Is Meteora Worth Visiting? Most Famous Monasteries in the World!

I was planning a Greece road trip up to Vikos Gorge in Northern Greece to do some hiking and exploring in the “Grand Canyon of Greece” when I stumbled on Meteora. I saw a picture of the Monasteries perched on top of the HUGE rocks and decided that I wanted to come here. So I did some research and found that it wouldn’t be too far out of the way to visit for a few days on my way up to Vikos. But is Meteora worth visiting?

If you are reading this you’re probably already going to be in Athens before or after some Greece island-hopping, and are trying to decide if a trip to Meteora is worth your time. It’s 5 hours by train and 3.5 hours by car, and gas and tolls are VERY expensive in Greece. In this post, I’ll go through what I wish I would have known before coming to Meteora, then give you my answer as to whether I think a trip to Meteora is worth it or not.

Skip ahead if you just want the short answer!

Is Meteora Worth Visiting? Things to Consider

I’m not one of those people that just thinks everything is just … “amazing!”. Below, I consider everything that I would take into account when visiting Meteora as honestly as possible.

💡 Also, it is definitely possible to visit Meteora as a day trip from Athens. Checkout this Meteora Full Day Trip w/ Lunch Included! 🚌

1 – Distance from Athens – How Long Does it Take to Get Here?

By Train – The train from Athens (one way) is about $26 and takes about 5 hours. The good thing about the train is that it takes you right to Kalabaka which is where most people stay when they visit Meteora. From Kalabaka, you can walk to visit the Monasteries quite easily, or you can join an e-bike tour, rent an electric scooter, etc. If you are only coming to Meteora then heading right back to Athens, this is the best option.

By Car – Kalabaka is about 3.5 hours from Athens. The highway is very new and in great shape. However, Gas is VERY expensive in Greece at about $2.07 per liter or $7.84 per gallon. Also, you will pay about $20-25 in tolls to get to Kalabaka. (one way) I rented a brand new Automatic Citroen from Athens through Discover Cars for 12 euros per day. So it’s not the cost of the car that kills you, it’s the gas and tolls!

🚗 We recommend to rent a car through Discover Cars. Book your rental car here!

2 – Are you only going to Meteora, or are you visiting Vikos Gorge as well?

I’ve input a map of Athens, Meteora, Vikos, and Lefkada below. As you can see, Meteora is basically on the way to Vikos. So if you’re already headed to Vikos, it is definitely worth a stop in Meteora – no question. And while I would say a trip to Meteora is debatable, you should definitely go to Vikos Gorge. Vikos is one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen anywhere in the world.

➡️ Read: Complete Guide to Vikos Gorge ✨

However, if you only have time for Meteora, it is definitely a big investment of time and money.

3 – Cost to Visit Meteora

By Car – Car rentals are cheap, but gas is expensive in Greece. So are tolls. I paid about $12 per day for my Citroen Economy Car booked through Discover Cars, but about 75 euros in gas to get to Meteora and back to Athens. Plus another 40 or so euros in tolls. (round-trip) So for the gas and tolls you’re looking at an extra $115 in expenses, not factoring in the cost of the rental car.

By Train – The train will cost about $50 round-trip. (But then you need some wheels to explore Meteora obviously)

Once You Get to Kalabaka – You are going to want to rent a scooter or something to get around for the day, and this will cost around $20. An e-bike tour will cost around $40-$70, depending. If you are going to do an e-bike tour, I would highly recommend a sunset tour. Kalabaka is very hot during the day, but cools off a lot at night. The midday heat would ruin your experience at Meteora in my opinion. Food isn’t too expensive, I would plan for about $10 per meal. An average hotel will cost about $60 per night. I recommend booking one in Kalabaka, the main town, for convenience. Everything is walkable from here.

🛌 Here are all your hotel options in Kalabaka 🗻

4 – How Amazing is Meteora?

Meteora is referred to as the most famous Monastery in the whole world on a lot of websites. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is actually a complex of six different monasteries. The way they are built into the top of massive rocks is very impressive.

The massive “pillars” at Meteora are believed to have formed 60 million years ago. During the Byzantine period, monks decided to construct monasteries on top of these pillars to be closer to God. The name “Meteora” means “hanged from nowhere”. For many centuries, monks from around the world migrated to this area for a more scenic life. However, Meteora started to fade away in the 17th century due to raids and thieves.

➡️ Read: Top 8 Things to Do in Milos ✨

5 – What’s There to Do at Meteora?

1 – Watch Sunset from the viewpoint – This is by far the most impressive thing about Meteora. I will never forget the sunset here. Tons of people drive up here at night to sit on the rocks and watch one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. You could sign up for a 4 hour sunset tour that takes you to all six monasteries and ends with a panoramic view of Meteora from the viewpoint.

🌅Book the best Sunset tour in Meteora HERE ⬅️

2 – Go Hiking – The hikes are just ok in Meteora, very hilly with decent but not amazing views. It’s also VERY hot in Meteora in the summer. I did the Meteora Short Loop (3.3 miles). It was a decent hike and I would definitely recommend it if you have time for a hike when you come to Meteora.

3 – Visit the Monasteries – It’s an easy walk up to most of the monasteries with good steps. Entrance fee is 3 euros for each monastery.

4 – Do an E-bike tour (Meteora is very hilly) – This is probably the most popular activity for visitors in Meteora. You can take an e-bike tour with a guide to help you understand the vast history of the area. I recommend doing this one that happens at sunset and has a drink and local guide included.

🚴 Book Your Sunset E-Bike Tour of Meteora HERE 👈

5 – Explore the villages of Kalabaka and Kastraki – Kalabaka is a decent, small town with a bunch of restaurants, shops, and cafes. Kastraki is much smaller and much more spread out. In my opinion, these towns are not very impressive and there’s not much to see.

6 – Go White Water Rafting – $94, Northern Greece is the perfect spot for rafting with it’s huge mountains and fresh rivers.

➡️ Read: Complete Guide to a Northern Greece Road Trip ✨

6 – Is Meteora Expensive?

Not really. A bit cheaper than Athens. Food is pretty cheap, accommodation is much cheaper than the islands. Depends on the quality you’re looking for. In general, the North is much cheaper than Athens and the Greek islands.

🛌 Here are all your hotel options in Kalabaka

7 – Where to Stay?

Most stay in Kalabaka or Kastraki. Kalabaka is a bigger town with a lot more going on. Tons of restaurants, cafes, and shops. Kastraki is closer to Meteora, smaller, and bit more peaceful. If you’re going to have wheels during your time then you’d probably prefer Kastraki. It’s much more peaceful and pleasant. Kalabaka is kind of a loud, run down mountain town – but still, it’s not bad. If you don’t have wheels then you should stay in Kalabaka.

Summary – Is Meteora Worth Visiting?

If you are heading to Vikos Gorge, then I would definitely say Meteora is worth it. It’s not that far out of the way, and it is a very cool sight. If you have a few spare days in Athens then I would recommend you come to Meteora for a night. Take the train to Kalabaka in the morning, visit the monasteries/hike during the day, then catch the sunset from the viewpoint at night. Take the train back to Athens the next morning. You can easily do all there is to do in Meteora in a day.

Or, you could do an organized 1 day tour from Athens for $88, which I actually think is a good deal, considering what you would pay to visit Meteora on your own anyway.

If you’re short on time I would say don’t move things around just to visit Meteora. But Vikos Gorge in the North near Albania … that’s a whole different story. You definitely want to visit Vikos!