 117 43 Athina, Greece.

Excluded from the tour

• Entrance fees to the archaeological sites and museum
• Wine tasting fee (wine tours)
• Olive oil tasting fee (olive oil tasting tours)
• Gratuities (optional)
• Food and beverage
• Your private chauffeur/guide will discuss a program best suited to your interest and mobile abilities. Option for a professional tour guide with a state license at an extra cost. Read more for the difference between a STATE LICENSED TOUR GUIDE and a TOUR DRIVER GUIDE in Greece!

Additional info

• Dress: religious and marmoreal sites: shoulders and knee must be covered
• Terms & Conditions and Frequent Questions
• Confirmation will be received at the time of booking
• A voucher will be emailed to you with our contact numbers and all necessary information for your tour.
• This is your ticket and proof of purchase. On the day of the tour please present a paper voucher in order to redeem your tour/activity.

Persons with Disabilities

• Due to uneven surfaces, certain sites are not recommended for persons with walking disabilities or using a wheelchair. Such sites are the Acropolis, the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, Mycenae, Delphi and Meteora
• In all cases, we recommend comfortable flat-solid walking shoes, sunglasses, and sunscreen.

Restrictions:

• Please note that on this tour, your tour driver is not licensed to accompany you on your climb. If you want this service you may book a licensed by-state tour guide for an extra cost.
• In case a group is followed by a licensed tour guide or an English speaking tour-escort the professional driver is not obliged to speak English!

Opening hours & Admission fees

• Opening Hours:Summer April 1st to October 31st from 08:00 AM to 07:30 PM
• Winter: November 1st to March 31st from 08:30 AM to 03:00 PM
• Free admission fees: Children under 18 & Students from E.U.
• Reduced admission fees: Citizens of the E.U. aged over 65 & Students from countries outside the E.U.

Free admission days

• March 6: In memory of deceased Minister of Tourism & visionary Melina Mercouri
• June 5: Environment international day
• April 18 : International monuments day
• May 18: International museums day
• September 27: International tourism day
• The last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days)
• National Holidays
• Sundays in the period between 1 November and 31 March
• The first Sunday of every month, except for July, August, and September
• NOTE: If the first Sunday is a holiday then the second is the free admission day

Holidays in Greece

• January 1: closed
• January 6: 08:30 AM - 03:00 PM
• Shrove Monday: 08:30AM - 03:00 PM
• March 25: closed
• Good Friday: 12:00 PM - 03:00 PM
• Holy Saturday: 08:30 AM - 03:00 PM
• Easter Sunday: closed
• Easter Monday: 08:30 AM - 03:00 PM
• May 1: closed
• Holy Spirit Day: 08:30 AM - 03:00 PM
• 15 August 15: 08:30 AM - 03:00 PM
• October 28: 08:30 AM- 03:00 PM
• December 25 & 26: closed