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Meteora & Northern Greece

The monasteries of Meteora perch atop sandstone pillars that rise 400 metres from the plain as if placed there by gods. Combined with the stone-bridged villages of Zagori, the Ottoman old town of Ioan...

7 DaysDuration
Max 14Group Size
€1,450From / Person
ModerateDifficulty
From €1,450 per person, all inclusive Book Now Enquire

All prices in Euro · No hidden fees

The monasteries of Meteora perch atop sandstone pillars that rise 400 metres from the plain as if placed there by gods. Combined with the stone-bridged villages of Zagori, the Ottoman old town of Ioannina, and the wild Vikos Gorge — one of the world's deepest — this is a Greece that most visitors never discover. Deeply beautiful, utterly authentic, and completely different from the island experience.

Tour Highlights

Meteora at Sunrise

Monasteries and mist-wrapped rock pillars before any other tourists arrive

🌉
Zagori Stone Bridges

Centuries-old arched bridges in a mountain landscape of extraordinary beauty

🦅
Vikos Gorge Overlook

One of the world's deepest gorges — a kilometre of sheer rock face from the rim

🕌
Ioannina Ottoman Quarter

The lake island where Ali Pasha ruled — a completely different Greece

🏔
Astraka Mountain Plateau

High-altitude shepherd country with wildflowers and views to Albania

🍖
Northern Greek Cuisine

Slow-cooked trahanas, mountain pies, smoked cheeses, and barrel wine

💶 Pricing Note: All prices quoted in Euro (€). The price shown is per person based on twin/double share. Single supplement available on request. No hidden fees — all inclusions listed on the Inclusions tab.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Click any day to expand the full programme. B = Breakfast · L = Lunch · D = Dinner included.

D1

Departure from Athens

📍 Athens → Kalambaka

🍽 Dinner

Private minibus departs Athens, heading north through Thessaly. First stop: the Vale of Tempe, a sacred gorge of ancient myth. Arrive in Kalambaka — the town directly below the Meteora rocks. Dinner as the monastery lights come on above you.

Athens → KalambakaVale of TempeDinner
D2

Meteora Monasteries

📍 Meteora

🌅 Breakfast🥗 Lunch🍽 Dinner

Sunrise walk to the best viewpoints before the crowds. Guided visits to three open monasteries including the Great Meteoron and Varlaam — see the Byzantine frescoes, the monk's quarters, and the history of how these communities survived on near-inaccessible rocks. Sunset from the Holy Trinity viewpoint (used in For Your Eyes Only). Traditional dinner in Kalambaka.

Sunrise viewpoint3 MonasteriesFrescoesSunset
D3

Drive to Zagori

📍 Meteora → Zagori

🌅 Breakfast🥗 Lunch

Drive into the Pindos mountains. First stop: the Dragon Lakes at Astraka. Walk through Vikos Gorge rim viewpoint — staggering depth. Explore Monodendri village and its famous abandoned monastery perched over the gorge. Lunch at a stone-built mountain taverna.

Dragon LakesVikos Gorge rimMonodendri
D4

Zagori Villages & Stone Bridges

📍 Zagori

🌅 Breakfast🥗 Lunch🍽 Dinner

Full day among the 46 stone villages of Zagori — a UNESCO-listed cultural landscape. Cross the triple-arch Kokkorou bridge over the Voidomatis river. Visit Kipi, Tsepelovo, and Aristi. Swim in the crystal Voidomatis (one of Europe's cleanest rivers). Traditional dinner at a guesthouse.

Zagori villagesStone bridgesVoidomatis swim
D5

Ioannina & the Lake Island

📍 Zagori → Ioannina

🌅 Breakfast🥗 Lunch

Drive to Ioannina — capital of Epirus and one of Greece's most fascinating cities. Boat to the small island in Lake Pamvotis — site of Ali Pasha's palace and assassination. Byzantine museum visit. Walk the Ottoman old city (Kastro). Lakeside lunch.

IoanninaLake islandAli PashaOttoman Kastro
D6

Mountain Villages & Return South

📍 Ioannina → Athens

🌅 Breakfast🍽 Dinner

Morning in the mountain village of Metsovo — cheese, smoked meats, traditional weaving. Lunch stop in Trikala. Long afternoon drive south through Thessaly back to Athens. Farewell dinner in Athens.

MetsovoTrikalaAthens returnFarewell dinner
D7

Departure

📍 Athens

🌅 Breakfast

Free morning in Athens. Transfer to airport. Tour ends.

Airport transfer
Note: Itinerary sequence may vary slightly based on local conditions, weather, or site opening hours. Your guide will always optimise the experience. All core elements shown are guaranteed.

What's Included & Excluded

✓ What's Included

  • 6 nights guesthouses & mountain hotels
  • Daily breakfast, 4 lunches, 3 dinners
  • Professional local guide throughout
  • Private minibus transport throughout
  • 3 Meteora monastery entrance fees
  • Ioannina lake island boat trip
  • Zagori stone village guided walk
  • Athens airport transfers

✕ Not Included

  • International flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal expenses
  • Meals not listed
  • Optional hiking guide for Vikos Gorge descent (€40)
  • Gratuities
💶 All Prices in Euro All GreceTour prices are quoted and charged in Euro (€). The per-person price is based on twin/double occupancy. Single supplements are available — please enquire at info@greecetour.gr.

Guest Reviews

4.9
★★★★★
Based on 120+ reviews
5 stars
78%
4 stars
16%
3 stars
4%
2 stars
1%
1 star
1%
Claudia M.
France
★★★★★

"I thought I knew Greece. Meteora at sunrise with no tourists — just our eight people and those impossible rocks in the mist — was one of the most profound experiences of my life. The Zagori villages are heartbreakingly beautiful."

Alan & Ruth F.
Ireland
★★★★★

"Northern Greece is a revelation. The food, the mountains, the complete absence of mass tourism — we felt like explorers. Our guide was brilliant, funny, and clearly in love with his homeland. Cannot recommend highly enough."

Stefan K.
Austria
★★★★☆

"Exceptional tour — Meteora and Zagori were extraordinary. The drive back to Athens on the last day is long (4+ hours) and I'd have preferred to fly, but everything before that was perfect."

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Frequently Asked Questions

Meteora has become very popular but we deliberately visit at sunrise and use the less-frequented viewing paths. Our small group size (max 14) means we can access spaces that large bus tours cannot.
Most walks are 2–4km on good paths. The Vikos Gorge rim walk is on a gravel path with some steep sections. Comfortable walking shoes are needed; hiking boots are ideal. The full Vikos Gorge descent (optional, extra cost) requires good fitness.
Photography is permitted in the grounds and exteriors. Interior photography of Byzantine frescoes is generally not allowed — your guide will advise on each monastery's rules. The exterior views and landscapes are extraordinary.
Substantially. Northern Greek cuisine is heartier, more Ottoman-influenced, and centres on mountain ingredients — wild mushrooms, smoked cheeses, corn-based trahanas, slow-cooked meats. It is exceptional and almost unknown outside Greece.
We use carefully chosen traditional guesthouses and small hotels — stone-built, warm, characterful, with home-cooked breakfasts. These are the kind of places Greek families return to every year.
November through March is spectacular at Meteora — snow on the rock pillars is surreal. Zagori guesthouses are cosy. We run a Winter Meteora special departure in January–February, ask us for details.

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Email info@greecetour.gr

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