Planning a trip to The Meteora
The visiting days and hours of the Meteora monasteries are unpredictable and changeable. Since May 2009, most monasteries have closed 1 day a week and been open other days from 9am to 4 or 5pm. In winter, most close 1 or 2 days a week and are open other days from 9am to 1pm (St. Nicholas), 9am to 2pm (Ayia Triada and Rousssanou), 9am to 3pm (Varlaam), and 9am to 4pm (Great Meteoron); Ayiou Stefanos planned to be open 9:30am to 1pm and 3 to 5pm. This is a departure from the monasteries' former practice of all closing for several hours in the middle of the day for siesta. It remains to be seen if the many monasteries will continue to be open in the middle of the day or revert to their previous schedule. Sometimes the monasteries are much less crowded in the early evening, when tour groups have departed for their next destination. Ideally, you would be able to visit monasteries on two late afternoons. Failing that, start your visit as early in the day as possible, so you're not left cooling your heels if the monasteries revert to closing while the monks and nuns have their afternoon siestas. Try to allow at least a full day here -- you don't want to rush your experience of the contemplative life! If you are on a tight schedule, you can visit several monasteries and then do a circuit of the others by car in an hour or so. Women should wear skirts, not slacks, and men should wear slacks, not shorts. If you come in winter, dress warmly, as many of the monasteries have little or no heat in the public rooms. Also in winter, many small restaurants and hotels in the area may be closed. In compensation, you might get to see the Meteora at its most beautiful: covered with snow and shrouded in mists.
Fast Facts
The tourist office (tel. 24320/77-734) on Plateia Riga Fereou, the main square (with the prominent fountain), is usually open Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm and 5 to 8pm in summer, with abbreviated winter hours. Information is also available at the Town Hall (tel. 24320/22-339). The National Bank and the Ionian Bank, also on Plateia Riga Fereou, exchange currency and have ATMs. The clinic in Kalambaka (tel. 24320/24-111), the police (tel. 24320/22-109), and the tourist police (tel. 24320/76-100) are about 1km (1/2 mile) outside town on the road to Ioannina. The post office and telephone office (OTE) are signposted off Plateia Riga Fereou. Cafe Hollywood (tel. 24320/24-964), on the main drag, Trikalon, and Arena (tel. 24320/77-999) on Plateia Dimoula, function as Internet cafes. Hang gliding in the Meteora became popular as a result of spectacular scenes in the 1981 James Bond movie For Your Eyes Only. If you're interested in rock climbing or hang gliding, see www.meteoraclimbing.gr or www.kalambaka.gr, allegedly soon to have its website available in English).
Getting There
By Train -- There are usually about five daily trains from Athens's Larissa station (tel. 210/821-3882) to Larissa and then on to the Kalambaka station (tel. 24320/22-451). Allow at least 8 hours for the Athens-Kalambaka trip.
By Bus -- Seven buses run daily to Trikkala from the Athens terminal at 260 Liossion (tel. 210/831-1434 or 210/831-7153). Allow at least 8 hours for the Athens-Kalambaka trip. Buses leave frequently from Trikkala (tel. 24310/73-130) for Kalambaka (tel. 24320/22-432). Several buses a day connect Kalambaka and the Meteora monasteries.
By Car -- From Athens, take the Athens-Thessaloniki National Highway north to Lamia; from Lamia, take the highway northwest to Kalambaka. From Delphi, take the Lamia-Karditsa-Trikkala-Kalambaka Highway north. Allow at least 6 hours for the Athens-Kalambaka trip.
Getting Around
If you don't have a car, you may want to hire a taxi to visit the Meteora monasteries. Expect to pay between 50€ and 100€ to visit the six monasteries usually open to the public. Your fee will vary depending on whether you want a drive-by tour with a brief stop at one or two monasteries, or a more thorough day-trip with stops at each. Be sure you are in agreement with your driver as to how much time you will have at each monastery. Most drivers are content to wait up to 30 minutes at each monastery, while some drivers will accompany you into each and act as guide (and expect a tip).
