Full day tour Meteora

Escape from the big city buildings and embark for a wonderful journey to one of the most astonishing sites in Greece, the towering rock formations of Meteora. Your private tour starts from your hotel /preferred pickup point early in the morning (suggested 05:00-06:00 a.m.) in order to drive you to Northern Greece, through Thessaly lowlands, to the town of Kalampaka.

On our way to Kalampaka we will pass some towns which are a reference point in the history of Greece like Thebes,Lamia and Trikala. Thebes was an important Mycenaean centre in the middle to late Bronze Age and was a powerful city-state in the Classical period, participating in both the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, reaching its peak of influence in the early 4th century BCE when it was the most powerful city in Greece. The original Lamía was founded in the 5th century BCE as the centre of the tribes of Malis, a semi-indigenous Dorian people who contributed to the construction of a temple at Delphi.The acropolis dominating the modern city has ruins that range from classical wall foundations to Roman, Catalan, and Turkish battlements.

The town of Trikala is built upon the ancient town “Trika” or “Triki” founded around the 3rd millennium d.c. The largest part of the town is inhabited since pro-historical times and the first signs of life in the cave of “Theopetra” reach till 49.000b.c. Few minutes after the town of Trikala we will reach our final destination Kalambaka and Meteora. There you will get on the top of the immense natural pillars and hill-like rounded boulders that dominate the local area to visit 2 (of an original twentyfour) historic monasteries that were built from monks that left Mount Athos. On this part of the tour you will go back in the 13th century to learn the story of the monks that were climbing the steep rocks by carrying materials to build the Great Meteoron monastery. A place which was perfect for the monks to pray and find peace away from the civil world. This was the beginning that laid the foundations of the monastic community of Meteora as we know it at present. At the moment only 6 of the monasteries are active and available to visit as they have been declared as UNESCO World Heritage Monuments.

After exploring the famous monasteries we will get back to the town of Kalampaka to visit the “Cavern of Theopetra” and admire a 23,000 years old stone wall in front of the entrance which was probably built to protect its residents from cold winds. Maybe the oldest known manmade structure! There you will have the time to visit the town of Kalampaka and have a meal in an authentic Greek tavern. Once you feel ready and filled with amazing images from Meteora its time to get started for the return,with an important stop on the way.Τhe battlefield of Thermopylae (or Hot gates/ Hot springs) where King Leonidas of Sparta with his army of 300 brave men, gave their last breath by fighting against thousands soldiers of Persian King Xerxes’ to save Ancient Greece. Their ‘motto’ was “Honor and Glory”. Their memory lasts over the centuries with Greece and Greeks honoring their loss. After a day exploring the Greek religion, monasteries and wonderful landscapes is time to relax and enjoy an afternoon drive back to your hotel.