Athens: Meteora Monasteries Tour with Local Guide and Greek Lunch

Overview

Available languages

German

Korean

Japanese

English

Chinese (China)

Italian

French

Spanish

14 hours

Mobile ticket

Discover one of the world’s most popular UNESCO sites on this Athens to Meteora day trip. Explore ancient monasteries, enjoy panoramic views and learn all about the region's history and myths.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Specialized infant seats are available

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

To use our free audio guides, please be sure to bring your smartphone and earphones with you.

The monasteries of Meteora impose a dress code for visitors. Men are required to wear long trousers and shirts with sleeves. Women must wear skirts that fall below the knee (trousers are not permitted) and cover their shoulders. Alternatively, women can use a long scarf wrapped around the waist to meet the dress code requirements.

The monasteries of Meteora only accept cash for the entrance fees (€5 per person/monastery)

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Air-conditioned bus with onboard WiFi and USB Chargers

Local, knowledgeable English-speaking tour guide

Free Audio Guides in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese and Korean

Panoramic photo stops

Stops to see all the monasteries of Meteora

Refreshment breaks at local shops on both bus routes

Greek Lunch at a local restaurant (if option selected)

Free time to visit the interior of 3 of them

Roundtrip transportation from Athens to Meteora

Bottle of water

Immersive Guided Meteora tour

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Entrance Fee of Each Meteora Monastery

Guided tour inside the monasteries (available upon request)

What To Expect

Athens

Embark on an extraordinary day trip from Athens to the Unesco World Heritage Site of Meteora. Explore centuries-old monasteries, enjoy breathtaking panoramic views and uncover hidden gems of Meteora that most travelers won't know about. If you join the tour from November to January, you will also have the opportunity to witness the famous Meteora sunset from a stunning panoramic viewpoint. Your journey starts as you board our private, air-conditioned bus at 07:45 AM, conveniently departing from the street across the Central Railway Station of Athens (Stathmos Larisis). Sit back and enjoy a scenic bus ride through the enchanting countryside, offering picturesque glimpses of mainland Greece.

4 hours • Admission Not Applicable

Meteora

By noon, you'll arrive at Meteora, where your friendly local tour guide will await you, to begin an unforgettable adventure through this natural wonder called Meteora. During this guided tour, you'll be able to see all the majestic monasteries of Meteora and even step inside three of them to explore their captivating interiors. Also, discover the hidden treasures of Meteora, including the ancient hermit caves and the magnificent St. George Mandilas cave. Moreover, uncover the 'secret' side of Meteora accompanied by your local, knowledgeable, English-speaking guide learning about why hermits chose to settle in these imposing caves a thousand years ago. Immerse yourself in the rich history and intriguing myths of Meteora, as you hear detailed explanations and fascinating stories. If English isn’t your primary language, don’t worry! We also offer free audio guides in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese and Korean. Also, capture amazing photos during multiple photo stops.

Admission Not Applicable

Options

Full-Day Tour with Lunch

Lunch: Experience a Full-Day Meteora Trip by Train and enjoy a traditional Greek lunch including salad, main dish, bread and water.

Full-Day Tour without Lunch

Meteora Tour with Greek Lunch

Enjoy transportation from Athens in an air-conditioned bus, followed by a shared Meteora tour. Lunch is included.

Meteora Tour without Lunch

Enjoy transportation from Athens in an air-conditioned bus, followed by a shared Meteora tour. Lunch is not included.

Reviews

4.53

88 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Unique
Laurine D,
Sep 17, 2025
- Viator
5.00
I took an excursion from Athens to the Meteors and it was an amazing experience! The drive is a bit long (about 4 hours from Athens), but it is definitely worth it. The scenery is spectacular: these huge cliffs with the monasteries perched give a unique impression in the world. Visiting the monasteries is fascinating, both for the history and for the spirituality of the place. I also very much appreciated the explanations in the guide that made the site even more lively. An excursion that I absolutely recommend to those visiting Greece!
Very long bus trip.
Tom B,
Sep 15, 2025
- Viator
3.00
This is a very long bus trip. 4 hours to get there and 4 hours back. Nice tour guide however. The lunch was not very good. Should have passed on it and taken the hour to walk around the town and find something. There were two break stops 2 hours into going and coming. Very crowded cafeteria style stop. Not good food. There were also alot of steps especially to the first monastery we stopped at - 370. We left at 8 am and got back at 10 pm. I felt like we could have spent the day in Athens doing something more interesting. If you really want to see monasteries- it's probably a good choice for you.
Be prepared for a lot of...
Esther E,
Jul 2, 2025
- Viator
5.00
Be prepared for a lot of steps and a long bus ride from Athens— But it is all worth it for the unforgettable views and great memories. The actual guide joined us at Meteora where we had lunch before exploring the first of three monasteries.
Definitely worth the long drive.
Rita O,
Jun 2, 2025
- Viator
5.00
Excellent local guide and transportation. Good stops along the way for lunch and for stretching the legs.
Great Tour, but bus needs more AC
Rachel T,
May 12, 2025
- Viator
4.00
Great tour and amazing scenery, we loved the tour itself. We paid cash euros for two monasteries to be able to go inside. They had skirts and pants for you to wear if you were not dressed appropriately. You had to pay to use the toilet so make sure you bring euros. Would be helpful if they just include one euro per person in the admission price. Tour guide was very nice and full of information. The bus ride was long and we made 2 stops each way. The AC didn't work very well and we had to keep asking to have it turned higher AC power. The people in Greece don't like to use AC, but being on a bus with 40 people it is necessary, even in May.