Day 11: What to see in Meteora
Today we have to organize the places to see in Meteora, on our second day in one of the most incredible areas of the country, after yesterday we dedicated ourselves to visit the Meteora Monasteries that were open, in addition to touring the panoramic route and seeing one of the most incredible sunsets that we have been lucky of living in our traveling life.
Although we initially had the idea that these 3 days of the trip to Greece in 32 days were somewhat more relaxed, we have not finished getting it, since being in a place like this, it seems that we feel obliged to squeeze time to the fullest, so today we also get up early, at 8 o'clock, to be already on the terrace of the Hotel Doupiani House, our accommodation in Kastraki these days, where we enjoy an incredible breakfast, surrounded by a unique landscape.
Already with charged energies, it's 9 when we start a new one route through Meteora, one of the essential places to see in Greece, which we have to say, has us completely in love and that will take us to know the 3 monasteries that we did not know yesterday, retrace the panoramic route and enjoy again the places to see in Meteora more impressive.
As we said yesterday, taking into account that we have dedicated 3 days to visit the Monasteries of Meteora, when normally most travelers dedicate 1 or 2 days, we have preferred to make 2 post in which, in addition to telling our day to day, to explain in more detail, all the nuances that we believe are important to organize a good route through the places to see in Meteora, to not miss anything and enjoy this place to the fullest.
In yesterday's post you can find all the details related to displacements, how to get there, monasteries schedules and recommendations on where to sleep and where to eat in Meteora, while in today's we will focus more on the different routes recommended according to the places what to see in Meteora or the days you have, in addition to the recommended places to see the sunset and tips to enjoy this place to the fullest.
What should I know before planning a route to visit the Monasteries of Meteora
- All places to see in Meteora can be accessed by free, either by rental car, on foot or by public transport, although in this case, the most comfortable option is the rental car, for the freedom of schedules and movements It offers.
- Another option, if you are staying in Athens and want to know more about the place, a good option is to book this 2-day excursion to Delphi and Meteora, this Meteora Excursion by train, the 4-day Classic Circuit or the Classic Circuit 3 days, all with guide in Spanish.
- In case you want to visit the Meteora Monasteries from Kalambaka or Kastraki, in an organized way, we recommend one of the following options:
- Excursion to Meteora at sunset from Kalambaka
- Excursion to the Meteora Monasteries from Kalambaka
- Hiking by Meteora from Kalambaka
- Excursion to Meteora at sunset from Kastraki
- Excursion to the Meteora Monasteries from Kastraki
- Hiking through Meteora from Kastraki
- Keep in mind that the 6 monasteries that can be visited at this time, are all located on the same road, along 10 kilometers, so the distances you will have to cover are short.
- The best option is to stay in Kastraki or Kalambaka, the towns considered entrance doors to Meteora, which are only 2-3 kilometers from the nearest monasteries.
What to see in Meteora
What to see in Meteora
Although the entire Meteora area is incredibly attractive, for a traveler who comes to know the most important places, these are the places you should focus on:
- Monasteries: Visit the 6 monasteries open to the public today or a minimum of 2-3 to know at least some of them.
- Panoramic Route: This is the name that we have assigned, personally, to the road that takes you along the places to see in Meteora. They are about 10 kilometers in which in addition to the monasteries, you will pass through different natural viewpoints from which the views are impressive.
Although they are only 10 kilometers, we recommend you plan the route with time, since you will want to stop at each point of the road, since as we said, the views are really impressive.
- Kastraki-Kalambaka: As we mentioned earlier, they are the gateway towns to Meteora, which although less remarkable than the monasteries, are the perfect place to relax, have a drink, walk or taste Greek cuisine, after a day visiting the places to see in Meteora.
- Sunset: Although later we will talk a little more extensively, enjoy the sunsets in Meteora, it is another essential experience, which we are sure, will become unforgettable in Greece for free.
