M E T E O R
It doesn’t mater much when you plan to visit the monasteries of Meteora Winter or Summer Spring or Autumn both four seasons are the best time to go.
It’s advisable to plan your trip in spring or autumn . But If you are looking for a special experience, try to be there for the Orthodox Easter .

Opening times
Different monasteries are open on different days so that the monks in the Monasteries still functioning ones they have the time to pray and do other chores. Some of the monasteries have been turned into museums. If you plan to visit a certain monastery, make sure to check the schedule in advance.

Unfortunately, it’s quite hard to find information online about the opening times, that may vary from season to season.
Holy Trinity can be visited daily from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. It costs €2 to enter the monastery. Rossanou Monastery can be visited daily from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The entrance fee is €3.

Which monasteries can be visited?
While there are many empty, abandoned monasteries on the rocks, the following six can be visited:

■Great Meteoroon : the oldest monastery; currently a museum
■Varlaam: the second biggest monastery in size; the old refectory is currently used as a museum
■St. Stephen: the easiest to reach if you don’t like to hike a lot; the old refectory is used as a museum
■Holy Trinity: the hardest to reach boasts some of the best views; was featured in the movie “For Your Eyes Only”
■St. Nicholas Anapausas
■Rossanou: now functions as a convent of nuns



How to get to Meteora
If you spend your vacation in or around Thessaloniki, visiting the monasteries of Meteora can be planned as a day trip. We recomend you to book an organized trip.DAYRISE offers day trips to Meteora and other close-by tourist destinations. But you can only relay on these tours during the tourist season.


We may also organize a private tour for you and your companion.
Also helicopter tour is available on request for up to 4 persons.
Steps, walking and general fitness requirements
There are hundreds of steps leading to the monasteries so prepare your knees for long hikes. Make sure to bring appropriate shoes and bottled water. The most accessible monastery is The Holy Monastery of St. Stephen , while Holy Trinity is the least accessible. You don’t need special training to tackle the hikes but the fitter you are, the easier it will be for your body (and the less sore you’ll be the next day).


ITINERARY FROM THESSALONIKI
FULL DAY METEORA TOUR

WE PICK YOU UP FROM YOUR HOTEL AT 0730 HOURS.
DRIVE THROU THE PLAINS AND VALLEYS OF RICE AND PEACH TREES . ARRIVAL TO VEROIA CITY , ONE OF THE FIRST PLACE WHERE APOSTOLE PAUL TALKED ABOUT CHRISTIANITY. STOP FOR FOTOS IN MONUMENT .
CONTINUATION VIA NEW EGNATIA HI WAY.
TURN TO THE LEFT ARRIVING IN GREVENA CITY , TOWARDS THESSALIA .STOP FOR 20 MINUTES IN THE PICTURESQUE VENETIKOS RIVER CANYON, WHERE WAY MAY EXPLAIN THE GEOLOGICAL PHENOMENON OF THE METEORAS ROCKS FORMATION.
CONTINUATION FOR METEORA . THE LAND SCAPE IS STARTING TO BECOME DIFFERENT.
WE WILL PASS BETWEEN SMALL VILLAGES AND THE FIRST METEORA ROCKS WILL BE AHEAD. STOP FOR FREE COFEE AND REFRESHMENTS IN A HANDICRAFT FACTORY WHERE WE MAY BE EXPLAINED THE WAY OF PAINTING A BYZANTINE ICON.


Visit Meteora and enjoy the unique and most impressive scenery with ageless Monasteries, containing priceless historical and religious treasures, standing between earth and sky atop huge rocks. WE WILL TALK ABOUT THE LIFE OF THE MONKS AND THE HISTORY OF THIS UNIQUE PLACE .
LATER WE WILL HAVE THE OPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE A PANORAMIC TOUR AROUND THE ROCKS AND TO SEE SOME OTHER IMPORTANT MONASTERIES.

LUNCH ON YOUR OWN AT A RECOMENDED TAVERNA.
LATER WE RETURN IN THESSALONIKI VIA TEMPI VALLEY ND FISHING VILLAGE PLATAMON. STOP FOR A COFEE AND TOILETES
WE ARRIVE IN THESSALONIKI BY THE EVENING