Meteora
Monasteries on 400-metre rocks. The most spectacular day trip you can make from Thessaloniki.
The drive
Two and a half to three hours by car, almost all of it motorway. You reach Kalambaka, drive the Meteora ring road and stop at four or five viewpoints. Each monastery closes on a different day of the week — check before you set off. Sunset from the Holy Spirit rock is worth the drive on its own.
What to watch out for
- Leave at 08:00 to see the monasteries before they close
- Shoulders and knees must be covered to enter
- A diesel car makes this trip noticeably cheaper
Road: A1 & A3 motorways (tolls)
And next?
More drives from Thessaloniki
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Mount Olympus & Litochoro
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An hour south and you are at the foot of the mountain of the gods — a gorge, plane trees, and the sea fifteen minutes away.
Vergina & the Royal Tombs
75 km1h 00m
The tomb of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great — a UNESCO site, one hour from the city.