In real estate it’s all about location, location, location. Kalambaka ticks that box, the location at the foot of Meteora is stunning. This post is only a sneak preview to the majestic Meteora, my next article will be completely dedicated to the beauty of that sight.

Map of Meteora

The below map is a representation of the towns and Meteora. As you can see there are two towns near the mountains; Kalambaka is actually the bigger one of the two which is further away. Kastraki is really close to the mountains and I’ve heard that the views are much better. Due to this “location, location, location factor” hotels in Kastraki are slightly more expensive than in Kalambaka. The reason I chose Kalambaka is simple; it’s closer to the train station. In terms of restaurants and bars, both towns have an acceptable variety of establishments. I had no need to be super close to Meteora as I had booked a tour which would pick me up from town. Kalambaka served all my purposes.

Getting to Kalambaka

I travelled from Athens to Kalambaka. As means of transportation I chose the train, which is more expensive than the bus but at least it would get me to the town directly. The direct train left at 8:27am and the ticket cost 18.20 euro. The good thing about this train is that you get an assigned seat and amazing views over the mountainous landscape and the plains in between. The train takes the same direction as the bus to Delphi. I had to get off at the final stop at 1:30pm, which is about as stress-free as you can make it.

Town of Kalambaka

The town of Kalambaka is tiny and quaint. The train station is on the main road and most hotels are at walking distance. The reason tourists come to the town is to visit Meteora and hotels obviously try to accommodate that by offering great views. I stayed in Alexiou Hotel which is on the main road.

When I walked up to the hotel I was afraid I would miss out on the amazing views over Meteora, but once I was checked in and standing on my balcony I saw that the hotel booking certainly did not disappoint.

The guy at the reception desk handed me a map and instructed me to explore the town. The lay out is very simple, Alexiou Hotel is at the end of the main road and there are three town squares all with a different function. The first one has great restaurants for breakfast., the second square is known for its bars and the third one has great sweets.

He then told me there is a Byzantine Church. No further words were required for this Byzantine obsessed girl and I made my way to the church.

Exploration of the Town

It’s easy to walk from A to B in Kalambaka as it’s so small. My only aim was to reach the Byzantine Church and other than that my plan was to just explore the streets and side alleys of the town.

I found out that it doesn’t matter which street you enter as long as it has Meteora as backdrop. Gorgeous!

How cute is this gang of cats next to the dog sign?

The Byzantine Church of Virgin Mary

The Byzantine Church is on a steep hill, which means you have great views over the town from there.

I didn’t know I would visit the church again during the sunset tour of Meteora, but I’m happy we did because I learned so much more than when I entered by myself. Entry is 2 euro. During the tour I was told that the Byzantine Church is the oldest monument of the town. Of course, like most churches photography was not allowed so I can’t share my knowledge in a structured way.

The only things I can tell you, if you decide to visit the church by yourself, these points were the most interesting in my opinion:
1. The outside walls have been constructed from slices of ancient Greek artefacts such as the pillars of temples. You can see how these slices have been incorporated in the church below.

2. The drawings in Byzantine Churches were there to show people the teachings of the Bible during a time when most people couldn’t read. This particular church contains drawings that are still very intact.
3. The church is a basilica due to its floor plan – columns that have been organized in a rectangular shape.

Conclusion

This post about Kalambaka is not as meaty as my other posts. There’s not much sightseeing to do apart from a museum which I didn’t visit – The Natural History Museum of Meteora & Mushroom Museum – even though especially the latter sounds very interesting. Leave a comment if you have visited – and of course the aforementioned church. However, hotel prices are cheap and I would suggest two book two nights in Kalambaka in order to explore Meteora properly rather than doing it all on a one day tour from Athens. My next post will be about Meteora, one of the most impressive landscapes I have ever seen!