Sunset in Meteora
Possible routes in Meteora, depending on the number of days
Knowing already the important aspects to take into account to enjoy the places to see in Meteora, we leave you a selection of possible routes, according to the number of days you have, in addition to the day of visit, since there are monasteries that close (see previous post for schedules) some days of the week. With this in mind, the routes we leave you can be adapted to fit your itinerary better.
If your visit to Meteora is during the weekend, you will have no problem, since all the monasteries are open Saturday and Sunday.
Route by Meteora in 1 day
- As we mentioned in the previous post, it is possible to visit Meteora in one day from Athens, either by free, by rental car or public transport or through a tour / excursion.
- Whenever possible, we would advise you to arrive the evening-night before, in order to take advantage of the whole day and also have the possibility of enjoying a sunset in Meteora, one of the most incredible moments you can live in this place .
- If this is not possible and you do not mind being late back to Athens and continuing your itinerary, you can always take advantage of the afternoon of this day to see the sunset and then continue the journey.
- Bearing in mind that you will only have a few hours to enjoy all the places to see in Meteora, our recommendation is to make a selection of 2-3 monasteries, among which we would highlight the Grand Meteora, Moni Agias Triados and Moni Agiou Stefanou, the latter, notable for being frequented by nuns.
- The idea would be to enter through Kastraki and start traveling the panoramic road and start visiting the Great Meteora, then continue the journey and make the visits of Moni Agias Triados and Moni Agiou Stefanou.
Keep in mind that there are many viewpoints on the road, of which there are only two marked as such (you can see them on the previous map), and they are recommended to watch the sunset. That is why the idea is to stop every little, especially when you see that there is a monastery nearby, to be able to have the incredible views with which we relate Meteora.
- If you have an afternoon, going to see the sunset at the first viewpoint, coming from Kastraki, is one of the most recommended options.
- If you are in Meteora and do not have a car you can always book this excursion through the monasteries from Kalambaka or from Kastraki, in both you will be picked up at your hotel and you will have a guide in Spanish.
Route through Meteora in 2 days
- Having a couple of days to get to know Meteora, the most recommended option is to visit the 6 monasteries, make the panoramic route, enjoy the sunset one or two days, depending on how you have planned the trip and get to know a bit of Kastraki or Kalambaka.
- According to our experience, we would visit 3 monasteries every day, always taking into account the closing times and days, in addition to traveling the two days the panoramic route, we assure you that it is incredible and you will not get tired of repeating it, adding a couple of sunsets, one in each of the viewpoints and know a little of the place where you stay, either Kalambaka or Kastraki.
- If you come in a time when it is not very hot, it may be interesting to do some of the walking trails. In our case, when traveling in the middle of summer and exceeding 30-35 degrees every day, in the end we discard this option.
Route by Meteora in 3 days
- If you have 3 days, we recommend you make the proposed route for two days and dedicate a full day to enjoy the place, return to the panoramic road, enjoy walks through Kastraki or Kalambaka and if you are staying in a hotel with views like the Hotel Doupiani House, where we stay, take the opportunity to relax and live Meteora
In addition, there are many more places to see in Meteora, which although less known, can be a perfect option for this extra day. The Doupianis monastery, which was one of the first built in Meteora or one of the caves where the hermit monks lived.
Another good option is to book this hiking route through the landscapes of Meteora with a guide in Spanish from Kalambaka or from Kastraki.
Sunset at the Meteora Monasteries in Greece
Although we could say that any point on the panoramic road of Meteora is a good point to enjoy a good sunset, according to our experience, there are 3 points from which the views are incredibly spectacular.
- Mirador 1 (Observation Deck closest to Roussanou)
For us the best viewpoint of Meteora and the top place to enjoy a sunset. We recommend you to come an hour before the sun goes down, since although the space is ample, people usually concentrate.
Keep in mind that the viewpoint is a rock space, without any protection, so be careful and not risk having a bad experience for wanting to get too close to the edge.
If you come by rental car, you can park right in front, in a small free parking lot. In case of not having a place, you can use the shoulder, always hitting the car as much as possible, to facilitate the maximum circulation of the rest of vehicles.
