Greece - Korina Miller [211]
Other good options:
Hotel Meteora (Map; 24320 22367; gekask@otenet.gr; Ploutarhou 14; s/d incl breakfast €25/30; ) On a quiet cul-de-sac below the rocks.
Pension Arsenis (Off Map; 24320 23500; www.arsenis-meteora.gr; s/d/tr/f €30/40/48/55; ) Quiet hillside location, plus goat bells.
Eating
Taverna To Paramithi (Map; 24320 24441; Patriarhou Dimitriou 14; mains €4-9) Along with very good grills and fresh pasta, owner-cooks Makis and Eleni bring in fresh seafood daily from the coast. Roasted gavros (anchovies, €5.50) are an unusual speciality, along with lamb ribs (€8.50) and roka (rocket lettuce) salad (€3.50). A few local musicians often end the night here, with guitar or bouzouki in hand (and possibly a glass of the tasty house wine).
Taverna Panellinion (Map; 24320 24735; Plateia Dimarhiou; mains €5-9) Panellinion serves first-rate mezedhes such as roasted feta, and fine versions of traditional dishes such as pastitsio (spaghetti and meat bake) and chicken in lemon sauce. Dishes always feature fresh local ingredients, resulting in a recent culinary award for this popular eatery opposite the fountain.
For quick eats and gyros (rotisserie-cooked meat skewers, usually served with pitta bread), roam the block south of Plateia Riga Fereou. The best pizza gets sliced at Pizzaland (Map; 24320 72135; Trikalon 93; pizza €7-9).
Self-caterers can opt for Champion Supermarket (Map; 24320 78503; 8am-8pm Mon-Sat), which is well-stocked with fresh produce and more.
Getting There & Away
BUS
Kalambaka’s Central KTEL bus station (Map; 24320 22432; Ikonomou) is 50m down from the main square and fountain, and the arrival/departure point for Trikala bus connections. Note: travellers to Delphi should go via Lamia (not Larissa), taking the 9am bus, changing in Lamia to the 12.45pm Amfissa/Delphi bus, arriving by 3.30pm.
TRAIN
Trains depart from the Kalambaka train station ( 24320 22451). Trains to Thessaloniki and Volos change at Paliofarsalos.
Getting Around
Buses for Kastraki (€1.20) leave about every 45 minutes from the Plateia Dimarhiou fountain, and on weekends, two of these (8.20am and 1.20pm Saturday and Sunday) continue on to Moni Megalou Meteorou. But note that on weekdays the Meteora-bound buses depart from the KTEL station (9am and 1pm Monday to Friday).
Taxis (opposite the fountain) go to Kastraki (€3) and all the monasteries (for example, Moni Megalou Meteorou for €8). Some drivers speak English, German or French, and you arrange a taxi tour from about €20 per hour.
Bikes (€8) and motorcycles (€18) can be hired for the day from the Hobby Shop (Map; /fax 24320 25262; Patriarhou Dimitriou 28), near the newsstand.
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KASTRAKI ΚΑΣΤΡAΚΙ
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The village of Kastraki is less than 2km from Kalambaka, but its impressive location right under the rocks gives it an otherworldly feel. If you want a base for exploring the Meteora monasteries, or for climbing the rocks themselves, Kastraki is a good choice.
Kastraki has an internet shop, All Time Café (Map; 24320 23930; per hr €3; 9am-2am), on the main road opposite Taverna Paradisos.
Sleeping
Vrachos Camping (Map; 24320 22293; www.campingmeteora.gr; camp sites per adult/tent €7/free; ) This outstanding and well-shaded camping ground on the Kalambaka–Kastraki road features spotless toilet and shower blocks, a small market, a taverna and a barbecue for self-caterers.
Rooms Ziogas Vasiliki (Map; /fax 24320 24037; s/d/tr from €25/40/50; ) This friendly domatia is clean and airy, and there are great views from several rooms facing the rocks. Homemade breakfast, lunch or dinner is available upon request from the family owners.
Hotel Tsikeli (Map; 24320 22438; www.tsikelihotel.gr; s/d/tr incl breakfast €30/50/60; ) Two hundred metres past All Time Café, this welcoming lodging features simple pine- and marble-furnished rooms, large balconies and a grassy front garden. The rear-facing rooms are quieter, roughly half are nonsmoking.
Thalia Guest House (Map;