Where to stay in Meteora

For Meteora you sleep in Kalambaka or Kastraki, two places 15 min apart on foot. Kalambaka is the larger town with the station, restaurants and shops, and Kastraki a small village at the foot of the rocks, quieter and with the best views. A dorm bed in a hostel costs €15.50–17.50.

The KTEL coach from Athens runs to Kalambaka, about 4 h 30, so this is where you step off with your luggage. In the evening it has more restaurants and shops than the village. The hostels are here too, but the choice is small.

Kalambaka suits people arriving without a car, travelling alone or on a smaller budget, and wanting a choice of dinners. It doesn't suit anyone who wants the rocks outside the window.

Getting aroundHow to get from Kalambaka to the monasteries now that the bus has gone:Getting around Meteora →

Kastraki is a small village right under the rocks, quieter than the town, with the best views of any place to sleep. Above it stands the viewpoint from which most of the monasteries are visible at once; it is free and best before sunset. The main road to Kalambaka has a pavement and lighting and takes 15 min on foot, so dinner in town needs no transport.

It suits couples, photographers and anyone who wants a morning under the rocks. It doesn't suit anyone who needs a shop and the station within a couple of steps.

2 daysThe two-day plan, with a night in either of the two places:Meteora in 2 days →

For one night or two

For two nights pick Kastraki for the mornings, for one pick Kalambaka for the coach.

When to goWhich months keep the steps free of crowds:The best time to visit Meteora →

• Choosing the place by the ride to the monasteries. The public bus to them is none (discontinued July 2024), so both places are served by the same means and the choice of village changes nothing.