Meteora Day Tour

Meteora Day-Tour

Discover Meteora that are well-known throughout the world for the natural beauty of their rocks and the unique monasteries on their fringes. Walk on the rocky paths, wander through the monasteries, enjoy the unique scenery, and feel total peace in a place where UNESCO has declared it as a World Heritage Site. The imposing Meteora and the stunning views are unique in the world and your visit here will be unforgettable.

Caves in the vicinity of Meteora were inhabited continuously between 50,000 and 5,000 years ago. The oldest known example of a built structure, a stone wall that blocked two-thirds of the entrance to the Theopetra cave, was constructed 23,000 years ago, probably as a barrier against cold winds – the Earth was experiencing an ice age at the time – and many Paleolithic and Neolithic artifacts of human occupation have been found within the caves.As early as the eleventh century, monks occupied the caverns of Meteora. However, monasteries were not built until the fourteenth century, when the monks sought somewhere to hide in the face of an increasing number of Turkish attacks on Greece. At this time, access to the top was via removable ladders or windlass. Nowadays, getting up there is a lot simpler due to steps being carved into the rock during the 1920s. Of the 24 monasteries, only six (four of men, two of women) are still functioning, with each housing fewer than ten individuals.

At their peak in the sixteenth century there were 24 monasteries at Meteora in Greece. They were created to serve monks and nuns following the teachings of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Much of the architecture of these buildings is Athonite in origin. Today there are six still functioning, while the remainder are largely in ruin. Perched onto high cliffs, they are now accessible by staircases and pathways cut into the rock formations.
Of the six functioning monasteries, the Holy Monastery of St. Stephen and the Holy Monastery of Roussanou are inhabited by nuns while the remainder are inhabited by monks. The total monastic population of the Meteora monasteries in 2015 was 56, comprising 15 monks in four monasteries and 41 nuns in two monasteries. The monasteries are now tourist attractions.

Meeting Point & Duration

Cruise Port / Hotel/ Villa/ Apartment/ Airport

Duration: 13 hours

Itinerary

• Pick up point to Corfu Port
• Ferry 1h45m from Corfu to Igoumenitsa
• 2,5 hours driving to Meteora -views of the Greek countryside-
• Discovering the spectacular clifftop Meteora monasteries
• Launch time at Kalambaka
• 2,5 hours driving  to Igoumenitsa Port -views of the Greek countryside-
• Ferry 1h45m from Igoumenitsa to Corfu
• From Corfu Port to drop off point