Getting from Crete to Meteora

If you are heading to Meteora from Crete you are going to one of the most extraordinary places in Greece, a complex of Byzantine monasteries built on top of impossibly tall rock pillars in the plain of Thessaly that looks invented and is entirely real.

Take the ferry

There is no ferry to Meteora. It is an inland destination in the mountains of Thessaly with no sea connection. Getting there from Crete means flying to Athens first.

Getting there by air

Meteora has no airport. The nearest town is Kalambaka, around 3.5 hours by road from Athens. Flying from Crete to Athens takes around 50 minutes and then the drive or train to Kalambaka takes around 3.5 to 4 hours. The train from Athens Larissa station to Kalambaka is one of the finest journeys in Greece, with the rock pillars coming into view as you pull into the station.

Your best option

Fly to Athens and take the train to Kalambaka. The journey through the Vale of Tempe and into Thessaly with the Meteora rocks rising above the plain as you arrive is one of the great arrivals in Greek travel. If you want flexibility for the monasteries and the surrounding region, rent a car in Kalambaka on arrival.