Thessaly Trip Overview
When all the masses of tourists are long gone, join an amazing sunset tour that undoubtedly will be the highlight of your entire Meteora visit.
Allow the locals to guide you through the winding narrow roads of Meteora to places away the beaten tourist paths. Sunset tour begins with a visit to one of the 6 monasteries of Meteora, Agios Stefanos or Holy Trinity. Then we will guide you to the oldest standing monument of our place, the Byzantine church of Virgin Mary located at the old town of Kalambaka. Visit the thousand years old hermitages of Bandovas, learn the stories and the legends and enjoy great views from the most panoramic spots.Let your heighten senses to explore moment by moment the dimming of the light as the sun disk sinks behind the mountains. This will be the most perfect way to end a beautiful day at Meteora with an awe-inspiring tour to be remembered forever!
Additional Info
Duration: 4 hours
Starts: Thessaly, Greece
Trip Category: Tours & Sightseeing >> Half-day Tours
Explore Thessaly Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Thessaly, Thessaly, Greece
When all the masses of tourists are long gone, join an amazing sunset tour that undoubtedly will be the highlight of your entire Meteora visit.
Allow the locals to guide you through the winding narrow roads of Meteora to places away the beaten tourist paths. Sunset tour begins with a visit to one of the 6 monasteries of Meteora, Agios Stefanos or Holy Trinity. Then we will guide you to the oldest standing monument of our place, the Byzantine church of Virgin Mary located at the old town of Kalambaka. Visit the thousand years old hermitages of Bandovas, learn the stories and the legends and enjoy great views from the most panoramic spots.Let your heighten senses to explore moment by moment the dimming of the light as the sun disk sinks behind the mountains. This will be the most perfect way to end a beautiful day at Meteora with an awe-inspiring tour to be remembered forever!
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Meteora, Kastraki, Kalambaka 422 00 Greece
Meteora is an area that covers few square kilometers, where an ancient monastic community and a rare geological phenomenon of huge rock pillars coexist in absolute harmony. Located at the northwest tip of the plain of Thessaly, Meteora today has become one of the most popular destinations of mainland Greece. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, an archeological site and an officially declared holy place! At the foothills of the rocks, there are 2 settlements, the town of Kalabaka and the village of Kastraki.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Byzantine Church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, Kalambaka Greece
It is a must-see church, not only for its age and precious 11th century Byzantine frescoes, but also because of the construction material of its walls. Relics of an ancient Greek temple dedicated to God Apollo have been embedded in the wall. In its interior one can also pay attention to the older mosaic floor that is revealed in specific spots beneath the current floor. This is definitely one of the most precious early Christian basilicas around Greece and even now days serves as an active church for the locals.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Agios Stefanos, Kalambaka Greece
This is the most accessible monastery, where instead of steps you simply cross a small bridge to reach the entrance. It is ideal for visitors who cannot use the steps and yet they wish to have a real experience of a Meteora monastery.
The beginning of monastic life on the rock of Agios Stephanos dates back to early in the 12th century. Hosios Antonios, in the first half of the 15th century, and Hosios Philotheos, who renovated or rather rebuilt from its foundations the old small and elegant Catholicon, the present church of Agios Stephanos, in 1545 are mentioned as its founders.
Duration: 30 minutes
Pass By: Great Meteoron Monastery, Eparhiacos dromos Meteoron, Kalambaka 42200 Greece
The Great Meteoron Monastery is the biggest and oldest one of all. It was called the monastery that was “suspended in the air” (meteoro), because of the formation of the gigantic rock on top of which it was built.
The Great Meteoro Monastery was founded by Saint Athanasios the Meteorite who was the first founder of the monastery and the organizer of the systematic koenovion. For this reason, the foundation of this monastery is considered to be a turning point, or even better, the beginning of the organized monastisicm in Holy Meteora.
Pass By: Holy Trinity Monastery (Agia Triada), Kalambaka Greece
The Great Meteoron Monastery is the biggest and oldest one of all. It was called the monastery that was “suspended in the air” (meteoro), because of the formation of the gigantic rock on top of which it was built.
The Great Meteoro Monastery was founded by Saint Athanasios the Meteorite who was the first founder of the monastery and the organizer of the systematic koenovion. For this reason, the foundation of this monastery is considered to be a turning point, or even better, the beginning of the organized monastisicm in Holy Meteora.
Pass By: Roussanou Monastery, Kalambaka Greece
The Holy Monastery of Roussanou has received the name of the first probable hermit who settled on the rock. The main cathedral was founded at the end of the 16th century and was decorated thirty years later.
Compared to other rocks where monasteries were built, the one of Roussanou has a lower elevation, which makes it more accessible. The monastery was initially founded by monks and it suffered severe damage during World War II. It became a convent in 1988.
Pass By: Varlaam Monastery, Kalambaka Greece
The Holy Monastery of Varlaam is the second biggest monastery. It is located opposite of the Great Meteoro Monastery and it was founded in the mid 14th century by the exercitant Hosios Varlaam.
The elegant monastery Catholicon was built in the honour of Agioi Pantes in 1541-42, by two brothers from Ioannina, the priest-monks Hosioi Theophanes and Nectarios the Apsarades. The main church was decorated in 1548. Based on stylistic criteria, this magnificent wall-painting is attributed to the famous hagiographer from Thebes, Frago Catelano.