If you do not have a car you can book this sunset excursion from Kalambaka or from Kastraki, where they will pick you up at your hotel and you will have a guide in Spanish.
Sunset at the Meteora Monasteries
Viewpoint in Meteora
- Mirador 2 (Observation Deck furthest from Roussanou)
Known for being one of the best viewpoints of Meteora, for us this has more partial views than the first, since you can not see the profile of Roussanou, so it is a less successful option. Like the previous one, you can park right in front, in a small free parking lot enabled.
In case you can only see a sunset, you can choose to see it in Mirador 1 and when the sun is practically below, go to the next viewpoint, located only 400 meters, to have both perspectives.
Sunset in Meteora
- Parking Roussanou Monastery, overlooking the Agia Nikolau Anapafsa Monastery
This point what we discover by chance and we have to confess that we still do not understand how more people are not concentrated, since the sunset from here, over the Agia Nikolau Anapafsa Monastery is simply spectacular.
Sunset from the Roussanou Monastery Parking
More practical information to prepare your trip to Greece
- 10 essential places to see in Greece
- The best tips for traveling to Greece
- The 10 best Greek Islands
Tips for visiting the Meteora Monasteries in Greece
- The first of the recommendations we give you to enjoy all places to see in Meteora, is to take a map, in all the accommodations they have, to familiarize you with the area and thus be able to plan the route.
- Knowing the schedules of the monasteries is essential, since based on them, you can organize the visit. Remember that you have them in the previous post.
- If you only go one day, starting soon is essential to fully enjoy the area.
- Keep in mind that as you travel the road, you will find truly spectacular views of the monasteries. It is something to value to have extra time that you will need to enjoy Meteora.
- In this case and if your visit is one day, you can make the visit starting at the farthest monastery is where people go much later and thus also avoid the massification that may occur at certain times of the day .
Meteora in Greece
Access to one of the Meteora Monasteries
- You have probably read or think that access to the different monasteries is very difficult. Although according to which we talk about the level of effort is greater or less, it is nothing that is not perfectly affordable with a minimum of physical form and taking it easy.
Yes, there are many stairs in some cases, but as we say, it can be done without problems.
- Although we have accessed all with flip flops, it is true that in some places the rock is more slippery, so it may be interesting to wear a more closed footwear to make visits.
- Also note that to enter the monasteries it is necessary to wear properly: T-shirt with short sleeves, non-straps and pants that cover the knees. For women it is mandatory to wear a skirt in case the shirt does not cover enough or the pants are very tight.
In the same monasteries they provide you with a kind of skirts, in case you do not comply with the regulations.
- Although in most monasteries there is always a small shop, before entering, where they sell drinks and something to eat, inside everyone, you will find a fountain in which you can refill the bottle, since it is drinking water . In the Maps.me application you have the location of each of them.
- If you are only one day and you want to eat along the way, in the Gran Meteora Monastery, there is a stand with different options of fast food, which from what we saw is the one with more varieties.
Coffee in Meteora
- Something we saw during the days we were in Meteora is that most organized tours begin the visit to the Great Monastery, as it is the most visited and one of those included in the organized excursions. When these groups arrive around 9-9: 30, we recommend you to visit about 11-12 approximately, to find less queue at the entrance.
Entrance to the Great Monastery
- All monasteries have a parking area, where you can park for free. Whenever possible, try to use it, to leave the road clear. In case it is complete, you can park on the shoulder, but always trying to disturb the rest of the vehicles as little as possible.
Meteora
- During the three days we have spent in Meteora, we have met many people climbing the rocks without proper footwear. Be very careful, not everything is worth everything for a photo and less when it comes to your life.
- Although you can visit visiting the Meteora Monasteries in Greece for free without problems, if you do not want to rent a car, you are staying in Athens and want to know more about the place, a good option is to book this 2-day excursion to Delphi and Meteora, this Excursion to Meteora by train, the 4-day Classic Circuit or the 3-day Classic Circuit, all with a guide in Spanish.
Day 12: Meteora - Sunset at Cape Sounion in Greece - Piraeus Port
