Kastraki

Kastraki sits so close under the Meteora pinnacles that the rock faces stand at the ends of its streets, and it is the quieter of the two bases for the monasteries, smaller and more village-like than Kalabaka next door. It is also the climbing centre: the sandstone-conglomerate towers around it have hundreds of routes, and the village fills each spring and autumn with climbers, guides and gear shops, a subculture that has grown here since German climbers opened routes in the 1970s. From the village, footpaths climb directly into the rocks, including the old paths to the monasteries used before the roads, and the sunset viewpoints face west across the pinnacles toward the Pindos.

What you actually see

• The rock faces - Meteora towers rising straight from the village edge.
• The old footpaths - pre-road routes climbing to the monasteries.
• The climbing scene - routes, guides and gear shops through the season.
• The sunset viewpoints - western outlooks over the pinnacles.

When to go

April to June and September to October, the best climbing and walking conditions and the mildest weather. Summer is hot on the rock; winter is quiet, damp and often misty, which some find atmospheric.

Honest expectations

Kastraki has few services beyond guesthouses and tavernas, so most shopping happens in Kalabaka. The monastery visits require modest dress and involve many steps. Tour buses pass through in daytime, though they rarely stop in the village.

Nearby

Kalabaka is a fifteen-minute walk; the six working Meteora monasteries lie on the rocks above.